QBs turn in year's best performance

Arkansas' Brandon Allen (10) makes a pass attempt while on the run during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Mississippi State, Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015 in Fayetteville, Ark. Mississippi State beat Arkansas, 51-50. (AP Photo/Samantha Baker)

— As poor as the reputation has been this season for Southeastern Conference quarterbacks, Mississippi State's Dak Prescott and Arkansas' Brandon Allen put on arguably the best head-to-head show in a game this season on Saturday night.

The two quarterbacks combined to throw 12 touchdown passes in the 51-50 victory for the Bulldogs, with Allen throwing a school-record seven and Prescott adding a mere five — though he did have a pair of rushing touchdowns as well in the wild back-and-forth affair.

The combined touchdown throws were the most in a major college football game this season, according to STATS.

The previous best of nine had happened four times, the last of which Allen was also involved in. That was in the Razorbacks' overtime win at Mississippi two weeks ago, when Allen matched the school record of six touchdown passes.

The much-maligned senior earned the solo record on Saturday, and his seventh touchdown pass also lifted him past former Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett for the most touchdown passes (63) in school history.

Prescott's 508 yards passing was the most in the country this week, and the senior has now thrown for 23 touchdowns and only three interceptions this season.

Allen wasn't far behind with 406 yards passing of his own, fifth most in the country on the week, and he's now thrown 29 touchdowns and only six interceptions this season — 49 touchdowns and 11 interceptions over the last two years.

"Wow. What a football game that that was," Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen said. "That was big-time ball. As impressive a quarterbacking performance as I think you're going to see in college football on both sidelines."

Somewhat surprisingly, given the struggles early in his career and the balanced offensive approach by Arkansas coach Bret Bielema, Allen is fifth in the country this season in passing efficiency.

The Razorbacks' quarterback is second nationally among Power 5 conference quarterbacks behind Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield, and he's thrown for 16 touchdowns and only one interception in his last four games.