STARKVILLE – Anthony Dixon is running better than he ever has, but that didn’t matter one bit in Mississippi State’s 42-31 loss to Georgia Tech on Saturday.

That’s because Dixon, usually so reliable, lost two fumbles that cost MSU dearly. The first was scooped up and run back 40 yards for a touchdown by Jerrard Tarrant, and the other came at Tech’s 1-yard line.

Dixon rushed for 106 yards on 18 carries, with 103 of those yards coming in the first half. For the first time in his career, Dixon has surpassed 100 yards in three consecutive games.

Prior to his first fumble, Dixon hadn’t coughed up the ball since the 2007 Egg Bowl, a stretch of 329 touches and 301 carries.

“It sucks to perform like that,” Dixon said. “My teammates expect me to make big plays. I’m one of the leaders, and I’m supposed to be making things happen.”

As for just getting three carries after halftime, Dixon was a bit “dinged up,” as head coach Dan Mullen put it, plus the Bulldogs were trying to play catch-up and took to the air.

“Anthony’s going to come back and respond, that something that he’ll do as a senior,” Mullen said.

Dixon needs 181 yards to tie Jerious Norwood for the school’s career rushing record (3,212).

Berry breaks one

- Leon Berry had been talking all season about taking a kick back all the way, and he did just that in the first quarter. After Georgia Tech’s second touchdown, making it 14-0, Berry took the ensuing kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown with 21 seconds left in the first quarter.

It was MSU’s first kickoff return for TD since Fred Reid went 100 yards against Memphis in 2003.

“Coach had told me before that game, he was like, ‘This is your game, you’re going to get one, you’re going to run one back,’” said Berry, who is averaging 27.6 yards per kickoff return.

DePasquale steps in

- Starting placekicker Sean Brauchle had a rough night. First, he missed a 42-yard field goal in the first quarter, and then he left the game with a thigh bruise. Derek DePasquale filled in capably, though, nailing a 31-yard field goal and all three of his extra point kicks.

It was the first placekicking action of the season for DePasquale, a junior walk-on.

Key drive

- On the opening drive of the second half, Georgia Tech drove 90 yards in 10 plays, getting a 23-yard TD pass from Josh Nesbitt to Demaryius Thomas on a third-and-goal. That made it 35-17 Tech, and MSU couldn’t mount a rally.

Key number

-Five – Turnovers committed by MSU, giving it nine over its last two games. Tech scored 21 points off the miscues.

Next weekend

- MSU wraps up its three-game homestand with No. 12 Houston (3-0), which played at UTEP late Saturday night.

Quotable

- “We were out-coached today. They did a great job, and I’m really disappointed with our defensive coaching staff.” – MSU head coach Dan Mullen Bulldog bites

- MSU did not punt Saturday, the first time that’s happened since 1998 and only the fifth recorded time in school history. … Redshirt freshman Tobias Smith saw his first action of the year at right guard, where he was pegged to start before an ankle injury. … QB Tyson Lee’s 27-yard run in the first quarter was a career long. His 69-yard TD pass to Chad Bumphis in the fourth was a career long completion. … Tech is now 4-0 versus MSU.