Liberty Bowl: Mississippi State demolishes Rice

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Dak Prescott's roller-coaster 2013 ended at a high point in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl on Tuesday.

Accounting for 361 total yards and a game-record five touchdowns, the Mississippi State quarterback led his team to a record-breaking 44-7 rout of Rice.

In earning Most Valuable Player honors, Prescott completed 17 of 28 passes for 283 yards and three scores. He also rushed 14 times for 78 yards and two touchdowns, both in the third quarter, before departing for backup Damian Williams as the fourth quarter started.

It was a perfect ending to a tumultuous season for the sophomore. He lost his mother, Peggy, to cancer in November and battled through a spate of injuries to lead his team to an upset win over archrival Mississippi on Nov. 28 to clinch bowl eligibility.

"It's really been about Mississippi State and this football team just being there for me," Prescott said. "They've made the hardest thing of my life easier, I guess. I can't be thankful enough for what everyone's done for me."

That extended to Tuesday's game. After missing a couple of easy throws while starting 3-for-7, Prescott started zeroing in on wide receiver Jameon Lewis, who couldn't be stopped under any defensive scheme.

The 5-foot-9, 195-pound Lewis grabbed nine passes for a school and Liberty Bowl-record 220 yards, including catches of 17, 28, 35 and 65 yards. Most were short throws on which Lewis made most of the yardage after the catch against a defense that failed to keep containment.

"The game plan was to rely on the run, but the defense wasn't going to allow us to run," Lewis said.

"Rice is a big, physical team," Bulldogs coach Dan Mullen said. "We had to put our athletes in a position to make plays. Couldn't be prouder of how we executed after a bit of a slow start."

The Owls (10-4) actually scored first on a 1-yard run by running back Charles Ross with 6:41 left in the first quarter, capping a nine-play, 45-yard drive. However, Rice gained only 66 more yards in the game as Mississippi State's speed in the back end of its defense, plus its heft up front, kept the Owls from establishing their ground game.

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Liberty Bowl: Mississippi State demolishes Rice