Happy Friday, everyone. Alabama will face off against Mississippi State tomorrow. Your previews:
Mississippi State will get off to a hot start. The crowd will be off-the-charts insane, Taylor and the Bulldog attack will go on two crisp scoring drives, and social media will be discussing how much it would take to buy out Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer’s contract, and then …
Bama will go Bama.
One big play will open up the floodgates as the offense takes over the game with ruthless efficiency. Mississippi State will fight back with a few scores to put the pressure back on, but it won’t be enough.
Alabama 34, Mississippi State 27
Mississippi State will get off to a hot start. The crowd will be off-the-charts insane, Taylor and the Bulldog attack will go on two crisp scoring drives, and social media will be discussing how much it would take to buy out Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer’s contract, and then …
Bama will go Bama.
One big play will open up the floodgates as the offense takes over the game with ruthless efficiency. Mississippi State will fight back with a few scores to put the pressure back on, but it won’t be enough.
Craig Meyer: Alabama 36, Mississippi State 31
Austin Curtright: Alabama 45, Mississippi State 34
John Leuzzi: Alabama 42, Mississippi State 35
Jordan Mendoza: Alabama 43, Mississippi State 40
Adam Bittner: Alabama 38, Mississippi 20
What our experts are saying: “Alabama-Mississippi State has a chance to be one of the most fun quarterback matchups of the season between Keelon Russell and Kamario Taylor, two young Heisman Trophy contenders. The Crimson Tide has a bit more firepower, though. I’m expecting lots of points from the two high-powered offenses.” — Austin Curtright, USA TODAY Sports
Craig Meyer: Alabama 36, Mississippi State 31
Austin Curtright: Alabama 45, Mississippi State 34
John Leuzzi: Alabama 42, Mississippi State 35
Jordan Mendoza: Alabama 43, Mississippi State 40
Adam Bittner: Alabama 38, Mississippi 20
What our experts are saying: “Alabama-Mississippi State has a chance to be one of the most fun quarterback matchups of the season between Keelon Russell and Kamario Taylor, two young Heisman Trophy contenders. The Crimson Tide has a bit more firepower, though. I’m expecting lots of points from the two high-powered offenses.” — Austin Curtright, USA TODAY Sports
Hummer (Alabama -4.5): I hope this game is awesome. It’s a meeting of two of the best quarterbacks in college football. Kamario Taylor has been a supernova for Mississippi State this year. Keelon Russell, a bit more quietly, has been arguably just as good. What I think this game comes down to is Mississippi State’s offensive line and how Alabama’s secondary holds up. Alabama ranks ninth nationally with a 40% pressure rate, while the Bulldogs are a top-20 pass-blocking unit. If Alabama can pressure Taylor and eliminate the Bulldogs’ long-developing routes, it’s a big advantage. The Tide has an elite secondary unit, at least on paper. But that group was dissected against Florida State. If the Bulldogs win those battles, it could be a shootout. This is the type of game where you could see Taylor’s legs come into play more often. But I just think Alabama is a little better. … Alabama 37, Mississippi State 31.
Hummer (Alabama -4.5): I hope this game is awesome. It’s a meeting of two of the best quarterbacks in college football. Kamario Taylor has been a supernova for Mississippi State this year. Keelon Russell, a bit more quietly, has been arguably just as good. What I think this game comes down to is Mississippi State’s offensive line and how Alabama’s secondary holds up. Alabama ranks ninth nationally with a 40% pressure rate, while the Bulldogs are a top-20 pass-blocking unit. If Alabama can pressure Taylor and eliminate the Bulldogs’ long-developing routes, it’s a big advantage. The Tide has an elite secondary unit, at least on paper. But that group was dissected against Florida State. If the Bulldogs win those battles, it could be a shootout. This is the type of game where you could see Taylor’s legs come into play more often. But I just think Alabama is a little better. … Alabama 37, Mississippi State 31.
Mississippi State is ready for this moment, and there’s a lot to like about the Bulldogs. Davis Wade Stadium will be packed. The Bulldogs have a better running game to surround Kamario Taylor. They’ve played more competitive games to build resilience. But like so many Alabama games before, the Tide will just find a way to pull away at the end in perhaps the best quarterback battle of the season. Pick: Alabama -6
Mississippi State is ready for this moment, and there’s a lot to like about the Bulldogs. Davis Wade Stadium will be packed. The Bulldogs have a better running game to surround Kamario Taylor. They’ve played more competitive games to build resilience. But like so many Alabama games before, the Tide will just find a way to pull away at the end in perhaps the best quarterback battle of the season. Pick: Alabama -6
“I don’t think Bama is going to go in there and blow the doors off of Mississippi State by any stretch of the imagination, but (Alabama) is a better team than Missouri,” Klatt said. “This is the best team that Mississippi State will have faced. And as we saw with Ole Miss, if you’re just a one-man band, that’s not going to play well when you face a real quality opponent like Ole Miss did with Florida.
“Bama has been able to run the football. I like their ability to run the football. You can run that against a three-man defensive front.”
Because of that, Klatt sees Alabama emerging victorious over the Bulldogs.
“I don’t think Bama is going to go in there and blow the doors off of Mississippi State by any stretch of the imagination, but (Alabama) is a better team than Missouri,” Klatt said. “This is the best team that Mississippi State will have faced. And as we saw with Ole Miss, if you’re just a one-man band, that’s not going to play well when you face a real quality opponent like Ole Miss did with Florida.
“Bama has been able to run the football. I like their ability to run the football. You can run that against a three-man defensive front.”
Because of that, Klatt sees Alabama emerging victorious over the Bulldogs.
“I think Bama wins this one, 35-28. They’re 5 1/2 point favorites. I think they cover the 5 1/2. I’m going road favorite again. Let’s go (with) Bama and that explosive offense.”
“I think Bama wins this one, 35-28. They’re 5 1/2 point favorites. I think they cover the 5 1/2. I’m going road favorite again. Let’s go (with) Bama and that explosive offense.”
This is Alabama’s first real test. It’s a ranked SEC matchup on the road in an atmosphere the Crimson Tide hasn’t played in since 2023. Alabama, other than a couple of stragglers, has been consistently good at shutting down star quarterbacks in the Kane Wommack era, but this is a whole new animal. Stats call for a shootout, one in which the better quarterback between Taylor and Russell will win. Weather could be a factor. But the facts remain: Alabama trusts its defense against Taylor, and Alabama trusts Russell as its quarterback. Alabama should secure its first ranked win, silencing a sea of cowbells.
Prediction: No. 7 Alabama 35, No. 16 Mississippi State 28
This is Alabama’s first real test. It’s a ranked SEC matchup on the road in an atmosphere the Crimson Tide hasn’t played in since 2023. Alabama, other than a couple of stragglers, has been consistently good at shutting down star quarterbacks in the Kane Wommack era, but this is a whole new animal. Stats call for a shootout, one in which the better quarterback between Taylor and Russell will win. Weather could be a factor. But the facts remain: Alabama trusts its defense against Taylor, and Alabama trusts Russell as its quarterback. Alabama should secure its first ranked win, silencing a sea of cowbells.
Prediction: No. 7 Alabama 35, No. 16 Mississippi State 28
Alabama 38, Mississippi State 34: This is the first game where Mississippi State’s offense line is costly. Taylor throws another three touchdowns in a back-and-forth matchup against Russell, but six sacks by the Alabama defense are as the difference.
Alabama 38, Mississippi State 34: This is the first game where Mississippi State’s offense line is costly. Taylor throws another three touchdowns in a back-and-forth matchup against Russell, but six sacks by the Alabama defense are as the difference.
That last one is from Sam Sklar at the Clarion Ledger.
The weather forecast looks much different than just a couple of days ago. As it turns out, all of those Mississippi high schools moved up their football games to avoid a partly cloudy day. There is only a 24% chance of rain in Starkville tomorrow now, as it will be a hot and muggy affair rather than a wet one.
That should mean that we get the full aerial show from Keelon Russell and Kamario Taylor, which will be fun. Both quarterbacks are going to put some numbers on the board, but for me this one is relatively simple. I like Alabama’s defense substantially more than I like Mississippi State’s. In two SEC games against South Carolina and Mizzou, the Bulldogs have allowed 29 points per game and well over 400 yards each time out. Alabama, meanwhile, has allowed only 17.5 points and just over 300 yards per game in SEC play, and a lot of that came in garbage time last weekend.
The Keelon hype is already getting out of hand, and I don’t expect him to do anything to put a damper on it tomorrow. I’ve got Alabama 41-24, as he puts up 350 passing yards again with multiple touchdowns.
Of course, that is merely my opinion. Share yours in the comments.
Ben Flanagan and Matt Stahl graded the Alabama squad through four games.
Offense overall: A-
Flanagan: Alabama ranks fourth in the nation in scoring offense, with about 48 points per game. Behind number one Georgia, Florida, and Miami. Just ahead of Oregon. They’re 27th overall in passing offense, 41st in rushing offense which is obviously a vast improvement.
Stahl: It’s been really good, even if they’re started games really slow. That’s a concern. At some point, you wonder if you run into a Georgia or somebody if you start a game like they did against Florida State or Kentucky, those schools will take advantage of it and suddenly you’ll be down 28. But overall, they’ve been hanging up around 50 points per game. Pretty good. Can’t complain about that too much.
Flanagan: Alabama ranks fourth in the nation in scoring offense, with about 48 points per game. Behind number one Georgia, Florida, and Miami. Just ahead of Oregon. They’re 27th overall in passing offense, 41st in rushing offense which is obviously a vast improvement.
Stahl: It’s been really good, even if they’re started games really slow. That’s a concern. At some point, you wonder if you run into a Georgia or somebody if you start a game like they did against Florida State or Kentucky, those schools will take advantage of it and suddenly you’ll be down 28. But overall, they’ve been hanging up around 50 points per game. Pretty good. Can’t complain about that too much.
ESPN has Keelon ranked 7th in the nation and rising quickly.
7. Keelon Russell, Alabama Crimson Tide
Spring ranking: 28th Total QBR: 89.0 | Pass Yds: 1,129 | Rush Yds: 223 | Total TDs: 11
With his rate of improvement, he might rank in the top three or four when I redo this list in a couple more weeks. Russell has been every bit as good as Alabama needed him to be this season, combining effortless deep passing with solid contributions in the running game. And after slow starts against Kentucky and Florida State, he hit the gas from his very first throw against South Carolina (a 75-yard TD). He holds onto the ball a little too long and sometimes gets into trouble because of it, but with the way he’s learning and growing, he might have that solved by November.
Spring ranking: 28th Total QBR: 89.0 | Pass Yds: 1,129 | Rush Yds: 223 | Total TDs: 11
With his rate of improvement, he might rank in the top three or four when I redo this list in a couple more weeks. Russell has been every bit as good as Alabama needed him to be this season, combining effortless deep passing with solid contributions in the running game. And after slow starts against Kentucky and Florida State, he hit the gas from his very first throw against South Carolina (a 75-yard TD). He holds onto the ball a little too long and sometimes gets into trouble because of it, but with the way he’s learning and growing, he might have that solved by November.
Last, this is a great piece from Nick Kelly on Josh Ford. Every team needs a few like him.
Ford wasn’t going to miss playing in the championship game. Doctors told Ford and the coaching staff they weren’t going to keep him from playing, even though he would need surgery. But no matter how badly he wanted to play, Ford wouldn’t get many snaps. To stay ready for that moment, he kept biking on the sideline.
Then with the game close, Ford entered like a closer in the ninth inning of the World Series.
He stayed in for about six or eight plays, Barnard estimated. Over that stint, Ford made some key blocks to spring a few runs en route to the go-ahead touchdown and the 26-21 victory over Choctaw. Stillwater completed an undefeated season and the program’s first state title in 55 years.
“I was just so happy I got to contribute just a little bit,” Ford said.
The quarterback’s dad saw it all. A guy named Mike Gundy.
Then Oklahoma State’s head coach called Barnard soon thereafter.
The next day, Gundy offered Ford his first, and only, Power Four scholarship.
Ford wasn’t going to miss playing in the championship game. Doctors told Ford and the coaching staff they weren’t going to keep him from playing, even though he would need surgery. But no matter how badly he wanted to play, Ford wouldn’t get many snaps. To stay ready for that moment, he kept biking on the sideline.
Then with the game close, Ford entered like a closer in the ninth inning of the World Series.
He stayed in for about six or eight plays, Barnard estimated. Over that stint, Ford made some key blocks to spring a few runs en route to the go-ahead touchdown and the 26-21 victory over Choctaw. Stillwater completed an undefeated season and the program’s first state title in 55 years.
“I was just so happy I got to contribute just a little bit,” Ford said.
The quarterback’s dad saw it all. A guy named Mike Gundy.
Then Oklahoma State’s head coach called Barnard soon thereafter.
The next day, Gundy offered Ford his first, and only, Power Four scholarship.
That’s about it for today. Have a great weekend.
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