Game of the Week: No. 1 Mississippi State vs. No. 5 Alabama
Week 12 features yet another top-5 SEC West showdown. The nation’s No. 1 ranked team, the Mississippi State Bulldogs, take on the No. 5 Alabama Crimson Tide Saturday afternoon in Bryant-Denny Stadium. Both teams are in the top-5 of the College Football Playoff picture as the Bulldogs sit atop the standings and the Roll Tide are the first team projected outside the playoff picture at No. 5.
What a difference a year makes. Last year, No. 1 Alabama rolled at Mississippi State by a score of 20-7. At the time Mississippi State was 4-6 overall on the season and 1-5 in SEC play. Coming into Saturday afternoon’s game Mississippi State is 9-0 overall and 5-0 in SEC play. The winner of this game will sit atop the SEC West standings.
The Bulldogs have been a huge surprise this year, and the biggest reason is junior quarterback Dak Prescott, who is a leading candidate for this year’s Heisman Trophy. On the season, Prescott has thrown for 2,231 yards and 18 touchdowns.
Blake Sims will be under center for the Crimson Tide. Sims has thrown for 2,243 yards and 17 touchdowns on the season. Both teams feature explosive offenses but this game will come down to the defensive side of the ball. Both defenses are giving up less than 20 points per game.
Players to watch:
Alabama: WR Amari Cooper- Cooper is Alabama’s leader in receptions, yards and touchdowns. Cooper is a different player at home, catching more balls at home than on the road. At home Cooper has 51 receptions for 795 yards compared to only 28 catches for 420 yards on the road.
Mississippi State: QB Dak Prescott- Prescott is the only hope the Bulldogs have of preserving their perfect season, protecting their No. 1 ranking and undefeated season Saturday in Tuscaloosa. Prescott is not the same on the road as he is at home. He has thrown for only 685 yards on the road compared to 1, 546 yards at home. Prescott is also the team’s second leading rusher.
Prediction: Alabama 35 Mississippi State 31
Photo Credit: (AP Photo/Jonathan Bachman)
Christopher Gamble is a junior majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email cgamble531@gmail.com.
