CLEVELAND, Miss. – The Delta State University Statesmen (2-0) used six touchdowns on 416 all-purpose yards from Cole Kirk and a second-half shutout to defeat the Missouri S&T Miners (0-2) at the 38^th annual Pig Pickin' on Saturday night at Parker Field-McCool Stadium.
 
Receiving the opening kickoff, Delta State scored on the second play of its first drive on a quarterback keeper that saw Cole Kirk rush for an 89-yard touchdown, putting the Statesmen up early in the first quarter, 7-0.
 
Missouri S&T also answered on its first possession with a rushing touchdown from AJ Harris that followed by a successful two-point conversion, putting the Miners ahead slightly, 8-7.
 
Delta State's next drive featured seven plays and ended with a screen pass from Kirk to KJ Smith for the 24-yard touchdown. DSU reclaimed the lead, 14-8, as the first quarter closed.
 
Missouri S&T's Harris took the lead back, 15-14, when he scored another rushing touchdown to open the second quarter.
 
On the next possession, Kirk connected with Jaylen Green over the middle and the Norcross, Ga., native took it in for the score and his third touchdown of the season on a 53-yard touchdown pass to put the Statesmen back ahead 21-15.
 
Midway through the second quarter, Kirk found the endzone again when he rushed up the middle for a three-yard rushing score, extended the Statesmen lead to 28-15.
 
The Miners' Layne Ryals put a 28-yard field goal through the uprights with 19 seconds left in the first half.
 
Nick Herber closed out the second quarter with a 30-yard field goal to put the Statesmen up 31-18 going into the locker room.
 
Kirk connected with Smith on another screen pass for a 24-yard score, extending the DSU lead to 38-18. Herber split the uprights again from 34 yards out to extend the lead again, 41-18, with under five minutes to play in the third quarter.
 
Carter Coullard, a sophomore tight end, scored his first career touchdown on a 16-yard pass from Kirk. He proceeded to score his second career touchdown in Delta State's next possession, this time on a 16-yard pass from Jake Lange, putting DSU up 55-18 with 4:38 left in the ballgame. The game ended with Delta State victorious, 55-18.
 
On the defensive side of the ball, JJ Hudson's career-high seven tackles helped the defense keep the Miners scoreless in the second half. Green led all receivers with 105 yards on three catches, while Tycen Gray added a career-high 32 yards.
 
The Statesmen are back in action on Saturday, Sept. 14 when they face Wingate University at Irwin Belk Stadium in Wingate, N.C. Kick off is set for 2 p.m.