STARKVILLE — With 7 minutes, 32 seconds left in the third quarter Saturday night, University of Alabama kicker Jeremy Shelley let out a sigh of relief all of Oktibbeha County felt.
His 24-yard field goal helped him became the first kicker to convert a field goal in five tries just when fans had started to think the task was impossible.
In the first half, Shelley and fellow Crimson Tide kicker Cade Foster failed from 49 and 31 yards. The misses in the first half mean Alabama had to settle for a 7-0 lead at halftime against Mississippi State.
Alabama (8-1, 4-1 Southeastern Conference) has a system that normally dictates Shelley is used on kicks shorter than 40 yards, including extra points, and that long-distance attempts go to Foster.
Shelley, who was a recruited walk-on, is 13-for-17 this season.
Saban said Monday he will still rely on both kickers the rest of the season to maintain their confidence.
Going 1-for-3 on attempts Saturday night did nothing to sway Saban from that line of thinking. The only thing in special teams that angered him was MSU’s 68-yard kickoff return that led to the Bulldogs’ only touchdown in Alabama’s 24-7 victory.
Alabama’s inability to kick a field goal quickly shifted to the other sideline, as MSU junior Derek DePasquale missed a 41-yard try in the second quarter that forced Bulldogs coach Dan Mullen to change kickers for the first time this season.
After an interception by linebacker Cam Lawrence led to a stalled red-zone opportunity, MSU inserted sophomore transfer Brian Egan for his first attempt this season — a 29-yarder — that he shanked badly to the right.
When asked why he made the change, Mullen said the decision was based on DePasquale’s “look” and confidence coming off the field from his miss.
“The other kid didn’t have a good look in his eye,” Mullen said. “He wasn’t looking confident. (DePasquale) didn’t kick it smoothly. We figured we’d give (Egan) an opportunity and see what he could do. He missed his opportunity, too.”
Chick-fil-A Bowl “highly interested” in MSU’s finish
The Chick-fil-A Bowl was at Davis Wade Stadium on Saturday night. It’s safe to say they weren’t there to watch No. 4 Alabama.
“I don’t think there’s any doubt Mississippi State will be a incredible draw for our game,” Chick-fil-A Bowl representative Rod Hovater said.
Hovater said that once MSU (5-5, 1-5 SEC) gets to the six-win threshold for bowl eligibility the discussion will begin to have the Bulldogs in the New Year’s Eve game at the Georgia Dome.
“That’s when they go up on our board,” Hovater said. “We just have to start eliminating teams. It looks like Georgia is going to win the SEC East provided they beat Kentucky next week, so they’re not a selection for us.”
In the past four seasons, the Chick-fil-A Bowl has had two teams from each division, and Hovater said his bowl committee isn’t committed to a team, but there is a handshake agreement among the bowls in the selection process.
“There’s a gentlemen’s agreement that creates conversation because if there’s an East team that would be interested in then they come to us for expenses reasons and if it’s a West team then they would go to the Cotton Bowl,” Hovater said. “As soon as you say that, a school says ‘I was in your bowl last year,’ and then they would swap those choices.”
In the past 10 years, the Chick-fil-A Bowl ranks as second in average attendance among all non-conference bowl games.
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