STARKVILLE – Home has been a bittersweet, uncomfortable place for Mississippi State.

For the third consecutive week, the Bulldogs played like a visiting team in Davis Wade Stadium, committing four turnovers and giving up too many yards and big plays in a 31-24 homecoming loss to Houston before 48,019 fans on Saturday.

All four turnovers belonged to senior quarterback Tyson Lee – two fumbles and two interceptions – and the last two miscues led to Houston’s final, and decisive, two touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

Two of the turnovers occurred in the red zone, and all four were made inside Houston’s 35-yard line.

MSU (2-4) has committed 13 turnovers over its last three games, which included losses to nationally ranked LSU and Georgia Tech, and has 18 turnovers on the season.

“It’s different when another team comes in and they hurt you,” said Lee, “but when you hurt yourself, there’s not much you can say for that except look past it really, try to get better and get ready for next week.”

It was tied 17-17 entering the final frame, but Lee threw into coverage on a third-down play and was intercepted at Houston’s 2-yard line by cornerback Brandon Brinkley, who also had the other pickoff.

That set up a 10-play, 78-yard drive capped by Case Keenum’s 3-yard scoring pass to James Cleveland for a 24-17 lead with 6 minutes, 23 seconds left in the game.

On the ensuing drive, Anthony Dixon had a touchdown run called back by a holding penalty, and Lee fumbled it away on a bad exchange with Arnil Stallworth on the next play.

Houston (4-1) covered 76 yards in two plays and iced the game with Keenum’s 18-yard TD to Tyron Carrier.

“We were moving the ball on offense, you just have to finish off drives with touchdowns, not turnovers,” first-year MSU coach Dan Mullen said.

The Bulldogs racked up 490 total yards, 330 of those on the ground. Dixon led the way with 134 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries.

His 50-yard jaunt, on which he carried three Houston defenders the final 20 yards, put MSU ahead 14-7 in the second quarter. But the Cougars answered on the next drive, going 66 yards and scoring on Keenum’s 16-yard pass to Carrier.

Keenum came in as the nation’s most prolific quarterback, and Houston’s offense was No. 1 in yards per game. Both performed up to expectations.

Keenum finished 39 for 52 for 434 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions, the first of which was returned 71 yards by strong safety Charles Mitchell for a touchdown and 7-0 MSU lead. Houston had 553 total yards.

“Back in the old days, you could stop an offense. Nowadays, there’s no way of shutting down an offense like that,” said MSU linebacker Chris White, who had nine tackles. “They’re going to score points, they’re going to make big plays, because there’s too many weapons on the field.”

James Cleveland led Houston with 131 yards and two TDs on 11 catches.

MSU is averaging 399.8 yards per game this season, and only the 1982 squad averaged more in a season (422.0).

But it’s just not been enough thanks to the turnovers, and frustration is mounting. Now, the Bulldogs must regroup for a trip to Middle Tennessee State.

“What I’m doing obviously is not working with our team,” Mullen said. “I’m going to have to change something, because it’s just way too many turnovers.”