ATLANTA --- Georgia Tech ruled the red zone in its best effort under new coach Paul Johnson.

Jonathan Dwyer set a school record with an 88-yard touchdown run, Georgia Tech's defense shut out Mississippi State for three quarters, and the Yellow Jackets beat the Bulldogs 38-7 on Saturday.

Mississippi State scored on only one of five red-zone chances. Georgia Tech was successful on three of four chances inside the Bulldogs' 20.

Johnson, usually difficult to please, was left with little to criticize about his spread option offense.

"They executed well," Johnson said. "I thought we played much, much better on the offensive line. We didn't allow penetrations that we allowed in the first three games.

"We really got the option going a little bit. Maybe we're getting better at it. I hope we are."

Led by Dwyer's 141 yards rushing on nine carries, Georgia Tech (3-1) ran for 438 yards, its most since 1978 and the fifth-highest total in school history.

Tech's top four rushing totals all came between 1974-78 in coach Pepper Rodgers' wishbone attack.

Mississippi State coach Sylvester Croom was a center when he played for Bear Bryant in Alabama's wishbone, making him well-qualified to prepare a team for a triple-option attack.

"They didn't do anything different," said Croom of the Yellow Jackets. "They didn't do anything we hadn't worked against. Absolutely nothing."

The Bulldogs (1-3) may have known what to expect, but they couldn't stop Georgia Tech, even after the Jackets lost starting quarterback Josh Nesbitt to a hamstring injury on their opening drive.

Georgia Tech was favored, but the margin of victory was notable one week after the Bulldogs' 3-2 loss to Auburn.

The Yellow Jackets, coming off a 20-17 loss at Virginia Tech, said they wanted to make a statement for the Atlantic Coast Conference against the Southeastern Conference team.

"Everybody says the SEC is the best conference," Dwyer said. "We wanted to represent for the ACC and for Georgia Tech. That's what we did today."

In the teams' first meeting since 1929, Mississippi State committed four turnovers, as its streak without offensive points was extended to eight quarters before a fourth-quarter touchdown against Georgia Tech's backups.

Mississippi State managed 24 first downs -- one more than Georgia Tech -- and 407 yards, but it continued to bog down inside the 20-yard line.

Dwyer, Greg Smith, Embry Peeples and backup quarterback Jaybo Shaw ran for touchdowns.

Shaw, a freshman, also threw a touchdown pass.

Cornerback Jahi Word-Daniels had a touchdown-saving play, a fourth-down stop and an interception. Defensive end Michael Johnson blocked a field goal, deflected two passes, recovered a fumble, and had a fourth-down sack.