Alabama has a clean chance to expand its Mississippi State winning streak to 17 games and keep an unbeaten start intact. Nick Saban still flags one sticky piece of the Starkville trip as the part that can catch Kalen DeBoer’s group off guard.
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The Crimson Tide is undefeated, with Georgia waiting, which gives players a reason to glance past the next opponent. Mississippi State is also unbeaten and at home, and both sides want a 5-0 start. Saban’s warning is less about raw numbers and more about focus, respect, road momentum, and the noise at Davis Wade Stadium.
“Alabama’s going to Mississippi State. Mississippi State can score points. So, to me, those are the most challenging games… It’s always tough for Alabama going to Mississippi State,” Saban said on The Pat McAfee Show.
“Yeah. Man, it was one of the hardest games for me to get our players up for. To respect Mississippi State for as good as they were, to play in that environment over there where you got cowbells ringing in your ears for days after you play there and to be able to go there and have focus on that game and play well in that game,” he added.
History still leans Alabama’s way. Saban went 21-1 against Mississippi State, including 5-0 at LSU and 16-1 at Alabama. The lone loss was 17-12 in Starkville on November 10, 2007, his first season with the Tide, against Sylvester Croom’s Bulldogs. The same environment he described once produced a Mississippi State win over his team.
Mississippi State’s current offense can be another concern for Alabama. The Bulldogs average about 43 points and 533 total yards per game. They are 4-0 and 2-0 in the SEC.
Sophomore quarterback Kamario Taylor is 83-of-120 for 1,192 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions, plus 185 rushing yards. He has thrown at least three touchdowns in every game. Running back Fluff Bothwell leads the ground game with 402 yards. The attack is balanced, which is the exact threat DeBoer has spent the week trying to slow.
“Coach Lebby does a great job… his guys are always executing, playing fast,” DeBoer said, adding that they are “going on another level” from last year.
DeBoer was just as direct about Taylor. “He’s got a tremendous deep ball… the ability to run and extend plays with his legs, too. Extremely talented.” The plan on defense is to “make the quarterback as uncomfortable as possible, and try to keep them off schedule,” the head coach said.
Alabama’s own offense has set some standards as well. The Tide averages 48 points and about 471.5 yards, with 188 rushing and 283 passing. Sophomore Keelon Russell is completing 71% of his passes for 1,129 yards, 8 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions.
Over the last two games against Florida State and South Carolina, Alabama piled up 685 passing yards and seven passing touchdowns. The bigger worry is stopping points.
Alabama allows about 20.3 points and 315.3 yards per game, yet it gave up 471 yards to Florida State and 419 to South Carolina. Outside linebacker Justin Hill is out with a lower-extremity injury, and defensive end Desmond Umeozulu is out with turf toe.
Right tackle Jayvin James is questionable after leaving the South Carolina game, and William Sanders is expected to play, and safety Zavier Mincey is probable. Those absences matter against a team that has scored at least 31 points every week.
Mississippi State’s own list is thin up front. Defensive linemen Diesel Moye and Trevion Williams are out for the season. Meanwhile, receiver Ayden Williams is out, and linebacker Zakari Tillman is out. Safety Isaac Smith is questionable after an arm issue, while Bothwell is probable.
The game is set for October 3 at Davis Wade Stadium. Alabama is around a 5.5-point favorite with the total near 60.5.