Alabama had a 19-game win streak snapped last week when they fell 41-38 at Texas A&M. The loss knocked the Crimson Tide out of the #1 spot in the AP Top 25 for the first time since November of 2020, and now Nick Saban will try to rally up the troops for a visit to Mississippi State.
Strangely enough, the Bulldogs’ last game was a win over the same Texas A&M team that beat Alabama last week. Mississippi State beat the Aggies 26-22 on the road in that game which was held on October 2nd, giving Mike Leach an extra week to prepare for the Crimson Tide. The Bulldogs are still +17 point home underdogs in this matchup.
No Need for Alabama to Worry
Last Saturday’s loss to Texas A&M was a strange one in many ways. The Aggies were up 31-17 at one point in the 3rd quarter, meaning the game wasn’t as close as the 3-point final, but at the same time, the Crimson Tide outgained TAMU 522-379.
Bryce Young only hit on 28/48 passes but did have 389 yards and 3 TD. It was the first time Young didn’t complete at least 60% of his passes in a game this season, but he’s still the +180 favorite to take home the Heisman Trophy.
Maybe a loss is what the Crimson Tide need to regroup and realize they can’t just show up to get wins. Alabama still has the #2 scoring offense in the SEC (44.3), is 4th in total offense (472.5), and 2nd in passing (310.8).
Time is Right for Mississippi State
The Crimson Tide looked human last week, so they’ll either come out extremely angry on Saturday, or the code has been cracked to keep the game close. Texas A&M only had 94 yards on 27 carries last week vs. the Tide, but that’s not a worry for Mississippi State as they rarely run the ball anyways.
Mississippi State ran the ball just 17 times for when they beat Texas A&M 26-22 back in week five. It was Will Rogers who stepped up in a huge way with a 46/59 day passing with 408 yards and 3 TD. Leach has had an extra week to prepare for Alabama while having last week idle.
Alabama at Mississippi State Pick
It’s nice to see a little shakeup near the top of the AP polls as Georgia has taken over the #1 spot with Iowa #2 and Cincinnati #3. It’s hard to remember how Alabama responds after a loss since it’s been so long, but the Crimson Tide did indeed beat Mississippi State 38-7 back in November of 2019 after falling 48-41 to LSU the week prior.
Young has been humbled by his first collegiate loss, and Alabama has a pass defense allowing less than 200 yards/game through the air.