TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Will Rogers reached for his right tackle’s hand, and Kameron Jones slowly lifted the Mississippi State quarterback off the Bryant-Denny Stadium turf.
Trying to make something happen with just three seconds before the half and MSU stationed at the Alabama 39-yard line, Rogers was instead pressured and sacked by a punishing Crimson Tide defense not long after the game clock hit zero.
It was a fitting end to a painful first half for Mississippi State, which brought its mistake-laden play from the prior week against Kentucky to Tuscaloosa.
“I didn’t think we played well at all,” MSU coach Mike Leach said.
The Crimson Tide was more than happy to reap the benefits.
No. 24 Mississippi State (5-3, 2-3 Southeastern Conference) played far below the near-perfect standard typically required to beat Alabama, losing to the Tide (7-1, 4-1 SEC) by a score of 30-6 — MSU’s 15th straight loss to its geographically nearest SEC foe.
Leach said the Bulldogs were again intimidated by the Crimson Tide. MSU scored its lone touchdown as time expired.
“We spent a lot of time frightened of their jerseys,” he said. “You want to scare some of the guys on our team, put an Alabama jersey on. It’ll scare the hell out of them.”
Once again, a laundry list of mistakes accounted for the Bulldogs’ defeat, from penalties and poor protection to drops, special teams miscues and blown coverage.
But Mississippi State’s fourth-down struggles in the first half were the most costly.
On its second drive, MSU snapped a string of 18 straight red-zone conversions and 15 straight touchdowns inside the 20, failing on a fourth-and-3 pass from Rogers to Jaden Walley at the Alabama 15-yard line.
After a missed field goal on its next possession, Mississippi State opted to go for it again, this time at its own 29. A pass play on fourth-and-inches from Rogers to Walley failed, and Alabama cashed in for a touchdown.
There were other missed chances.
Lideatrick Griffin dropped a dime from Rogers at the goal line in the third quarter, spinning around in an attempt to secure the football but letting it fall to the ground. Griffin knelt in shame in the end zone, knowing MSU’s first touchdown in Tuscaloosa since Dak Prescott quarterbacked the Bulldogs had just slipped through his fingers.
Two plays later, Mississippi State turned the ball over on downs for the third time.
Griffin’s drop was one of several examples of poor play by Mississippi State’s wide receivers, who seemed constantly unable to make plays against a talented, physical Alabama secondary.
Postgame, Leach went on a lengthy diatribe about Mississippi State’s inability to catch the football.
“We’re going to try to get that fixed in this off week,” he promised.
Tide safety DeMarcco Hellams knocked the ball out of Walley’s hands on the Bulldogs’ first promising series, and safety Brian Branch broke up a pass on the other.
All Mississippi State safety Jackie Matthews did, meanwhile, was get ejected for targeting in the second quarter.
The penalty was the third in as many snaps for the Bulldogs, who were called for roughing the passer (and defensive holding, which was declined) on one play and offside on the next before Matthews was tossed for spearing Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs.
A week after allowing 13 penalties for 109 yards at Kentucky, Mississippi State was flagged 10 times for 100 yards Saturday.
Special teams also did the Bulldogs no favors. Massimo Biscardi’s kick found the left upright on his first-quarter field goal attempt from 44 yards; in the second quarter, Archer Trafford booted a punt only 16 yards for MSU.
Mississippi State’s defense forced three straight punts to start the second half, but freshman Zavion Thomas fumbled away the third kick, giving Alabama possession at the MSU 17.
The Crimson Tide added a field goal off the muffed punt early in the fourth quarter, pushing its lead to four scores.
Jo’quavious Marks broke the shutout with a 1-yard touchdown run as time expired.
Alabama’s Bryce Young threw two first-half touchdown passes, hitting JoJo Earle on the run for a 31-yard strike to open the scoring and finding Traeshon Holden for a 6-yard score in the second quarter.
In between, Gibbs found the end zone from 19 yards out for the Tide.
Young finished 21 of 35 passing for 249 yards. Rogers was 29 of 59 for 230 yards for MSU.
With the loss, Mississippi State fell to 1-3 on the road this season, but the Bulldogs will remain at home for the foreseeable future.
MSU will enjoy an open date next week before a home date with Auburn on Nov. 5 in Starkville, with games against Georgia and East Tennessee State to follow at Davis Wade Stadium.
Before then, the Bulldogs must eradicate the problems that plagued them against Kentucky and Alabama.
“We’re going to have to fix some things over the bye week and then keep rolling and have a good week of practice, for sure,” linebacker Jett Johnson said.
Theo DeRosa reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 24 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 24 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
Join the Discussion