STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Missouri overcame some late momentum from Mississippi State on Saturday to take a 39-20 road win.

Brady Cook commanded an offense that had its best day in SEC play this season. The Tigers had SEC highs in points and total yards (473) in the win.

The game turned into a blowout late after the Bulldogs had a chance to make it a one-possession game at the start of the fourth quarter. With momentum in hand and trailing 31-20 inside the red zone, Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby decided to go for it on fourth-and-3 instead of attempting a field goal.

After the Bulldogs were stopped short of the yard marker, Missouri put together a 14-play, 83-yard drive that took 8:43 off the clock as Marcus Carroll scored from 1 yard away.

Missouri put more points on the board in the final minutes.

The Tigers (8-3, 4-3 SEC) held the ball for 37:23 while the Bulldogs had it for just 18:09. Mizzou was 11-of-17 on 3rd down and averaged 6.4 yards per play.

Cook was 15-of-20 passing for 268 yards and one touchdown and had seven catches from Luther Burden for 91 yards. Nate Noel led a running back group that had 205 yards on 56 carries and Noel had 25 carries for 95 yards. Carroll finished with 14 carries for 61 yards and three scores.

For the Bulldogs (2-9, 0-7 SEC), the team had just 338 yards of offense. Michael Van Buren was 16-of-28 for 191 yards and one touchdown but saw the game turn early on a fumble.

With a 3-0 lead in the first quarter and with great field position, Van Buren fumbled, and it was scooped up for a 66-yard touchdown by Dylan Carnell.

Davon Booth had a big game on the ground for the Bulldogs with 12 carries for 124 yards and a touchdown notching his second-straight game of 100 yards. State finished 2-of-10 on third downs and had three red zone trips that could have led to touchdowns finish with a total of six points.

Big picture

Missouri is out of the playoff discussion but headed to its fifth bowl game in as many years under coach Eli Drinkwitz. The Tigers will have a chance to have another 10-win season with two more victories.

Mississippi State is on the verge of a winless SEC season for the first time since 2002.

Up next

Mississippi State plays Ole Miss in the Battle for the Golden Egg on November 29.

Missouri will host Arkansas on November 30