Following back-to-back losses to open Southeastern Conference play, the road does not get any easier for Mississippi State as No. 12 Alabama visits Davis Wade Stadium on Saturday night for an 8 p.m. kickoff on ESPN.

The Crimson Tide opened their season with a procedural win over Middle Tennessee, then lost at home to a Texas team that has since risen to No. 3 in the AP Top 25. Alabama grinded out a sloppy road victory over South Florida, and last week opened SEC play by rallying in the second half to defeat Ole Miss.

Here is what to know and watch for as the Bulldogs look for their first SEC win.

What: Alabama at Mississippi State

When: 8 p.m. Saturday

Where: Davis Wade Stadium, Starkville

TV: ESPN

Betting line: Alabama by 14.5

Weather: Mostly sunny skies with a high of 92 degrees and winds out of the northeast at 6 miles per hour, per AccuWeather

Records/rankings: MSU is 2-2 and 0-2 in SEC play. The Crimson Tide are 3-1 overall and 1-0 in conference action. Alabama is ranked No. 12 in the AP Top 25 and No. 11 in the AFCA Coaches Poll.

Series history: Alabama leads 85-18 with three ties. The Crimson Tide have won 15 in a row over the Bulldogs, with the last MSU victory coming in 2007 — Nick Saban’s first season as Alabama head coach.

Mississippi State update: The Bulldogs found life offensively last weekend at South Carolina in the form of the deep ball. Quarterback Will Rogers completed 30 of 48 passes for a collegiate career-high 487 yards, and receiver Lideatrick “Tulu” Griffin set a program record with 256 receiving yards on just seven catches.

MSU’s defense, though, remains an issue. Gamecocks quarterback Spencer Rattler completed his first 17 passes and 18 of 20 in all, and South Carolina ran the ball more effectively than it had all season. Through two SEC games, opponents’ starting quarterbacks have completed 48 of 54 passes for 649 yards and five touchdowns against the Bulldogs.

Alabama update: This may not be as strong as many of Saban’s teams in Tuscaloosa over the last decade and a half, but the Crimson Tide are still plenty formidable. After a bit of experimentation at the quarterback position, Jalen Milroe has established himself as the starter, and he has a pair of outstanding running backs in Jase McClellan and Roydell Williams as well as two playmaking receivers in Jermaine Burton and Isaiah Bond.

Defensively, Alabama is as strong as ever. Cornerbacks Kool-Aid McKinstry, Malachi Moore and Terrion Arnold are all NFL prospects, and Dallas Turner and Chris Braswell are among college football’s best edge rushers.

Alabama players to watch: QB Jalen Milroe, RB Jase McClellan, WR Jermaine Burton, LB Dallas Turner, CB Kool-Aid McKinstry.

Prediction: Games are won and lost at the line of scrimmage in the SEC, and the Crimson Tide have the advantage there on both sides of the ball. Alabama’s plethora of lights-out skill position players certainly doesn’t hurt, either. Alabama 38, Mississippi State 17.