GAMEDAY: Bulldogs Cross State Line To Meet No. 2/2 Alabama

STARKVILLE – Mississippi State meets its third ranked opponent of the season on Saturday when the Bulldogs travel to Tuscaloosa to play No. 2/2 Alabama. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CT, and the game will be televised on ESPN, with Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Todd Blackledge (analyst), Todd McShay (analyst) and sideline reporter Molly McGrath on the call. Fans can also listen for free on HailState.com/plus or on the TuneIn app.

For complete game day information, visit HailState.com/Gameday.

State's Storylines at No. 2/2 Alabama

Mississippi State will meet its third ranked opponent and highest so far this season when it travels to No. 2/2 Alabama. The Crimson Tide has won 12 consecutive meetings. The Bulldogs' last victory in Tuscaloosa was Nov. 4, 2006, by a score of 24-16.

The last time MSU defeated a ranked Alabama team came in 1996 when the Bulldogs downed the then-No. 8 Crimson Tide, 17-16, in Starkville. That game also marks State's smallest margin of victory in the series.

Mike Leach has met Alabama once before in the 2006 Cotton Bowl. Leach's 2005 No. 18 Texas Tech team lost to the No. 13 Crimson Tide by a field goal, 13-10, on Jan. 2, 2006. Leach's team finished 9-3 that season with a No. 20 ranking in the AP poll.

Saturday's matchup features the top offense and top defense in the SEC. Alabama leads the SEC and is third in the FBS averaging 566.4 yards of offense per game. MSU leads the SEC and ranks 15th nationally in total defense, allowing 295.5 yards per game.

State has recorded a takeaway in 30 of its last 33 games and is currently on a streak of seven straight games with either an interception or fumble recovery. In that seven-game stretch, MSU has 12 takeaways (6 INT, 6 FR).

Defensive coordinator Zach Arnett has placed his defense among the top-15 nationally in run defense in each of the past three seasons, including a No. 15 ranking currently in 2020. The Bulldogs are second in the SEC, allowing just 103.25 yards per game on the ground.

The Bulldog defense has been especially stout following a turnover this season, allowing just 1.59 yards per play on opposing drives immediately following an interception or fumble. Seven of those 10 drives have resulted in a punt, including four three and-outs.

State is second in the SEC and is tied for 18th in the FBS in sacks per game (3.00). Last year, MSU finished with 28.0 sacks for the season. The Bulldogs already have 12.0 through four games in 2020.

On third downs, State has allowed 85 total passing yards, which ranks third in the FBS among teams that have played multiple games, and has held opponents to an 64.59 passer rating, which is third overall in the FBS.

Will Rogers set a Bulldog record for completion percentage (minimum 15 attempts) in MSU's last game against Texas A&M. Rogers completed 83.3 percent of his attempt (15-of-18), surpassing John Bond's 81.3 percent (13-fo-16) mark at Tulane on Sept. 4, 1982.

MSU already boasts eight receivers with 10 or more catches this season. Last year, only seven players reached that mark.

A total of 19 student-athletes have made their Mississippi State debut this season. Newcomers have accounted for 41.5 percent of MSU's all-purpose yards this season (725 of 1,748 yards). Defensively, they have combined for 32 total tackles, 2.5 sacks, two interceptions and four pass breakups.

The Bulldogs are second in the SEC in yards after catch with 861, trailing only Alabama, which has recorded 931 yards after catch while playing one additional game. State is third among Power Five teams, behind the Crimson Tide and Clemson (1,330).

For more information on the Bulldogs, follow MSU football on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateFB."

GAMEDAY: Bulldogs Cross State Line To Meet No. 2/2 Alabama

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Players Mentioned

Will Rogers

Mississippi State University Athletics

GAMEDAY: Bulldogs Cross State Line To Meet No. 2/2 Alabama

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Will Rogers

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