The No. 3 University of Alabama Crimson Tide will look to stay undefeated and keep national championship aspirations alive, as ‘Bama takes on the Mississippi State Bulldogs, Saturday night in Starkville.
Alabama is coming off an emotional win over the LSU Tigers, while Mississippi State had the luxury of a bye week following a win over Kentucky.
The Bulldogs will enter the contest with a record of 4-5 on the season…and that is the scary part for Tide fans. The Bulldogs simply have nothing to lose…and the world to gain! Alabama must stay focused in order to be efficient on both sides of the ball and avoid the upset. Night games in Starkville had been known to damage several teams in the past.
In 1992, Alabama had to fight tooth and nail to escape Starkville with a win. The Crimson Tide ended that particular year with the national championship. Perhaps a win in Starkville will prove well for future prospects in 2009.
In respect to Mississippi State, the Bulldogs have talent…but nowhere near enough. However, the ‘Dogs do have weapons that can certainly change the complexity of any game. Coach Dan Mullen has certainly made good use of the talent he has been provided and recruited.
Running back Anthony Dixon is certainly one of the best backs in the SEC. Dixon has nine rushing touchdowns this season and averages over five yards per carry. Dixon has surpassed the 1,000 yard total already this season, and he is certainly a “workhorse” for the Bulldogs. From a personal standpoint, Dixon reminds me of Ben Tate (Auburn), Charles Scott (LSU), and Trent Richardson from our very own Alabama Crimson Tide.
Alabama will certainly need to limit the productivity of Anthony Dixon, and force State to pass. The Bulldogs are ranked third is rushing offense, so shutting down the Mississippi State ground game will be key for the Alabama defense.
In the passing department, Mississippi State ranks 10th in passing offense under the command of quarterback Tyson Lee. Lee has been getting the bulk of the action this season, but is very shaky when if comes to pass efficiency. Lee has thrown four touchdowns…and 11 interceptions.
One of the premiere wide receivers on the Mississippi State roster is none other than an Alabama top recruit. In February, Chad Bumphis chose the Bulldogs over the likes of Alabama, and others. Bumphis has wasted no time in showcasing his talent and currently averages just over 11 yards per catch, and has three touchdown receptions. Bumphis, along with Marcus Green are the primary targets in the Mississippi State passing attack.
In respect to Alabama, the contest with Mississippi State is all about focus and discipline. The Bulldogs are ranked 10th in pass defense and 9th in rush defense. If Alabama can maintain a nice mix of run/pass and force Mississippi State to throw the football, the Crimson Tide should dominate the game come Saturday night.
Anything can happen when the underdog is playing at home and has nothing to lose, but the ‘Bama defense and Tide running back Mark Ingram should prove far too much for the Bulldogs to handle for an entire game. Alabama and physicality go hand in hand, and by the latter stages of the game, Mississippi State should be on the ropes. Too much Ingram, will prove too much for the Bulldogs.
In 2008 the final score was 32-7 in favor of the Crimson Tide. I look for this game to have a similar score with Alabama dominating the line of scrimmage…and the second half.
Prediction: Alabama 30 Mississippi State 10
Mississippi State/Alabama will be televised on ESPN with kickoff expected around 6:05 p.m. central time.
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