Bounce Back Bowl: Bama Takes on Mississippi State
Photo via Marvin Gentry, USA Today Sports
When 6th Alabama takes on 24th ranked Mississippi State in Tuscaloosa on Saturday night, one team will take a step forward while the other’s frustration will continue for at least another week. Last week, Bama forgot they needed to play defense against Tennessee, and Mississippi State’s offense took the day off against Kentucky. Both teams face a must-win situation to stay alive in the SEC West, which should bode for an exciting game. Fans from both teams are holding their collective breaths to see what version of their teams will show up this week.
Mississippi State enters the contest mourning the death of freshman lineman Sam Westmoreland, who passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday. The Bulldogs are 5-2 and 2-2 in the conference, however they could easily be unbeaten as losses to LSU and last week against Kentucky were winnable games. No matter, Mike Leach’s Bulldogs are having a good season and are a dangerous team. They are particularly strong on the offensive side of the ball, where their “Air Raid” offense averages 381 yards per game through the air. They currently rank 35th in the country and behind a solid line average 427 total yards and 34.6 points per game.
Leading the charge is junior quarterback Will Rogers, widely considered to be one of the conference’s best, who is a master in the short, controlled passing game. Although he threw for a season low 203 yards last week against Kentucky, he is completing 71.1% of his passes and has a touchdown to interception ratio of 23-4. His favorite targets are 6’5’’ senior Caleb Ducking (10.7 yards per catch and 7 touchdowns) and sophomore Rara Thomas (17.4, 3 touchdowns). On the ground, junior Jo’quavious Marks is having a nice season, averaging 4.5 yards per carry and he has 5 rushing touchdowns. Senior placekicker Ben Raybon is 4 of 6 with a long of 53 yards. As a unit, MSU is converting on 42% of their 3rd down attempts. On defense, the experienced Bulldogs rank 35th overall, giving up 375 yards and 21.8 points per game. The unit gets solid pressure up front and is led by senior linebackers Jett Johnson (67 tackles), Nathaniel Watson (58 tackles and 3 sacks) and Tyrus West (29 tackles and 3 sacks). Junior cornerback Emmanuel Forbes leads the secondary with 5 interceptions on the season.
Alabama hopes to get back on track on the shoulders of a powerful offense, yet they must find a way to move past self-inflicted wounds, including penalties and drops by receivers (Alabama leads the country in dropped passes with 21). The unit ranks 4th in the country, averaging 45 points and 513 yards per contest. Quarterback Bryce Young was brilliant in defeat last week, and for the season he is completing 67.2% of his passes for 16 touchdowns against 3 interceptions. Ja’Corey Brooks leads all receivers, averaging 16.8 yards per catch and has 4 touchdowns to his name. Fellow receivers Burton, Latu, Holden, and freshmen Isaiah Bond and Kobe Prentice have a combined 10 touchdown catches. Jahmyr Gibbs is coming off a 3 touchdown performance against Tennessee and he leads the way on the ground, averaging 7.2 yards per carry. Gibbs is a force as a receiver as well, averaging 9.9 yards per catch. The offensive line has been inconsistent and must keep Young from absorbing big hits. Junior back Jace McClellan also gets carries and is averaging 6.3 per rush. Kicker Will Reichard has had a tough two weeks, missing two key field goals against Texas A&M and missing a 50 yard kick last week that could have beaten Tennessee. For the season, the senior is 9 for 13 with a long kick of 52 yards.
Defensively, the Tide slipped from ranking as the nations 3rd best unit to 20th in one week. Simply put, Hendon Hooker and the Tennessee offense had its way against the Tide defense. Defensive coordinator Pete Golding, star linebacker Will Anderson and company had no answers and it will be interesting to see how Bama responds against another powerful quarterback and offense. The Tide secondary has not made plays in key games this season (Texas, Texas A&M, and Tennessee) and will be tested once again on Saturday. As a team, the Tide leads the nation in penalties per game.
This could be an interesting one, as the Tide will particularly enter the game as an angry team that has a lot to prove. Even though Alabama can still win the West and go to the College Football Playoffs, most experts have written them off. Traditionally, this is when Nick Saban’s troops tend to play their best. Expect Alabama to come out strong, and if MSU can weather the early storm and take advantage of the vulnerable Tide secondary, this could be a very close game. Alabama has won 14 straight in the series, including a 49-9 beatdown last year in Starkville one week after Texas A&M took down Bama by a field goal. At Alabama, Saban is 11-2 after a loss, but expect Rogers and Mississippi State to have some success and take the game into the second half. The Tide will survive a few rough spots and get their footing in the second half to enter into a much needed off-week with a victory.
ALABAMA 41
MISSISSIPPI STATE 24