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NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Playing in the Southeastern Conference dimmed Mississippi State's high expectations this year. With the two longest touchdown runs in the program's bowl history, senior Vick Ballard gave the Bulldogs plenty to celebrate in capping the season.

The game's MVP ran for a career-high 180 yards, including TD runs of 60 and 72 yards, to lead Mississippi State over Wake Forest 23-17 Friday night in the Music City Bowl -- the Bulldogs' fifth straight bowl victory and second consecutive under coach Dan Mullen.

"Getting a big win allows us to go celebrate this victory later on tonight," Mullen said.

Those high expectations were hurt by losses to SEC teams either ranked at the time or going into bowl season. Now the Bulldogs (7-6) have won consecutive bowls for only the second time and first since 1999-2000.

Mississippi State overcame four turnovers thanks to Ballard's long TD runs and six sacks -- its highest total since piling up seven in a win over Florida in 2000.

"We thought they were going to bring the heat," Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe said. "At times, we just didn't' protect as well as we could."

Wake Forest (6-7) snapped a two-game bowl winning streak. The Demon Deacons now have lost both bowls against the SEC and finish the season having lost five of their last six games.

Chris Relf ran for 64 yards and threw for 129 yards and a TD with two interceptions.

The Demon Deacons, who held the ball for more than 35 minutes, tried to rally.

They converted two fourth downs before Brandon Maye sacked Tanner Price for the sixth time, forcing Wake Forest to kick a 46-yard field goal to pull within 23-17 with 3:27 left. Wake Forest forced Mississippi State to punt, getting the ball back with 2:15 to go. But Price threw incomplete on three straight passes, the last to Terrence Davis on fourth-and-7 with 1:40 left.

"All in all, we had our chances," Grobe said. "We just didn't take advantage of them."

That had Bulldogs fans clanking their cowbells and chanting "S-E-C, S-E-C" as Mississippi State ran out the clock.

Ballard came just shy of Walter Packer's school-record of 183 yards rushing in the 1974 Sun Bowl against North Carolina. Both his TD runs remained a blur after the game.

"I just found a crease and hit it," Ballard said.

Wake Forest nose guard Nikita Whitlock said he thought they did a good job stopping Ballard most of the game and blamed missed assignments, including some by himself, for the TDs.

"They took it to the house on us a couple of times," Whitlock said.

Mississippi State 7 9 0 7 -- 23

Wake Forest 7 0 7 3 -- 17

Wake--Pendergrass 14 run (Newman kick)

MSSt--Ballard 60 run (DePasquale kick)

MSSt--Clark 31 pass from Relf (kick failed)

MSSt--FG DePasquale 33

Wake--Bohanon 1 run (Newman kick)

MSSt--Ballard 72 run (DePasquale kick)

Wake--FG Newman 46

A--55,208

Mississippi State Wake Forest

First downs 14 21

Rushes-yards 39-253 38-63

Passing 129 224

Comp-Att-Int 12-20-2 26-48-0

Return Yards 23 23

Punts-Avg. 5-41.2 8-40.0

Fumbles-Lost 3-2 0-0

Penalties-Yards 6-48 5-39

Time of Possession 24:10 35:50

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING--Mississippi State, Ballard 14-180, Relf 15-64, Perkins 6-15, Team 2-(minus 2), Bumphis 2-(minus 4). Wake Forest, Pendergrass 24-73, Reynolds 2-8, Givens 2-6, Bohanon 1-1, Team 1-(minus 1), Price 8-(minus 24).

PASSING--Mississippi State, Relf 12-19-2-129, Team 0-1-0-0. Wake Forest, Price 24-46-0-214, Davis 1-1-0-9, Wulfeck 1-1-0-1.

RECEIVING--Mississippi State, C.Smith 5-47, Clark 2-38, Ballard 2-9, M.Johnson 1-37, Perkins 1-1, Bumphis 1-(minus 3). Wake Forest, Campanaro 10-128, Givens 9-54, Pendergrass 2-19, Parker 2-9, Price 1-9, Dembry 1-4, Bush 1-1.