Photo by: Austin Perryman/MSU Athletics
Notes To Know vs. Alabama
October 15, 2021 | Football
Mississippi State is back in action after an open date and will host fifth-ranked Alabama.
Here are a few notes to know before the Bulldogs battle the Crimson Tide at 6 p.m. on ESPN.
Here are a few notes to know before the Bulldogs battle the Crimson Tide at 6 p.m. on ESPN.
- Mike Leach has three wins against ranked opponents in his first 16 games at Mississippi State. It is the most by a Bulldog head coach in his initial 16 contests.
- Will Rogers is tops among Southeastern Conference quarterbacks in the fourth quarter leading the league in completion percentage (74.6), passing yards (506), passing touchdowns (five), fewest interceptions (zero), first down completions (26) and completions over 15 yards (10).
- Rogers is the overall conference leader in completion percentage (75.7), completions per game (43), passing yards (1,862), passing yards per game (372.4) and total offense per game (371.2).
- In Rogers' last three games, he has completed 143 of 188 passes for an average of 381.3 yards per game and has thrown three touchdowns in each of those contests.
- Rogers has tossed a TD in 11 consecutive games.
- Rogers has completed passes to 11 different receivers this season and has hit scoring strikes to six different players.
- Makai Polk is the only receiver in the SEC that has 40-plus catches, 400-plus receiving yards and four or more receiving TDs. Polk leads the league averaging 9.2 receptions per game.
- MSU's defense has forced a turnover in seven straight games and has 14 takeaways (11 interceptions, 3 fumble recoveries) during that span.
- State has had a takeaway in 39 of the last 44 games dating back to 2017. The Bulldogs have forced 76 turnovers over that stretch.
- The Bulldogs have surrendered the fewest rushing (14) and passing (14) first downs in conference-only games this year.
- Emmanuel Forbes is the league's active leader with seven interceptions. Forbes also tops the FBS with three career pick-6's.
- State right tackle Scott Lashley played for Alabama from 2016-19.
- Lideatrick Griffin leads the country averaging 43.8 yards per kickoff return.
- Only two Bulldogs have started over 20 games in their careers (DT Jaden Crumedy 23, CB Martin Emerson 21), which is the lowest total in the SEC.
- Freshmen and sophomores are responsible for 14 of Mississippi State's 18 touchdowns this fall.
- The Bulldogs are the only team in the nation with three players with over 30 catches this season (Polk 46, Jo'quavious Marks 38, Dillon Johnson 31).
- Marks has hauled in a pass in 16 straight games while Polk, Malik Heath, Jaden Walley and Austin Williams have a streak of 14 consecutive games with a catch.
- Williams has caught 24 of the 26 passes thrown his way this year.
- This will be just the second time Leach has faced Alabama in his 20-year career as a head coach.
- The Crimson Tide have won 38 of their last 43 road games dating back to 2011.
- Alabama owns a 50-3 record during the month of October under Nick Saban.
- The Tide have not lost back-to-back games during the regular season since 2008.
- Alabama has won 45 of its last 46 games when scoring a touchdown on the opening drive. The only time it hasn't was last week at Texas A&M.
- Alabama has a scoring streak of 274 games. The last time the Crimson Tide were shutout was a 9-0 loss to Auburn on Nov. 18, 2000.
- Alabama has forced a turnover in 84 of its last 91 games dating back to 2015. The Tide have forced 151 takeaways during that span (98 interceptions, 53 fumble recoveries) and have 32 touchdowns from those turnovers.
- Alabama has played Mississippi State more times (105) than any other opponent.
- The Alabama-MSU series has been played in eight different cities – (Tuscaloosa, Ala., Birmingham, Ala., Montgomery Ala., Starkville, Jackson, Meridian, Columbus and Aberdeen).
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