Pat White threw two touchdown passes and ran for another and led No. 9 West Virginia to a 38-13 win over Mississippi State Saturday.
West Virginia scored on its first five possessions and wasn't threatened.
The Mountaineers now enter the heart of the Big East schedule with a showdown next Saturday at Rutgers.
Given multiple chances to close the gap, freshman Wesley Carroll could only temporarily rally Mississippi State (4-4), which lost to a ranked opponent for the fourth time this season.
The Bulldogs were limited to 12 first downs and 214 yards.
Mississippi State's only signs of life came on either side of halftime.
Carroll's second completion went for 22 yards to Jamayel Smith and Dixon eventually scored from 1 yard out to cut the deficit to 31-7. Christian Ducre had a 3-yard TD run early in the third. Carroll went 18-of-34 for 169 yards.
