No. 9 Auburn Sharp, Mississippi St. Suffers

In a game in which many people predicted ninth-ranked Auburn’s winning streak would end, the Tigers answered with what Coach Terry Bowden called their best game of the season.

Patrick Nix threw for 311 yards and three touchdowns as Auburn won, 42-18, at Mississippi State on Saturday, tying a school record and extending the longest winning streak in Division I-A with its 17th consecutive victory.

“It doesn’t get any better than that,” said Bowden, undefeated in 1 1/2 seasons as a major college coach. “The execution was there. The concentration was there. The productivity was there. I think you finally saw a glimpse of Auburn playing a really good football game.”

Auburn, 6-0 overall and 4-0 in the Southeastern Conference, outgained Mississippi State 554 yards to 338. The Bulldogs got 107 yards in the fourth quarter when mostly reserves played.

The Tigers scored on four of their five first-half possessions, including Nix connecting with Frank Sanders for touchdowns of 19 and 56 yards as Auburn took a 21-0 lead in the first quarter.

Stephen Davis added 104 yards rushing and two touchdowns as Auburn tuned up for next Saturday’s SEC showdown at top-ranked Florida.

Harold Morrow caught a touchdown pass and ran for another score.

“This was our best football game so far. Whether that’s enough against Florida, we’ll wait and see,” said Bowden.

It was the biggest loss by the Bulldogs (3-2, 1-2) under fourth-year Coach Jackie Sherrill.