Alabama vs. Mississippi State score, takeaways: No. 5 Tide demolish Bulldogs in get-right game

The Crimson Tide regained their footing against the Bulldogs on Saturday night in Starkville

By David Cobb

Oct 17, 2021 • 1 min read

No. 5 Alabama bounced back from its loss against Texas A&M by trouncing Mississippi State 49-9 on Saturday night thanks to a vicious defensive effort and explosive offensive performance. The all-around game from the Crimson Tide left no doubt that they remain the SEC West favorites and are still a threat to repeat as national champions, despite the stunning stumble against the Aggies last week.

Alabama quarterback Bryce Young threw for 348 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions to pace the offense, while running back Brian Robinson Jr. accounted for three total touchdowns. Defensively, linebacker Will Anderson racked up four sacks as the Tide repeatedly limited the Bulldogs to field goals with the help of a pass rush that racked up seven sacks.

Mississippi State trailed just 21-6 at halftime, but that's when Alabama's offensive explosiveness began to show. Wide receiver Jameson Williams took an intermediate route from Young 75 yards for a touchdown on the Tide's first play from scrimmage in the third quarter. Robinson followed later in the quarter with a 51-yard touchdown reception of his own to put the game out of reach.

Mississippi State QB Will Rogers completed 35 of 55 passes but threw three interceptions, including two in the first quarter that put an early damper on the Bulldogs' chances of snapping a losing streak to Alabama that dates back to 2007. Mississippi State finished with -1 yards rushing.

1. Alabama's defense responds

A week after Texas A&M quarterback Zach Calzada lit up Alabama in the first half of the Aggies' upset victory, the Crimson Tide came out with purpose on defense on Saturday and sustained it for the entire game. Rogers entered with just two interceptions on 284 pass attempts for the season, but Alabama forced him to match that total in the first quarter. Josh Jobe ended Mississippi State's first series with an interception, which led to an Alabama touchdown. Jordan Battle followed up later in the quarter with a 40-yard interception return for a touchdown. It wasn't just the Alabama secondary playing inspired football, though. With the Bulldogs driving before halftime, Will Anderson picked up his second sack of the half -- and Alabama's fourth of the half -- to force the Bulldogs into a field goal. In the second half, Mississippi State racked up just 99 total yards as Alabama squeezed the life out of its SEC West foe.

2. Explosive attack

The Crimson Tide were averaging just 3.33 plays per game of 25 or more yards entering the game. Their total of 20 such plays on the season was tied for 53rd nationally. But on Saturday, Alabama had four plays of 25 yards or longer on touchdowns alone. First was a 46-yard touchdown reception by John Metchie. Then came Williams' 75-yard touchdown reception and Robinson's 51- yard scoring catch. Finally, Traseshon Holden put the finishing touches on the victory by taking a Young pass 29 yards for a score with 6:20 remaining. The Alabama offense may not have the vertical threat it did last year with Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith at receiver, but Saturday was a reminder that its talent at the skill positions remains some of the best in the country.

3. Mississippi State's roller coaster

If the 2021 season feels like it's been a roller coaster ride under second-year coach Mike Leach at Mississippi State, its because it has been. The Bulldogs needed late-game heroics to beat Louisiana Tech in their season opener before handling No. 22 NC State with relative ease the following week. Then came losses to Memphis and LSU before a victory at Texas A&M two weeks ago. Now, after losing to Alabama, the Bulldogs are 3-3 and will be fighting for bowl eligibility. Games against Vanderbilt and Tennessee State should be winnable for this team. Aside from those, however, Mississippi State will need at least one win from the group of Kentucky, Arkansas, Auburn and Ole Miss to reach six wins. Saturday was an awful showing for the Bulldogs, but they did pick up 24 first downs. If this team can get past the wounded pride of an Alabama beatdown, it will reach a bowl.

No ad available

Live updates

Up the middle

Well, well, well. Brian Robinson up the gut. Alabama goes up the middle for an old fashioned score to close out a 16-play drive. That's what the Crimson Tide DIDN'T do with the game on the line last week. Something tells me Nick Saban and Bill O'Brien had a few heart-to-hearts after that. Now, all of a sudden it's 21-3 with 3:15 left in the half. Bulldogs really need points before the break, because Alabama gets the ball to start the third quarter.

Big-time drive

Alabama is 4-of-6 on third downs, and a few of those have come on a budding drive that is already in double-digits in terms of # of plays. Crimson Tide are milking this clock with a 14-3. Score here, get the ball back to start the third and this thing is all but done. That may sound hyperbolic, but if Bama can play keep away like this, Mississippi State is in trouble.

MSU stalls again

A holding and a false start hamper another Mississippi State drive with promise. It's been all self-inflicted stuff for the Bulldogs early. They have 144 total yards to 75 for Alabama but trail 14-3 and are in danger of falling even further behind as Alabama takes over with 10:32 left in the first half. Bulldogs have run 34 plays to just 14 for Alabama. MSU has 11 first downs, compared to 3 for Alabama. But, ya know, scoreboard.

Will Rogers

He appeared to be in pain on his first pass attempt of the series as Mississippi State takes over deep in its own territory while trailing 14-3. He's been sacked twice already and has attempted 20 passes in just one quarter. Already been a long night for him when you consider the two interceptions. He'd thrown 284 passes with just two interceptions all season entering tonight.

ANOTHER interception

Wow, so Will Rogers entered with two interceptions on the season. He's now thrown two in this first quarter. Jordan Battle picks that one off and runs it back 40 yards to make it 14-3 Crimson Tide. Mississippi State has multiple first downs on all three of its possessions and just three points to show for it. Bulldogs in big trouble early.

Wasted field position

Big return from Jameson Williams sets Alabama up at its own 45-yard line for its second possession. But the Tide do a whole lot of nothing with it. Bryce Young is sacked by Nathaniel Watson on third down. So the ball will go back to the Bulldogs, who have moved it successfully thus far and trail 7-3.

Mississippi State on the board

A 44-yard field goal from Brandon Ruiz gets the Bulldogs on the board and cuts it to 7-3 with 6:52 remaining in the first quarter. An 11-yard scramble by Will Rogers on a third-and-10 kept the series alive, and Mississippi State cashed in with points. Bulldogs have already picked up seven first downs but have just three points to show for it.

What a start for the Crimson Tide

Bryce Young finds John Metchie for a 46-yard touchdown on third-and-2, and the Crimson Tide take a 7-0 lead with 10:34 left in the first quarter. Alabama did a nice job mixing pass and run on that possession. Metchie found a soft spot in the defense, broke a tackle and racked up most of those 46 yards after contact.

Josh Jobe INT

A promising first series for Mississippi State ends with a Josh Jobe interception. He sneaks forward a few yards to the Alabama 35. Bulldogs were seven plays in and had picked up three first downs. So Bama takes over and is already near midfield as the cowbells begin clanging. That was just Rogers' third interception of the season. Good start for an Alabama defense that was gashed in the early-going against Texas A&M last week.

From Tom Fornelli's preview

Alabama hasn't lost two games in a row since 2013: It was the final season before the College Football Playoff began. Alabama lost to Auburn 34-28 in The Iron Bowl. That, of course, was the infamous Kick-Six game that knocked Alabama out of the BCS Championship Game. Instead, the Tide went to New Orleans to face Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl, losing 45-31. The world began to wonder if the Alabama dynasty had come to an end. It turns out it was a stupid thing to consider, but you can bet they'll ask the same question if Alabama loses to Mississippi State this week.

2 of 3