STARKVILLE, Miss. — Alabama first-year starting quarterback Keelon Russell passed for 285 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for another score, and the seventh-ranked Crimson Tide routed No. 16 Mississippi State 56-23 in a matchup of previously unbeaten teams Saturday at Davis Wade Stadium.
“Just going out there, just having fun, understanding the assignment, doing me, playing my game,” said the 19-year-old Russell, who was intercepted three times at Kentucky in his first Southeastern Conference road game three weeks ago but did not turn the ball over against the Bulldogs.
“You make your mistakes and you learn from it,” Russell added. “And I feel like that’s what I’m doing.”
Trae’shawn Brown ran for two touchdowns, Rico Scott caught two touchdown passes, and Dijon Lee Jr. returned an interception 30 yards for a score as Alabama (5-0, 3-0 SEC) reinforced its credentials as a contender in the conference and beyond.
Alabama outgained Mississippi State (4-1, 2-1) 179-18 in rushing yards in its 17th straight victory in the series, with the past seven by 23 or more points.