NCAAF Game Recap - Mississippi State at Alabama
Sat Nov 10, 2018 3:30 PM EST

MissSt
0
Bama
24
F
Clem
27
BC
7
F
FlaSt
13
ND
42
F
Mich
42
Rut
7
F
Aub
10
UGA
27
F
OkSt
47
Okla
48
F
TCU
10
WVU
47
F
OSU
26
MSU
6
F
LSU
24
Ark
17
F
WaSt
31
Colo
7
F
Navy
24
UCF
35
F
KY
7
Tenn
24
F
Lou
23
Syr
54
F
SJSU
24
UtSt
62
F
Tex
41
TxTch
34
F
Fres
17
Boise
24
F
SCar
31
Fla
35
F
Wisc
10
PSU
22
F
Wake
27
NCSt
23
F
Bayl
14
IASt
28
F
SoFL
23
Cin
35
F
Kent
14
Buff
48
F
Ohio
28
MiaOH
30
F
Toled
15
NIU
38
F
Miss
24
TxAM
38
F
Ill
35
Neb
54
F
Vand
28
MIZ
33
F
Tuls
21
Mem
47
F
Kans
17
K St
21
F
BYU
35
UMass
16
F
MD
32
Ind
34
F
Akr
7
E Mi
27
F
SMU
62
UConn
50
F
Lafay
13
Army
31
F
UNC
35
Duke
42
F
Troy
35
GaSo
21
F
UCLA
28
AzSt
31
F
URI
31
JMU
48
F
UNCC
13
Marsh
30
F
JacSt
41
TnSt
14
F
MidTN
48
UTEP
32
F
Lib
24
UVA
45
F
BGSU
24
C Mi
13
F
NM
24
AF
42
F
Abil
17
SamHu
10
F
Purd
10
MIN
41
F
NW
14
Iowa
10
F
VaTec
22
Pitt
52
F
NorTx
31
OD
34
F
App
38
TxSt
7
F
ECU
18
Tul
24
F
ULMon
38
SoAl
10
F
GASt
22
ULLaf
36
F
ArkSt
44
CoCar
16
F
W Ky
15
FlAtl
34
F
Oreg
25
Utah
32
F
FLInt
45
UTSA
7
F
Rice
13
LT
28
F
Temp
59
Hou
49
F
MiaFL
21
GATec
27
F
SMiss
23
UAB
26
F OT
OreSt
17
Stan
48
F
UNLV
27
SDSU
24
F
ColSt
10
NEV
49
F
Cal
15
USC
14
F
WestMI
41
Ball
42
F OT

Nov 10, 2018, 3:30 PM EST

Final

1

2

3

4

T

(18) Mississippi State (6-4)

0

0

0

0

0

(1) Alabama (10-0)

14

7

0

3

24

Defense powers No. 1 Alabama past No. 18 MSU, 24-0
Sat Nov 10, 2018 8:05 PM

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) Alabama's offense didn't put up the video game-like numbers that had seemingly become commonplace. The defense played so well, again, that it didn't matter.

The top-ranked Crimson Tide had its second straight shutout in a 24-0 victory over No. 18 Mississippi State on Saturday, while Josh Jacobs ran for a touchdown and caught a scoring pass.

With quarterback Tua Tagovailoa still battling a gimpy right knee, the Tide (10-0, 7-0 Southeastern Conference, No. 1 CFP) turned to defense for another vintage performance.

"I think in this day and age, you not only get judged on whether you win but you get judged on how you win," Tide coach Nick Saban said. "I never thought I'd ever be in position to say that you get style points but the way our system is, that may be the way it is."

The offense had already banked plenty of style - and real - points along the way.

Alabama raced to a fast start but mostly stalled from there against the Bulldogs (6-4, 2-4) and the nation's No. 2 scoring defense.

Tagovailoa started the fourth quarter on a stationary bike after getting his right knee checked out in the medical tent following a low hit. He didn't return and wasn't needed, mainly because of a defense that was overshadowed by an offense that had led the nation in scoring much of the season.

Saban said Tagovailoa could have returned if needed.

"He got hit low a few times out there today," Saban said. "He got hit in the front of the knee and not the back, which is where his problem was. I think he's OK."

Fresh from a 29-0 victory over No. 9 LSU, the Tide defense hasn't allowed a point in nine-plus quarters. It's the first time Alabama has had consecutive shutouts since beating Western Carolina and Auburn to end the 2012 regular season.

"It's a great feeling," Tide linebacker Dylan Moses said. "It means we got the job done."

Alabama had five sacks and Mississippi State had four in a rough day for both quarterbacks against two talent-rich defensive lines.

Tagovailoa was 14 of 21 for 164 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He also lost a fumble on a botched exchange with Damien Harris.

Backup Jalen Hurts missed his second straight game with an ankle injury.

Jacobs ran for 97 yards on 20 carries as Alabama. He scored on a 1-yard run and a 14-yard catch.

The Bulldogs stuffed Harris on the goal line on a late fourth-down attempt.

"I think certainly, defensively, we continue to play well," Mississippi State coach Joe Moorhead said. "We continue to fight our tails off. We held them under 350 yards. It was most prominent bowing their back on that last drive and keeping them out of the end zone. That's the type of pride and physicality we play with defensively. We certainly gave ourselves an opportunity with how we played."

Nick Fitzgerald was 11 of 20 for 125 yards for Mississippi State, which gained just 44 yards on 30 rushes.

Alabama scored touchdowns on its first two drives, consuming more than 10 minutes combined with 156 yards. The Bulldogs mostly held the Tide's prolific offense in check after that.

Alabama outgained Mississippi State 305-169 in total yards.

The Tide's third TD was set up by a fumbled punt return at Mississippi State's 27 in the second quarter.

THE TAKEAWAY

Mississippi State: Penalties helped cost opportunities to make this game close as Bulldogs couldn't cash in on several promising drives. Kylin Hill had a 38-yard run but the running game couldn't get much going beyond that.

Alabama: Didn't have a play longer than 25 yards on offense. Defense had 10 tackles for loss and Alabama didn't commit a penalty. Guard Deonte Brown went down with turf toe.

HOME STREAK

Alabama matched the school record with its 24th consecutive home victory. The mark was initially set from 1971-74 at Legion Field and Bryant-Denny Stadium.

---

UP NEXT

Mississippi State hosts Arkansas in another SEC West matchup.

Alabama hosts The Citadel in what should amount to a break before the Auburn game.

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More AP college football: https://apnews.com/tag/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25

Passing

MissSt Att Cmp % TD-Pa Yds-Pa LgPa Int Rat
N. Fitzgerald 20 11 55.0 0 125 23 0 74.0
Bama Att Cmp % TD-Pa Yds-Pa LgPa Int Rat
T. Tagovailoa 21 14 66.7 1 164 25 1 86.2
M. Jones 6 3 50.0 0 -1 5 0 56.3

Rushing

MissSt Att Yds-Ru Avg LgRu TDRu
K. Hill 7 47 6.7 38 0
A. Williams 7 28 4.0 8 0
Bama Att Yds-Ru Avg LgRu TDRu
J. Jacobs 20 97 4.8 17 1
D. Harris 14 53 3.8 12 1

Receiving

MissSt Rec Yds-Rc Avg LgRc TD-Rc
D. Thomas 2 25 12.5 20 0
A. Williams 1 23 23.0 23 0
Bama Rec Yds-Rc Avg LgRc TD-Rc
I. Smith Jr. 5 70 14.0 25 0
J. Jeudy 6 45 7.5 13 0

Fumbles

MissSt F FL
D. Thomas 1 1
Bama F FL
T. Tagovailoa 1 1

Returning

MissSt KR Avg KRTD LgKR PR Avg TD LgPR
D. Thomas 1 12.0 0 12 1 -9.0 0 0
Bama KR Avg KRTD LgKR PR Avg TD LgPR
J. Jacobs 1 27.0 0 27 0 0 0

Punting

MissSt Punt Yds Avg LgPu
T. Day 8 294 36.8 51
Bama Punt Yds Avg LgPu
M. Bernier 5 183 36.6 43

Takeaways

MissSt Int Yds InTD
W. Gay Jr. 1 3 0

Team Stats Comparison

MissSt Bama
Points For 0 24
Total Yards 169 305
Rushing Yards 44 142
Passing Yards 125 163
Passing Completions / Attempts 11/20 17/27
Turnovers 1 2
Interceptions Thrown 0 1
Fumbles - Lost 2/1 1/1
First Downs 6 23
Penalties - Yards 7/50 0/0
Time Of Possession 05:05 55:55
Third Down Conversions/Attempts 1/13 4/12
Fourth Down Conversions/Attempts 0/2 0/1
Punts - Average Yards 8/37 5/37

Scoring Summary

1st Quarter MissSt Bama
Bama 04:20 TD Damien Harris 1 yd run (Joseph Bulovas kick) 0 7
Bama 12:12 TD Josh Jacobs 1 yd run (Joseph Bulovas kick) 0 14
2nd Quarter MissSt Bama
Bama 11:34 TD Josh Jacobs 14 yd pass from Tua Tagovailoa (Joseph Bulovas kick) 0 21
3rd Quarter MissSt Bama
No scores this quarter
4th Quarter MissSt Bama
Bama 05:49 FG Joseph Bulovas 49 yd FG 0 24

Game Information

Stadium: Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Attendance: 101,821
Game Time:
Weather: