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No. 3 Alabama tops No. 20 Mississippi State 31

“They were just rushing the quarterback”.

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Of course the rest of the Crimson Tide didn’t feel the same way.

This Saturday’s showdown between the two teams won’t have the hype surrounding it that last year’s game did, but it’s still an important matchup.

In 14 games, the Tide had only 31 sacks. LSU scored a late cosmetic touchdown.

Alabama is in contention for a national title, and so are Ohio State and Notre Dame.

Mississippi State is coached by Dan Mullen. SC could be mathematically eliminated Saturday with a loss to Florida at home.

Manny Diaz’ defensive unit remains the only team in the nation that has not allowed a fourth-quarter touchdown. Each team had two turnovers. Georgia (6-3, 4-3). 6.

Shop and compare the best online sportsbooks with our sportsbook review page. The Rebels will finish ahead of the Razorbacks in the standings if they win out as long as Alabama doesn’t fall victim to Auburn and Texas A&M doesn’t lose to the mighty Vanderbilt Commodores.

Spread: Alabama is favored by 8 points. They limit opponents to 75.8 yards per game on the ground, a figure that ranks second nationally. Alabama will counter with a defense that’s been among the league leaders all season. It would have been Mizzou’s second boycott this season, since its offense had boycotted getting in the end zone for more than a month. He was replaced by freshman Damien Harris….

On returning a punt for a touchdown: “I just tried to get out there and make a spark for the team”. Chris Black is also out for the season with an ankle injury.

Prescott is playing the final games of what’s been an impressive college career. Mississippi State’s patchwork offensive line hasn’t adequately replaced the three starters it lost after last season.

Even the Tide’s longtime coach couldn’t avoid his team’s tremendous pass rush. Defensively, Mississippi State football yields 201.7 yards in passing and 167.7 yards in rushing. The total, meanwhile, opened at 50 and is now sitting at 51.5. Wilson’s 6’5 frame gives Mississippi State a big time size advantage offensively.

MSU quarterback Dak Prescott threw for 300 yards and rushed 26 times for 58 yards, with Alabama’s nine sacks taking a heavy toll. Elijah Staley also has a touchdown pass.

Running back Brandon Holloway has 48 carries for 220 yards, plus 17 catches for 162 yards and 2 touchdowns.

A big question coming out of Saturday is the health of standout receiver De’Runnya Wilson.

“We didn’t play well on offense in the first half, but I think we played better in the second half”, Saban said. The Crimson Tide (9-1, 6-1 SEC) have won seven straight games. The under is 13-2-1 in this series recently. including 7-0 in Starkville.

– The Southeastern Conference’s two winningest programs over the last two years clash at 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday as No. 17 Mississippi State hosts No. 2 Alabama in a sold-out Davis Wade Stadium. He hit the 200-yard mark for the third time in four games.

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Alabama has reeled off six straight wins since a 43-37 setback against Ole Miss, including triumphs over three teams that were ranked in the top 10 at the time. However, there have been a few close calls.

Alabama running back Derrick Henry takes off on a 74-yard touchdown run during the second quarter against Mississippi State in an NCAA college football game Saturday Nov. 14 2015 at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville Miss. (Vasha Hunt