Griffin shines in MSU bowl victory

Former Philadelphia Tornado Lideatrick “Tulu” Griffin scored Mississippi State’s final touchdown to help hold off a Tulsa rally as the Bulldogs won 28-26 Thursday in the Armed Services Bowl play at Fort Worth, Texas, and was named the game's MVP.

While the game will be remembered more for the brawl that followed, Griffin was one of several true freshmen who gave Mississippi State fans hope for better things next year.

Griffin kept the Bulldogs in good field position throughout the game with his kickoff returns. In fact, he returned the opening kickoff 57 yards to put the Bulldogs on the Tulsa 39-yard line. Mississippi State would score and go up 7-0.

Griffin finished the game with 138 kick return yards on four returns. That could have been more had one return not been called back.

Griffin caught two passes had 17 yards.

Mississippi State led all the way. They carried a 7-6 lead into the locker room at halftime. They then outscored Tulsa 14-7 in the third quarter to take a 21-13 lead into the fourth quarter.

Tulsa scored with 12:01 left in the game to make it 21-19. Then MSU freshman quarterback Will Rogers found Griffin on a 14-yard TD pass that would put Mississippi State up 28-19 with 8:01 left.

The Bulldogs held on to win the game and finished with a 4-7 record.

Griffin was named the 2020 Armed Forces Bowl MVP, marking MSU's 24th individual bowl game honoree and first since the 2017 TaxSlayer Bowl.