Will Rogers threw one touchdown pass and ran for a score as Mississippi State held off No. 24 Tulsa 28-26 in a rainy Armed Forces Bowl on Thursday in Fort Worth, Texas.

Emmanuel Forbes had a 90-yard interception return for a touchdown and Lideatrick Griffin, who caught Rogers' touchdown pass, contributed 138 kickoff return yards to help the Bulldogs (4-7) overcome a sluggish offensive performance that produced just 271 yards.

Zach Smith passed for 347 yards and a touchdown but threw two crucial interceptions for the Golden Hurricane (6-3).

The contest was marred by an ugly postgame brawl in which punches and kicks were plentiful.

The Tulsa defense held down the Mississippi State offense even without linebacker Zaven Collins, the Nagurski Award winner as the top defensive player in the country who opted out to focus on the NFL Draft.

The Bulldogs led 7-6 at halftime, and Rogers scrambled 13 yards for a touchdown that gave Mississippi State a 14-6 lead early in the third quarter.

Deneric Prince answered on the next possession with a 13-yard touchdown run for Tulsa.

The Golden Hurricane were poised to take their first lead of the game, but Forbes' pick-six gave Mississippi State a 21-13 lead at the end of the third quarter.

A botched punt by Mississippi State gave Tulsa a first down at the Bulldogs' 32-yard line, and nine plays later Corey Taylor II ran 5 yards for a touchdown. A two-point pass went incomplete, leaving Mississippi State with a 21-19 lead with 12:30 remaining.

Rogers threw a 13-yard touchdown to Griffin to increase the lead to 28-19 with 8:01 left.

Smith drove the Golden Hurricane to the Mississippi State 6, but he was intercepted by Tyrus Wheat before directing Tulsa to a touchdown on a 15-yard pass to Keylon Stokes with 1:23 left. Stokes had nine catches for 117 yards.

Griffin returned the opening kickoff 53 yards to the Tulsa 39-yard line.

Three plays later, Jo'Quavious Marks ran 28 yards for a 7-0 Bulldogs lead that lasted through the end of the first quarter.

Zack Long made field goals of 27 and 33 yards to pull the Golden Hurricane within one point at halftime.

--Field Level Media