GAMEDAY: MSU Hosts No. 5 Alabama Saturday

STARKVILLE – Following an open date, Mississippi State returns to action on Saturday at Davis Wade Stadium. MSU hosts Alabama this week. The game is slated to begin at 6 p.m. CT and will be televised by ESPN. Fans can also listen for free on HailState.com/plus.

Gates open at 3:45 p.m. Mobile tickets should be downloaded prior to arriving at the stadium. Full gameday information can be found at HailState.com/gameday.

Mississippi State's Storylines vs. Alabama

Since 2001, Mike Leach has defeated an AP Top 5 team five times, which is tied for fourth most among active FBS head coaches during that span.
Leach owns three victories over ranked opponents in his first 16 games as Mississippi State's head coach. That's the most by an MSU head coach through his first 16 games.
There have been 11 games of 400-plus passing yards in MSU history. Four of those performances have occurred in the first 16 games of the Leach era.
QB Will Rogers' 14 passing touchdowns are the most by a Mississippi State quarterback through the first five games of a season in the last 15 years. That's more than Dak Presscott (13) in 2014 and Tyler Russell (10) in 2012.
In the fourth quarter this season, Rogers leads the SEC in completion percentage (74.6), passing yards (509), passing touchdowns (5), fewest interceptions (0), completions for a first down (26) and completions for 15+ yards (10).
WR Makai Polk is the only receiver in the SEC and one of eight nationally this season with 40+ receptions, 400+ receiving yards and 4+ receiving touchdowns (4).
Polk caught 11 passes for first downs at Texas A&M after entering the game with 11 first-down receptions all season.
Polk has totaled 430 receiving yards already this season, which trails only Justin Jenkins (576, 2003) for the most by a Bulldog in the team's first five games since 2000.
State's offensive line has been much improved in the second year of the Air Raid as the Bulldogs have allowed the fewest number of tackles for loss (18.0) in the SEC this season.
With the exception of LT Charles Cross, the Bulldogs' remaining four starting offensive linemen entered the 2021 season with just 53 combined career snaps at their current positions, including two who had never taken a snap at their respective 2021 positions.
Since he arrived in 2020, defensive coordinator Zach Arnett's defense has allowed fewer than 150 rushing yards in 11 games, which is the third most in the SEC during that span. MSU is holding its opponents to just 107.88 rushing yards per game, which ranks second in the SEC during that span.
The Bulldogs' run defense is one of the best in the nation. MSU has held seven of its 15 opponents since the start of 2020 to 100 yards or fewer on the ground. State has held the opponent below the 100-yard mark three times this year, and allowed just 101 yards in the season opener against Louisiana Tech (Sept. 4).
MSU has recorded a takeaway in seven straight games with 14 (11 INT, 3 FR) in that span.
The Bulldogs are allowing only 14.4 first downs per game this season, good for second in the SEC and eighth in the country. In SEC games this season, MSU has allowed the fewest rushing (14) and passing (14) first downs.
MSU leads the SEC this season in percentage of its opponents' offensive drives that lasted 2 minutes or less (49.18).
CB Emmanuel Forbes is the SEC's active career leader in interceptions (7), which is tied for 18th in the FBS. He is tied for second in the FBS in picks since the start of his freshman season in 2020.

GAMEDAY: MSU Hosts No. 5 Alabama Saturday

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Charles Cross

Emmanuel Forbes

Makai Polk

Will Rogers

Mississippi State University Athletics

GAMEDAY: MSU Hosts No. 5 Alabama Saturday

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Charles Cross

Emmanuel Forbes

Makai Polk

Will Rogers

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