SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 16, 2013
No. 1 Alabama 20, Mississippi State 7: T.J. Yeldon rushed for a career-high 160 yards as the visiting Crimson Tide overcame a season-high four turnovers to defeat the Bulldogs for the sixth straight time.
AJ McCarron threw for 187 yards and two touchdowns, but was picked off twice after not throwing an interception over his previous five contests. Alabama (10-0, 7-0 SEC), which has won 14 straight overall, has outscored Mississippi State 175-41 during its winning streak in this series – holding the Bulldogs to fewer than 10 points each time.
With Dak Prescott sidelined due to an arm injury, Tyler Russell went most of the way before leaving with a shoulder ailment in the fourth quarter for the Bulldogs (4-6, 1-5). Russell threw for 144 yards as Mississippi State managed only 197 total yards – more than 262 yards below its season average.
The Crimson Tide held a 3-0 lead for most of the first half despite two turnovers and maintained that margin when the Bulldogs’ Evan Sobiesk missed a 23-yard field goal in the second quarter. On Alabama’s last drive before the break, Yeldon ripped off runs of 50 and 15 yards while McCarron capped the drive with an 18-yard strike to Brian Vogler with 20 seconds left.
Mississippi State broke through in the third when offensive tackle Charles Siddoway recovered Russell’s fumble in the end zone, but McCarron capped the next possession with an 11-yard TD pass to Kevin Norwood. Cade Foster’s fourth-quarter field goal followed an interception by Ha Ha Clinton-Dix that thwarted a Bulldogs’ drive and Mississippi State turned the ball over on downs on their last three drives.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Siddoway’s fumble recovery was the first touchdown Alabama has allowed to Mississippi State in the first three quarters over the schools’ last five meetings. … The Bulldogs have dropped 15 straight against Top 25 foes and are 1-6 all-time against the top-ranked team in the country. … The Crimson Tide have held 38 opponents to 10 points or fewer in coach Nick Saban’s seven seasons, including eight times in 10 games this year.