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The line on the Alabama Mississippi game had the Bulldogs a big 17 point home underdog as they hover just above the .500 mark and face off against a rock solid Alabama Crimson Tide team that has lost only one game.
Sportsbook.com Line & Total: Alabama -18 & 43
Opening Line & Total: Crimson Tide -17 & 42
After losing the big showdown with LSU last week, No. 3 Alabama tries to get back on the winning track with a trip to Starkville, MS.
Alabama has won the past three meetings with the Bulldogs by a combined 93-10 score and Trent Richardson didn’t even play in last year’s matchup. Despite their loss to the Tigers, the Tide still lead the nation in scoring defense (7.3 PPG), total defense (187 YPG), rushing defense (56 YPG) and passing defense (131 YPG), which is bad news for MSU QB Chris Relf who has been dreadful in two games against the Tide (8-of-19, 70 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT; 19 carries, 16 yards).
Alabama’s offense sputtered in the 9-6 overtime defeat, rushing for a mere 96 yards on 31 carries (3.1 YPC). Richardson was held to 89 yards on 23 carries (3.9 YPC), but was a big factor in the passing game, catching five passes for 80 yards. Richardson was held scoreless for the first time this season, but he still has 18 TD and 1,370 yards from scrimmage this season. QB A.J. McCarron had a pedestrian 199 passing yards, 0 TD and 1 INT versus LSU, but his road numbers have been solid this year. He has completed 50-of-80 passes for 527 yards, 2 TD and 0 INT in three games outside of Tuscaloosa.
Alabama’s defense has forced two turnovers in six consecutive games and forced five total turnovers (all INT) in the past two wins over the Bulldogs. The only team to gain 250 total yards on the Tide this year was Penn State, who amassed 251 in the second week of the season.
MSU top RB Vick Ballard (88 rush YPG, 48th in FBS) is slumping in his past four SEC games, gaining just 218 yards on 3.9 YPC, but he rushed for 80 yards in last year’s 30-10 loss to Alabama. With Relf struggling, expect sophomore QB Tyler Russell to get more reps. In the past four weeks of ample playing time, Russell has completed 40-of-72 passes for 686 yards (9.5 YPA), 3 TD and 0 INT. Junior WR Arceto Clark had a career high 96 receiving yards and 2 TD in last week’s 55-17 win over Tennessee-Martin, and fellow junior WR Chad Bumphis had a season-high 89 receiving yards and a touchdown against UTM.
Mississippi State’s defense ranks 16th in the nation in scoring (18.7 PPG), and has allowed 17 points or less in each of its past four contests (12.5 PPG). One area the team has struggled with all year is kick returning, as the Bulldogs are the worst FBS team at 15.4 yards per kickoff return.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
