Mississippi State Bulldogs Vs Alabama Crimson Tide

Last year the Tide needed to score 14 points to come from behind against Hail State on their home turf.  They did.  The final score was 31-24.

Mississippi State’s QB, Nick Fitzgerald, believes he can replicate those three strong quarters and marshal his Bulldogs offense to a victory at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Fitzgerald knows that last year has no bearing on today’s game in Tuscaloosa, but he’s confident knowing they held the lead until the fourth quarter giving him the motivation he and his team will need if they hope to beat Bama on the road.

These two teams have done battle on the gridiron going all the way back to 1896 and the series history shows the Crimson Tide has owned the Dogs 80-3-18.  ESPN’s Matchup Predictor gives the Boys from Tuscaloosa an 89.7% chance of victory.

No cupcake, MSST was ranked No. 18 last week in the College Football Playoff rankings and rose to No. 16 after drubbing War Eagle 23-9.

Paul Finebaum said last week the only way Bama suffers a loss on its way to the playoffs is if Tua Tagovailoa gets injured.  “I think we’ve come to that conclusion and it didn’t take 10 weeks to do it,” he said.

CBS analyst Gary Danielson believes the only two teams that have a shot at beating Alabama this season are Clemson and Georgia.  Kirby Smart’s Bulldawgs are currently two touchdown underdogs. We’ll know if Danielson was right on December 1st in Atlanta when they clash in the SEC Championship Game. Dabo will seek revenge against Saban’s Murderball if the fates pair them in the CFP Playoffs.

Hail State’s Head Coach, Joe Moorhead, doesn’t give a whit about their 10-game losing streak to the Tide saying, “We have to concentrate on the things we need to do.  We’re going to have to have great practices.  We have to have great urgency and body language.  Our scout team will have to be great because it’s almost impossible to replicate what Alabama does in all three phases.”  Sounds like a plan to me.

Every team that goes into Davis Wade Stadium is subjected to 61,000 infernal Bully Bells.  The Hail Staters truly believe those damn things intimidate the opposing team.  Well, they don’t.  They’re annoying as hell.  There won’t be any cowbells in Bryant-Denny Stadium.  No siree.

The Bulldogs will be treated to the sounds of the roar of a rampaging elephant over the stadium loudspeakers and AC/DC’s “Hell’s Bells” on every Bama third down.  Oh, and let’s not forget the Athletic Director is once again allowing “Dixieland Delight” to be played at the beginning of the fourth quarter.  That alone will strike fear into Coach Moorhead’s boys and spur the Crimson Tide on to victory.