LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Missouri State snagged four key interceptions, including a game-clinching takeaway by Dylan Dixson in the extra period, to turn back New Mexico State in CUSA play, 24-17, in overtime here Wednesday.
 
The Bears (4-3, 2-1 CUSA) never trailed in the contest and got 283 passing yards and 3 touchdowns on 28-of-44 passing from Jacob Clark who returned to the starting lineup after missing a game-and-a-half with an injury. 
 
Clark was masterful down the stretch, going 2-for-2 in overtime with the game-winning strike on a seven-yard strike to Ronnel Johnson. His third TD pass of the night was the 47^th of his career, tying Cody Kirby for Missouri State's all-time lead.
 
Johnson finished with a team-high 6 receptions for 99 yards.
 
After the MSU touchdown in OT, New Mexico State's first official play – a pass from Logan Fife – found its way into Dixson's arms to seal the win.
New Mexico State fell to 3-4 (1-3 CUSA).
 
The Bears also got interceptions from Jordan Dunbar, Maguire Neal and Thomas Anderson on the night to keep Fife out of rhythm. The Aggies' signal caller finished 22-of-34 for 207 yards and a touchdown.
 
Fife's only TD strike of the evening was a clutch one at the end of regulation. A short Missouri State punt gave the Aggies good field position at their own 35 with 2:23 to play. Fife then needed 34 seconds to lead NMSU to paydirt, covering the 65 yards in five plays before an 11-yard TD pass to Donovan Faupel with 1:49 remaining knotted the score, 17-17.
 
The Bears drove to the New Mexico State 33 on their final drive of regulation before a 50-yard field goal attempt by Yousef Obeid at the buzzer sailed just right. The attempt would have matched a career high for the sophomore kicker.
 
The Bears got a game-high 97 rushing yards from Shomari Lawrence, including a key seven-yard gain in overtime to the NMSU five-yard line that set up the game-winning pass two plays later. He also had a 13-yard pass reception on MSU's first play of overtime.
 
Defensively, the Bears got 11 total tackles from Anderson, while Davon Townley Jr. racked up 2.0 sacks, a blocked field goal and three total stops.
 
The game was tied 7-7 at the intermission before Dunbar's interception halted New Mexico State's opening drive of the second half, the Bears turned their third takeaway of the night into the go-ahead score. Lawrence carried three times on the drive to set up two Clark completions for a combined 51 yards, the second of which was an 18-yard scoring pass to Ramone Green Jr. to make it 14-7 early in the third.
 
A 33-yard pass to Johnson set up the score two plays earlier to the NMSU 20.
 
The Bears stopped NMSU on fourth-and-one at their own 34 with a great stop from Jalen Brooks to take over with great field position. Nine plays later, Obeid knocked a 32-yard field goal through to extend MSU's lead to 17-7 with 4:28 left in the third.
 
The Bears would take that lead into the fourth quarter, outgaining the Aggies, by a 102-27 margin in the third quarter.
 
New Mexico State capitalized on a 34-yard punt return by TK King midway through the fourth quarter that set the home squad up at the MSU 38. Missouri State's defense bent, but did not break, getting a pass breakup by Dunbar and a key third-down incompletion to force NMSU into a short field goal. The 25-yarder by Ryan Hawk was good to make it a 17-10 game with 5:23 to play.
 
Fife's only touchdown pass of the game with 1:49 left in regulation ultimately tied it up after the teams combined for three punts earlier in the fourth period.
 
In the opening half, Missouri State wasted little time taking command, taking the opening kickoff and marching 75 yards in nine plays for the early advantage. Clark's 9-yard touchdown pass to Jeron Askren, the 45^th of his career, gave the Bears a 7-0 advantage.
 
It marked MSU's second opening-drive touchdown of the season and the sixth time in seven games the Bears had taken the early lead.
 
The visitors had issues keeping that momentum going for the remainder of the opening quarter, turning the ball over twice on a pair of interceptions in New Mexico State territory and committing seven penalties.
 
Fortunately for Missouri State, its defense was up to the task. Neal's interception with the Aggies at the Bears' 27 on their opening drive of the game stopped one march. The Aggies then went three-and-out on their next drive to maintain MSU's early advantage.
 
The home side managed to tie things up, 7-7, early in the second quarter with a four-yard TD run by Isaiah Rudson from four yards out capping an eight-play, 77-yard scoring march with 11:40 left in the second.
 
From there, MSU's defense regained a foothold, forcing a three-and-out, blocking a potential go-ahead 48-yard field goal attempt, and recording a second takeaway on an Anderson interception at the Bears' five-yard line.
 
New Mexico State held a narrow, 146-132, advantage in total yardage in the opening 30 minutes and had possession for 17 minutes, 24 seconds.
 
The Bears are back home next Wednesday, Oct. 29, to take on FIU (3-4, 1-2 CUSA) at 7 p.m. for another nationally-televised game on CBS Sports Network. Tickets for the game are available online at MissouriStateBears.com or at the Missouri State Box office at Great Southern Bank Arena, (417) 836-7678, during regular box office hours (10-5, M-F).
 
The Oct. 29 game is Ag Day at Plaster Stadium. The contest also includes stadium-wide promotions for $2 hot dogs and a halftime drone show.