LaDarius Perkins rushed for 131 yards and scored two touchdowns, Derek DePasquale kicked five field goals and No. 24 Mississippi State held off Alabama-Birmingham 29-24 on Saturday.

The Bulldogs (6-2) played without leading rusher Vick Ballard, but Perkins picked up the slack. He scored on a 2-yard run and a 4-yard reception from Chris Relf, and he set up Mississippi State's final field goal with a 51-yard run.

Relf completed 10 of 21 passes for 139 yards and a touchdown, and also rushed for 52 yards on 20 carries.

The game was tied 10-10 at halftime.

UAB took a 24-23 lead early in the fourth quarter on quarterback Bryan Ellis' 1-yard run before DePasquale connected from 39 and 28 yards.

Ellis threw for 233 yards on 22-of-44 passing and a touchdown for UAB (2-5).

Mississippi State has won five straight since a 29-7 loss at LSU on Sept. 18. The Bulldogs finish undefeated in non-conference games for the first season since 2000.