When Alabama visits Mississippi State, it's usually a bad day for the Bulldogs.
Quarterback Kamario Taylor's dynamism and recent effectiveness in the clutch has provided Mississippi State's cowbell-ringing fans hope that perhaps Saturday will be different from every other time these teams have met since 2007.
Taylor is “playing really good football for us,” Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby said. “I’m proud of his toughness and how he’s going about his business.”
Alabama (4-0, 2-0 SEC), which will invade Starkville ranked at No. 7 in the AP Top 25, has won 16 straight in the series and the past six engagements haven't been close, with victory margins ranging from a high of 41 points in 2020 to a low of 23 points the last time they met in 2023.
The Crimson Tide tide also has been dominant against its first four opponents this season, beating each by two or more touchdowns and scoring at least 45 points in each game.
No. 16 Mississippi State (4-0, 2-0) has had to weather a little more adversity so far, winning its two SEC games by a single touchdown and having to come back from a one-TD, fourth-quarter deficit against Missouri last weekend.
But the Bulldogs will be at home, where last week the Davis-Wade Stadium crowd entered the Guinness Book of World records by ringing 41,819 cow bells at once.
“We are going to get challenged this next week against a very, very good Mississippi State team,” Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said. “Coach Lebby has done an awesome job of bringing these guys together. They’re off to a great start.”
Now in his third season with Alabama, DeBoer has never been to Davis-Wade Stadium. But he's heard plenty and spoke about having cowbell sound effects blaring at practice this week.
“What I hear from the people that I trust, is that it’s going to be an absolutely crazy environment,” DeBoer said. “We’re going to be prepared for that.”
First-year starting QBs are flourishing for each team
Taylor and Alabama first-year starting QB Keelon Russell have effectively planted themselves in Heisman Trophy contention during this season's first month.
Taylor is completing nearly 70% of his passes for 298 yards per game with 14 TDs against just two interceptions. He also has rushed 37 times for 185 yards and a score, without taking many undue risks.
“He’s done a much better job of understanding not taking the unnecessary hit,” Lebby said.
Russell is completing about 71% of his throws for 282.3 yards per game with eight TDs to two interceptions. He has 32 rushes for 168 yards and three TDs.
Russell has “got great talent around him,” and produces a lot of explosive plays, Lebby said, adding, “For us it’s going to be about applying pressure, getting our fans really involved and excited about what’s going on in between those white lines.”
Russell's top targets have been Ryan Coleman-Williams (160 yards, three TDs) and Lotzeir Brooks (179 yards, one TD).
Taylor has found Anthony Evans for 408 yards and three TDs, including three 100-yard games, while running back Fluff Bothwell has provided ground support, averaging 100 yards per game rushing and scoring three times.
The Crimson Tide is travelling on game day
The two campuses are just 90 miles apart, so DeBoer decided his team might be better off staying in Tuscaloosa on Friday night and traveling first thing in the morning for the 11 a.m. (local time kickoff).
DeBoer noted that Alabama stayed in the hotel it normally uses the night before home games on the night before the Tide's last victory at Mississippi State in 2023.
“I guess I just trusted a lot of what we’ve done in the past,” DeBoer said. "That’s the best way to do it.”
The entire series history has been lopsided
On the field (not counting one vacated result and one that was forfeited), Alabama has won 88 of the 108 meetings between these teams since they first played one another in 1896.
Mississippi State has won 17 meetings — the last coming in retired coach Nick Saban's first year at Alabama. They've also tied three times.
The Crimson Tide has a 34-7-1 road record in the series.
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