Rice took advantage of an early fumble by Mississippi State for a 7-0 lead.

"After that nothing went our way," center Nate Richards said of the 44-7 loss Tuesday in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. "I don't know what happened."

Rice was held to season lows in total yards (145), rushing yards (61) and points.

The rushing total - 179 yards below its season average - was especially problematic for Rice, which was ranked 16th in the Football Bowl Subdivision. In its first meeting against a Southeastern Conference opponent this season, Rice rushed for 306 yards in a 52-31 season-opening loss to Texas A&M.

"There just wasn't much going on," quarterback Taylor McHargue said. "We never really found a rhythm moving the ball the entire game."

Charles Ross, who rushed for 1,252 yards this season, was limited to 28 yards on 10 carries. He scored the Owls' only touchdown on a 1-yard run in the first quarter.

"We knew coming in that their defensive line was pretty big and we were going to have trouble moving them."

Gaines attracts foes' attention

Like many teams this season, Mississippi State threw away from Phillip Gaines, the Owls' all-Conference USA cornerback, for most of the game.

"We knew where he was at all times on the field," Bulldogs coach Dan Mullen said. "We tried to make mismatches in the middle field."

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Liberty Bowl report: Rice running game hits a wall