Alabama went into Starkville and delivered one of its most complete offensive performances of the season, overwhelming Mississippi State 56-23.
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The Crimson Tide scored exactly 14 points in every quarter and steadily turned what had been a competitive first half into a convincing SEC road victory.
Quarterback Keelon Russell led the way, completing 16 of 22 passes for 285 yards and three touchdowns without throwing an interception. Alabama finished with 483 total yards and averaged an impressive 7.9 yards per play. Rico Scott caught four passes for 56 yards and two touchdowns, while Lotzeir Brooks provided the explosive element with four receptions for 96 yards.
The Crimson Tide also received a strong contribution from Trae’shawn Brown, who carried 14 times for 66 yards and two touchdowns.
Mississippi State didn’t simply roll over. The Bulldogs moved the football effectively at times, particularly through the air. Kamario Taylor completed 19 of 34 passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns, although he was intercepted twice. Anthony Evans III was outstanding, catching 12 passes for 166 yards and two scores.
The Bulldogs trailed 28-17 at halftime and still had some hope of making a second-half run. Alabama quickly took that hope away. The Crimson Tide scored two touchdowns in the third quarter and two more in the fourth while Mississippi State managed only one second-half touchdown.
Turnovers were one of the biggest differences. Mississippi State committed four, compared with two by Alabama. One of the Bulldogs’ interceptions was returned for an Alabama touchdown in the first quarter, immediately forcing Mississippi State to play from behind.
Alabama also controlled possession for nearly 35 minutes and held Mississippi State to only 302 total yards. The Bulldogs were particularly ineffective running the football.
The victory kept Alabama perfect at 5-0 and demonstrated that the Crimson Tide can be explosive away from home against a ranked SEC opponent. Mississippi State dropped to 4-1 after a promising start to the season.
For Alabama, this wasn’t merely another victory. Scoring 56 points on the road against a ranked conference opponent sends a message to the rest of the SEC that the Crimson Tide remain very much in the championship picture.
Final: Alabama 56, Mississippi State 23
