The 101st meeting between Alabama and Mississippi State takes stage this week. Coach Nick Saban has won eight straight games against the Bulldogs since 2008, and is in search of the Crimson Tide’s 10th win this year.
Mississippi State’s coach Dan Mullen consistently has his bunch ready to face Alabama and this time, it looks to knock off the top-ranked program. The Bulldogs will enter Bryant-Denny Stadium with a lot of momentum from its victory over Texas A&M, while the Tide hopes to avoid a letdown after a tough win over LSU. Sylvester Croom (2004-08) was the last Mississippi State coach to defeat Alabama, earning wins in 2006 and 2007.
Nick Fitzgerald will give the Tide’s defense a new challenge and with two quality receivers at his disposal– Fred Ross and Donald Gray– the Bulldogs expect to have a balanced attack. All eyes will be on Alabama’s defense and its passing game, especially after the Tigers limited Jalen Hurts to 107 yards on 10 of 19 completions.
Ivan L. White is a contributor for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @ilwhite1
Stephen M. Smith is a senior analyst and columnist for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @Smsmith_TDALMag.
