Mississippi State Takes On Alabama: What To Expect
After having this past weekend off, Mississippi State (3-2) is ready to face Alabama (5-1) on Saturday night in Davis Wade Stadium.
Oddly enough, the Crimson Tide are heading to Starkville on a one-game losing streak. Last Saturday, they lost a three-point game to unranked Texas A&M-- a team that Mississippi State beat only two weeks ago. The last time Nick Saban's team lost to an unranked team was against Louisiana Monroe in 2007. With that being said, the Bulldogs will have to be ready for a tough battle against an angry Alabama team looking for redemption.
Offensively, the Bulldogs have improved as the season has gone on. Sophomore quarterback Will Rogers has thrown for over 350 yards in four of five games so far and has shown no sign of slowing down soon. The Air Raid offense has started to come together, and there are eight versatile wide receivers that can be used at any point -- as has been reflected by how much the ball has been distributed this season.
The Alabama defense is currently giving up an average of just 195 passing yards per game. To succeed, Rogers will need to make passing decisions more quickly, and his receivers must take advantage of any space the Crimson Tide's cornerbacks give them.
State's defense has been strong this season, but this weekend they will face the most talented offense they have played against so far. Alabama averages 473 total yards per game. The majority of those yards come through the air-- an average of 311 yards. State's defense gives up 229 passing yards per game, but it is highly unlikely that they will be able to manage that against the Crimson Tide. The defense will have to communicate among each other and play as a cohesive unit to limit the opponents ability to gain yardage quickly.
It's no secret that Alabama has been on top of the college football world for years. It recruits (and lands) many of the nation's top prospects, is loaded at every position and has a once-in-a-generation coach. However, Mississippi State will meet the Crimson Tide at the perfect time: after an unexpected loss. The odds are still not in MSU's favor, but the Bulldogs know that a big upset against Alabama will boost the program tremendously and they have the perfect opportunity to shock the world.
