Will Rogers threw for 406 yards and six touchdowns as host Mississippi State routed Bowling Green, 45-14, in a nonconference game Saturday afternoon.
Rogers, who completed 38 of 49 passes and tied his school record for single-game touchdown throws, connected with five different receivers for scores as the Bulldogs (3-1) bounced back from a 31-16 loss at LSU in their SEC opener.
His most frequent target was Caleb Ducking, who finished with seven catches for 96 yards and two touchdowns. He had one touchdown pass each to Simeon Price, Jamire Calvin, Lideatrick Griffin and Jaden Walley.
Camden Orth, starting in place of Matt McDonald, completed 17 of 28 for 172 yards with two touchdowns and one interception for the Falcons (1-3).
Bowling Green head coach Scot Loeffler did not make the trip because of a “personal health matter,” according to the school. He is expected to return to the sideline for the game at Akron next Saturday.
Rogers threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Griffin on MSU’s first possession of the third quarter to increase the lead to 38-7 at the end of the period.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Orth threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Harold Fannin Jr. to trim the lead to 38-14.
Rogers answered on the ensuing possession with an 8-yard touchdown pass to Walley for a 45-14 lead, then was replaced during the next possession by Sawyer Robertson.
Rogers threw touchdown passes on the Bulldogs’ first two possessions — a 22-yarder to Ducking, followed by a 32-yarder to Price, who scored his first career touchdown.
Ben Raybon added a 53-yard field goal, one yard short of the school record, to increase the lead to 17-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Orth threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Tyrone Borden, but Rogers and Ducking answered with a 26-yard score and Rogers connected with Calvin for a 2-yard touchdown to give MSU a 31-7 halftime lead.
–Field Level Media