Mississippi State powers past NIU for best start since 2014

Field Level Media|published: Sat 20th September, 19:53 2025

Sep 13, 2025; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Blake Shapen (2) scrambles with the ball during the first half against the Alcorn State Braves at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Wesley Hale-Imagn Images

Blake Shapen threw a touchdown in his 19th consecutive game, Davon Booth ran for a pair and the Mississippi State Bulldogs completed a perfect nonconference schedule Saturday with a 38-10 victory over the Northern Illinois Huskies in Starkville, Miss.

Shapen was 12 of 20 for 160 yards with a TD to Seydou Traore as the Bulldogs (4-0) won the inaugural matchup between the schools. The senior quarterback rushed for 51 yards on 11 carries.

Fluff Bothwell ran for 101 yards on 17 rushes, and Brenen Thompson and Xavier Gayten had TD runs. Anthony Evans III had four receptions for 80 yards as the SEC program won its opening four games for the first time since 2014.

A 23 1/2-point underdog, the Huskies (1-2) saw Josh Holst go 14-for-23 for 135 yards with an interception and a score to DeAree Rogers, who had six catches for 84 yards.

The Bulldogs held a 452-267 edge in total yardage.

The visitors broke through on the opening series by going 63 yards to set up Andrew Glass' 30-yard field goal for the first points at 9:41.

The Bulldogs answered with a 13-play, 75-yard drive, needing a fourth-down conversion, and went up 7-3 on a 10-yard end around by Thompson at 3:48.

On the second quarter's first play, Holst found Rogers cutting into the end zone and hit him from 24 yards out.

The Huskies tried an onside kick but failed, and MSU traveled 48 yards to make it 14-10 on Shapen's one-yard throw to Traore at 11:31, stretching his TD streak that is second-longest to Iowa State's Rocco Becht's 22 games.

On the second half's opening series, Shapen's 45-yard pass to Jordan Mosley set up Booth's one-yard plunge for a two-score lead, 21-10.

NIU drove to the Bulldogs 16 on the next drive, but junior safety Isaac Smith recorded his first career interception in the end zone.

Kyle Ferrie's 48-yard boot capped a drive that consumed 7:47 but was hampered by penalties, putting it 24-10 late in the third.

Booth's six-yard run and Gayten's short run in the fourth put the game away.

--Field Level Media