GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NCAAF: ALABAMA (6-3) at MISSISSIPPI ST (5-4)

NCAAF: ALABAMA at MISSISSIPPI ST

<div class="pre">NCAAF ALABAMA (21) 9
MISSISSIPPI ST 17 10:45 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: ALABAMA at MISSISSIPPI ST

<div class="pre">NCAAF ALABAMA (21) 9
MISSISSIPPI ST 17 8:50 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: ALABAMA at MISSISSIPPI ST

<div class="pre">NCAAF ALABAMA (21) 9
MISSISSIPPI ST 17 7:02 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: ALABAMA at MISSISSIPPI ST

<div class="pre">NCAAF FG ALABAMA
LEIGH TIFFIN 50 YD

ALABAMA (21) 12
MISSISSIPPI ST 17 6:47 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: ALABAMA at MISSISSIPPI ST

<div class="pre">NCAAF ALABAMA (21) 12
MISSISSIPPI ST 17 6:12 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: ALABAMA at MISSISSIPPI ST

<div class="pre">NCAAF ALABAMA (21) 12
MISSISSIPPI ST 17 3:01 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: ALABAMA at MISSISSIPPI ST

<div class="pre">NCAAF ALABAMA (21) 12
MISSISSIPPI ST 17 2:30 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: ALABAMA at MISSISSIPPI ST

<div class="pre">NCAAF ALABAMA (21) 12
MISSISSIPPI ST 17 1:27 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: ALABAMA at MISSISSIPPI ST

<div class="pre">NCAAF ALABAMA (21) 12
MISSISSIPPI ST 17 0:17 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NCAAF: ALABAMA at MISSISSIPPI ST

<div class="pre">NCAAF FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
ALABAMA (21) 6 3 0 3 12
MISSISSIPPI ST 0 10 7 0 17 FINAL

SCORING SUMMARY

1ST QUARTER: ALABAMA - FG, LEIGH TIFFIN 39 YD, 3:00.
ALABAMA 3-0
ALABAMA - FG, LEIGH TIFFIN 51 YD, 6:35.
ALABAMA 6-0
2ND QUARTER: ALABAMA - FG, LEIGH TIFFIN 29 YD, 6:21.
ALABAMA 9-0
MISSISSIPPI ST - FG, ADAM CARLSON 35 YD, 10:48.
ALABAMA 9-3
MISSISSIPPI ST - TD, ANTHONY JOHNSON 100 YD
INTERCEPTION RETURN (ADAM
CARLSON KICK), 14:57.
MISSISSIPPI ST 10-9
3RD QUARTER: MISSISSIPPI ST - TD, ANTHONY DIXON 3 YD RUN (ADAM
CARLSON KICK), 3:25.
MISSISSIPPI ST 17-9
4TH QUARTER: ALABAMA - FG, LEIGH TIFFIN 50 YD, 8:13.
MISSISSIPPI ST 17-12</div>

 

NCAAF: ALABAMA at MISSISSIPPI ST

<div class="pre">** CONFIRMED **
NCAAF
ALABAMA (21) 12
MISSISSIPPI ST 17 FINAL</div>

 

STARKVILLE, Mississippi (Ticker) -- Even a bye week could notslow down Anthony Dixon and red-hot Mississippi State.

Dixon rushed for 96 yards and a touchdown Saturday as theopportunistic Bulldogs pulled off a 17-12 upset of 21st-rankedAlabama in a Southeastern Conference shocker.


It was the second consecutive win for unranked Mississippi State(6-4, 3-3 SEC West), which became bowl eligible for the firsttime since 2000. The Bulldogs rolled to a surprisingly easy31-14 triumph two weeks ago at then-No. 14 Kentucky.

The Bulldogs failed to generate as much offense in this one,recording just 15 first downs and 223 yards of total offense.But Mississippi State constantly pestered Alabama quarterbackJohn Parker Wilson, forcing him into a pair of pivotalinterceptions.


The first pick came courtesy of defensive back Anthony Johnson,who intercepted Wilson in the end zone and returned it 100 yardsfor a touchdown to give the Bulldogs a 10-9 lead with fourseconds left in the first half.


Mississippi State held on to the lead from there by pounding thefootball with Dixon and Christian Ducre, who combined for 37carries. Dixon gave the Bulldogs a 17-9 advantage three minutesinto the third quarter with a three-yard TD run.


Wilson finished 16-of-35 for just 132 yards for Alabama (6-4,4-3 West), which has lost its last two meetings with theBulldogs.

 

NCAAF: ALABAMA at MISSISSIPPI ST

<div class="pre">NCAAF FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
ALABAMA (21) 6 3 0 3 12
MISSISSIPPI ST 0 10 7 0 17 FINAL

SCORING SUMMARY

1ST QUARTER: ALABAMA - FG, LEIGH TIFFIN 39 YD, 3:00.
ALABAMA 3-0
ALABAMA - FG, LEIGH TIFFIN 51 YD, 6:35.
ALABAMA 6-0
2ND QUARTER: ALABAMA - FG, LEIGH TIFFIN 29 YD, 6:21.
ALABAMA 9-0
MISSISSIPPI ST - FG, ADAM CARLSON 35 YD, 10:48.
ALABAMA 9-3
MISSISSIPPI ST - TD, ANTHONY JOHNSON 100 YD
INTERCEPTION RETURN (ADAM
CARLSON KICK), 14:56.
MISSISSIPPI ST 10-9
3RD QUARTER: MISSISSIPPI ST - TD, ANTHONY DIXON 3 YD RUN (ADAM
CARLSON KICK), 3:25.
MISSISSIPPI ST 17-9
4TH QUARTER: ALABAMA - FG, LEIGH TIFFIN 50 YD, 8:13.
MISSISSIPPI ST 17-12</div>

 

NCAAF: ALABAMA at MISSISSIPPI ST

<div class="pre">NCAAF FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
ALABAMA (21) 6 3 0 3 12
MISSISSIPPI ST 0 10 7 0 17 FINAL

ALABAMA-FG, L Tiffin 39 YD 3:00 1st Qtr
ALABAMA-FG, L Tiffin 51 YD 6:35 1st Qtr
ALABAMA-FG, L Tiffin 29 YD 6:21 2nd Qtr
MISSISSIPPI ST-FG, A Carlson 35 YD 10:48 2nd Qtr
MISSISSIPPI ST-TD, A Johnson 100 YD INTERCEPTION RETURN (A
Carlson KICK) 14:56 2nd Qtr
MISSISSIPPI ST-TD, A Dixon 3 YD RUN (A Carlson KICK) 3:25 3rd
Qtr
ALABAMA-FG, L Tiffin 50 YD 8:13 4th Qtr


ALABAMA MISSISSIPPI ST
First downs 23 14
Rushed-yards 37-153 42-115
Passing yards 121 100
Sacked-yards lost 1-10 1-11
Return yards 8 144
Passes 16-35-2 9-21-1
Punts 4-44.8 7-36.4
Fumbles-lost 1-0 1-0
Penalties-yards 1-5 8-75
Time of possession 29:29 30:31


Individual Statistics

RUSHING: ALABAMA-Terry Grant 19-75, Jonathan Lowe 7-40, John Parker
Wilson 9-37, Roy Upchurch 2-1. MISSISSIPPI ST-Anthony Dixon 26-84,
Christian Ducre 12-42, Wesley Carroll 3-MINUS 2, - Team 1-MINUS 9.

PASSING: ALABAMA-John Parker Wilson 16-34-121- 2, - Team 0-1-0- 0.
MISSISSIPPI ST-Wesley Carroll 9-21-100- 1.

RECEIVING: ALABAMA-Matt Caddell 3-53, Dj Hall 5-46, Keith Brown 2-12,
Mike McCoy 1-10, Jonathan Lowe 1-5, Terry Grant 3-0, Nick Walker
1-MINUS 5. MISSISSIPPI ST-Tony Burks 2-29, Jamayel Smith 1-19, Brandon
McRae 1-17, Eric Hoskins 2-15, Derek Sherrod 1-10, Christian Ducre
1-7, Lance Long 1-3.


Att: 56,188</div>

 

NCAAF: ALABAMA at MISSISSIPPI ST

<div class="pre">** CONFIRMED **
NCAAF
ALABAMA (21) 12
MISSISSIPPI ST 17 FINAL</div>

 

STARKVILLE, Mississippi (Ticker) -- Even a bye week could notslow down Anthony Dixon and red-hot Mississippi State.

Dixon rushed for 84 yards and a touchdown Saturday as theopportunistic Bulldogs pulled off a 17-12 upset of 21st-rankedAlabama in a Southeastern Conference shocker.


It was the second consecutive win for unranked Mississippi State(6-4, 3-3 SEC West), which became bowl eligible for the firsttime since 2000. The Bulldogs rolled to a surprisingly easy31-14 triumph two weeks ago at then-No. 14 Kentucky.

"It's a great effort on the team, the coaching staff and thefans as a whole," senior defensive end Titus Brown said. "It'sgreat to say that we are bowl eligible. We just have to playthese last two games as pretty as they come."


"For some of these guys, they did not have to come here,"Mississippi State coach Sylvester Croom said. "But they didbecause they wanted to build a championship program for thisstate. In three hours, we changed the way people look at thisprogram across the nation."


A former All-American center and assistant coach with theCrimson Tide, Croom also guided the Bulldogs to a 24-16 upset ofAlabama last year in Tuscaloosa. Mississippi State had lostits first two games against Alabama with Croom at the helm.

"We've got bragging rights now," said Croom, a Tuscaloosanative. "I don't have to say anything, but if I want to I can."

"We beat them last year at their place," Dixon added. "Thisyear at our place, we shut them down. I don't know what theyare going to say about this victory, but we are going to takeit."


Rather than boasting at his success against his alma mater,Croom focused on his team's recent penchant for shocking rankedschools. The Bulldogs completed a four-game stretch againstranked opponents in which they went 2-2.


"This is a big win for our fans, and hopefully now we willfinally get some respect," said Croom, whose team also won atAuburn on September 15. "We have beaten three teams that havebeen ranked this season, and if no one believes now - they havetheir heads in the sand."


The Bulldogs failed to generate much offense in this one,recording just 14 first downs and 215 yards of total offense.

But Mississippi State constantly pestered Alabama quarterbackJohn Parker Wilson, forcing him into a pair of pivotalinterceptions.


"We didn't execute very well in the passing game today and thatis two weeks in a row," Alabama coach Nick Saban said. "We needto do a better job with our ability to throw the ball where weare supposed to throw it."


The first pick came courtesy of defensive back Anthony Johnson,who intercepted Wilson in the end zone and returned it 100 yardsfor a touchdown to give the Bulldogs a 10-9 lead with fourseconds left in the first half.


"That was huge because it gave us the lead. We did a great jobkeeping their receivers out of rhythm today," Croom said. "Theinterception for the touchdown was a big move for us to end thehalf."


"We had a critical turnover right before the half that was atleast a 10-point swing, maybe a 14-point swing," Saban added."Regardless of all that, we didn't do the things that we neededto do."


Mississippi State held on to the lead from there by pounding thefootball with Dixon and Christian Ducre, who combined for 38carries. Dixon gave the Bulldogs a 17-9 advantage 3 1/2 minutesinto the third quarter with a three-yard TD run.


"It was big," Dixon said. "We just weren't going to lay downfor them and when (the touchdown) happened, everyone got excitedon the sidelines and we were ready to roll."


Mississippi State won despite a poor performance by quarterbackWesley Carroll, who completed just 9-of-21 passes for 100 yardsand an interception.


"We won a big game when we did not play our best," Croom said."That is a sign of a good football team - when you can win biggames when you do not play your best."


Wilson finished 16-of-34 for a season low of 121 yards forAlabama (6-4, 4-3 West), which has played in seven games thisseason decided by a touchdown or less.