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Why Alabama players aren’t worried about Starkville travel plans

Sep 26, 2026; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama players celebrate with fans after the Crimson Tide defeated South Carolina 49-18 at Saban Field at Bryant Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News

Alabama football is planning to travel to Mississippi State early Saturday morning ahead of the game, and Alabama players are not bothered the Crimson Tide’s travel plans.

Kickoff for the matchup is set for 11 a.m. CT. Traveling to Starkville the day of the game is not a new concept for the Crimson Tide as legendary head coach Nick Saban did this multiple times through his tenure as Alabama’s head football coach.

Fans voiced their concerns on social media about the team electing to travel to Starkville the day of the game, but players believe there is no reason for this to be a concern.

Alabama safety Bray Hubbard explained to reporters that the Crimson Tide practice in the mornings and finished practice before Tuesday’s media availability at 11:15 a.m. CT.

“I mean, we’re already done with practice, so we’re kind of used to being up early and getting everything going, so I don’t really know exactly the whole schedule of what time we’re leaving and stuff. We were just talking about it with Coach [DeBoer] just a second ago. We’re here during the week for practice. We usually get here at 6 o’clock, and we’re in meetings by 7, and so, we’re used to waking up early and having to get our engines going for an early practice. We’re usually practicing at 9 o’clock.”

Alabama defensive lineman Kedrick Bingley-Jones echoed what Hubbard said, and he shared that perhaps people are making too big of a deal about it online.

“We’re a morning practice team, so I don’t think it’s going to affect us as people are worrying about right now,” Bingley-Jones said. “We have to do what we have to do. I mean, I don’t think it’s gonna really affect us as people think it’s going to.”

On Monday, head coach Kalen DeBoer mentioned that the players will get some extra sleep the day before to make sure they are ready for Saturday’s SEC showdown in StarkVegas.

Alabama is set to play on the road against Mississippi State at 11 a.m. CT. The game will be on ABC.

 

Matthew Mason is a writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine with four years of experience covering Alabama athletics. Mason, a senior at The University of Alabama, began covering Alabama athletics for The Crimson White in 2023 and became a Staff Writer in 2024 before joining TDA in May of 2025. Mason crafts engaging articles that showcase his unique analytical skills and deep knowledge of Alabama football as well as his ability to tell captivating stories. Follow him on X at MatthewMason__

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