The scoreboard wasn’t the only thing racing at Davis Wade Stadium. With Mississippi State hanging a 49-0 lead on Alcorn State just minutes into the second half, the refs blew the whistle and the coaches huddled up—not for a trick play, but to literally shorten the game. Yes, under NCAA rules, if both coaches and the officials sign off, quarters can be cut down to 10 minutes in lopsided beat-downs. And that’s exactly what went down in Starkville.

Mississippi State came out with an Axe, and by halftime the Bulldogs had piled up 42 points—their biggest first-half outburst since 2013 against Troy. The offense looked like it was running on cheat codes, averaging nearly 10 yards a play with bombs of 75 and 42 yards. Jeff Lebby ’s “Score From Far” mantra wasn’t just a slogan; it was a lifestyl

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