NO. 4 ALABAMA (8-1, 5-1 SEC) at MISSISSIPPI STATE (4-5, 2-4)
Saturday, Nov. 16, 2019
Noon EST at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi
VIDEO & RADIO
ESPN & 97.3/99.3 FM
THE MATCHUP
If LSU's 37 yards lost to sacks last weekend at Alabama were to be discounted, the Crimson Tide would have allowed not only 103 rushing yards to running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire but 101 to quarterback Joe Burrow. That's not exactly Alabama football under Nick Saban, and the Tide will have to rebound at a locale that housed their 31-24 escape two seasons ago. "It's always a very physical game when we play Mississippi State this time of year," Saban said. "It's always difficult to bounce back after a disappointment, but I think there are lessons to be learned and hopefully we can improve because of them." Mississippi State's hopes of delivering an upset as a three-touchdown underdog depend on establishing a ground game with junior running back Kylin Hill, who leads the Southeastern Conference with 1,027 rushing yards this season. Hill, however, racked up a combined 431 yards against Louisiana-Lafayette and Arkansas, with a three-game stretch against Auburn, Tennessee and LSU yielding just 92 yards on 43 carries. As a result, the Bulldogs lost all three contests by double digits.
ONE TO WATCH
Although Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was healthy enough to throw for 418 yards and four touchdowns last Saturday, he did not do much in practice this week, so there is some mystery as to whether backup Mac Jones will be needed. Enter junior running back Najee Harris, who rushed for 146 yards and 7.7 yards per carry against LSU and could shoulder the load for the Tide at Mississippi State no matter who is at quarterback. "You look at the third and fourth quarters of this past game and look at his carries, and I thought he was a guy running with a lot of physicality and a bunch of confidence," Bulldogs coach Joe Moorhead said. "He also has the ability to make some people miss. He's just a great downhill runner and someone who runs behind his pads and falls forward for positive yards."
IN THE END
The Tide will have to produce plenty of style points down the stretch to impress the College Football Playoff committee. They have the offensive firepower to make that happen, but their defense hasn't always come through.
PREDICTION
Alabama 45, Mississippi State 20
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524. Follow him on Twitter @DavidSPaschall.