Alabama at Mississippi State: Prediction, pick, line, TV, live stream, watch online
The Crimson Tide look to contain Nick Fitzgerald in this SEC West road challenge
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2 min read
Alabama is just two wins away from another perfect record in SEC play, but these last two games might be the toughest on the schedule for a Crimson Tide team that spent the first half of the season blowing its opponents out of the water.
Entering November, Alabama looked unbeatable. After a street fight of a game with LSU that saw the Tide offense struggle against elite athletes, they suddenly look human. Mississippi State will look to try and create the same kind of problems for Alabama while also presenting a much different threat on offense with Nick Fitzgerald.
Viewing information
Date: Saturday, Nov. 11 | Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Davis-Wade Stadium -- Starkville, Mississippi
TV: ESPN | Live stream: WatchESPN
Storylines
Alabama: The Crimson Tide not only returned to Earth from unbeatable status against LSU, it also lost key defenders with Shaun Dion Hamilton and Mack Wilson getting knocked out of the game and Minkah Fitzpatrick suffering a hamstring injury. This has led to a shuffle in the depth chart for Alabama this week at positions that will be tested by Mississippi State's dynamic offense.
As Fitzgerald puts linebackers and safeties in a bind, younger, less experienced Alabama defenders will be the ones having to make a split-second decision that will determine the outcome of the play. It's going to be a huge test for that group, but also a good way to prepare for similar challenges that will be posed by Auburn in the Iron Bowl later this month.
Mississippi State: So far this season, Mississippi State seems to either be running through teams or getting run over. Unfortunately for the outlook here, Alabama has more in common with Georgia (31-3) and Auburn (49-10) than Texas A&M or LSU. Mississippi State's defense will be challenged to stop the run and must deliver one of its best performances of the season to give Nick Fitzgerald a chance. Alabama would love to get in and out Starkville with a win powered by its ground game, so the Bulldogs have to find ways to make Jalen Hurts beat them with his arm.
Prediction
Alabama totally bottled Fitzgerald up in this game last year, holding him to 15 net rushing yards on 11 attempts and just 145 passing yards with a 30 percent completion rate. Statistically, it was his worst performance of the season and even though Alabama will be banged up at key positions to stop the run-pass option, it's tough to see Fitzgerald's fortunes taking a dramatic swing in the other direction. The cowbells will be clanging, but something tells me Alabama keeps them from having too much to celebrate by scoring early and making the Bulldogs one-dimensional in a grinding 31-10 type of win. Pick: Alabama -14.5
