Alabama Football vs. Mississippi State Postgame Notes
11/15/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
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GAME CAPTAINS: Alabama's captains for the game against Mississippi State were Landon Collins, Jalston Fowler and Arie Kouandjio. The Crimson Tide won the coin toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff.
SERIES HISTORY: Following the win, Alabama owns a 77-18-3 overall record in the series against Mississippi State. The Crimson Tide has won seven straight and 12 of the last 14 games and has outscored the Bulldogs 200-61 (28.6-8.7 ppg) in the last seven meetings.
BEATING THE BEST: Alabama is 29-10 (.744) against the Associated Press top 25, including a 17-5 (.773) mark against AP top-10 teams since the start of the 2008 season. The Crimson Tide is 3-1 in 2014 with its lone loss coming at No. 11 Ole Miss, 17-23.
SEVEN INTs IN LAST FIVE GAMES: With a trio of interceptions against Mississippi State, one from Nick Perry, one from Cyrus Jones and another from Landon Collins, the Alabama defense has recorded at least one interception in each of its last five games. The Crimson Tide has nine picks thus far this season.
GETTING TO THE QUARTERBACK: The Crimson Tide defense has recorded a sack in all but one game this season (Florida) and added to its total with one from Dalvin Tomlinson today against Mississippi State. Alabama now has 25 sacks on the season for an average of 2.50 per game. UA entered the game tied for 32nd nationally and fifth in the SEC in sacks.
COOPER ECLIPSES 3,000 CAREER RECEIVING YARDS: In the third quarter vs. Mississippi State Amari Cooper surpassed the 3,000 yard mark for his career in receiving yards. He already holds the record for yards in a career, passing DJ Hall on Nov. 8 in the win at LSU. Cooper finished tonight's game with eight receptions for 88 yards, bringing his career total to 3,039 yards. TIDE SCORES IN FIRST HALF FOR 99th STRAIGHT GAME: With Trey Depriest's 5-yard safety in the first quarter, Alabama has now scored in the first half of 99 straight games for the longest active streak in the nation.
SCORING STREAK CONTINUES: With Trey Depriest's 5-yard safety in the first quarter, Alabama has scored in 179 consecutive games - the longest streak in program history.
PUNTING PROWESS: JK Scott logged seven punts in today's game for an average of 45.6 yards per punt. He placed five of his punts inside the 20 bringing his season percentage of punts inside the 20 to 53.5 percent (23 of 43 punts). Scott entered the game with the best average in the nation.
BOTTLED UP: Largely due to the punting of JK Scott, the Mississippi State average field position for its seven drives in the first half was its own 15 yard line. The Bulldogs' best spot came on its final drive of the second quarter when it started at its 25 yard line.
Team Notables
- Mississippi State's 12-game win streak was snapped, which was one shy of tying the program record of 13-consecutive victories from Oct. 17, 1942 - Nov. 11, 1944.
- The winning streak was the second-longest in the nation behind Florida State (25) entering the weekend.
- In six seasons under Dan Mullen, MSU has eclipsed 300 points in each season. In the first 109 seasons of Bulldog football, that feat had never been accomplished.
- The Maroon and White have shattered the school record for points (381) and total yards (5,127) through the first ten games of the season.
- The top five marks in MSU single-season total offense have now occurred in the Dan Mullen era. The Bulldogs are now at 5,127 yards through ten games.
- MSU has never started a season 9-1 and has not been 5-1 in SEC play since 1999, with the Bulldogs having finished 6-2 in SEC play that season.
- MSU's 428 yards of total offense are the most Alabama has allowed all season.
- The Bulldogs notched 282 yards in the second half, compared to 146 yards of total offense in the first half.
- The attendance of 101,821 is tied for the second-largest crowd MSU has faced in program history. (Nov. 13, 2010 and Oct. 27, 2012, both at Alabama)
- 23 Bulldogs recorded a tackle, with having 15 recorded multiple tackles.
Player Notables
- Davey O'Brien Award semifinalist Dak Prescott has now recorded a passing or rushing touchdown in 12 consecutive games.
- Prescott, a Maxwell Award semifinalist, now ranks second in the MSU record books for passing yards in a season with 2,521. Prescott only trails Tyler Russell's 2,897-yard season (2012).
- Josh Robinson's 37 yards on the day bring him to 1,021 on the season, which makes him the first 1,000-yard Bulldog rusher since Ladarius Perkins in 2012 with 1,064. Since Dan Mullen arrived at MSU in 2009, Robinson is the fourth MSU running back to rush for 1,000 yards. (Ladarius Perkins - 2012, Vick Ballard - 2011 and Anthony Dixon - 2009). Each of the three previous 1,000-yard rushers went on to sign NFL contracts.
- Malcolm Johnson's 28-yard reception in the second quarter is his longest catch since Nov. 23, 2013 at Arkansas. (29- yard reception)
- De'Runnya Wilson set a career high for receptions with eight, while tying a career high for receiving yards with 91. (Sept. 20, 2014 at LSU)
- Wilson's eight catches were also the most by a MSU receiver this season.
- Evan Sobiesk is now 8-for-8 on the season when it comes to field goals of 40 yards or fewer.
- Butkus Award semifinalist Benardrick McKinney has now recorded a tackle in 36 consecutive games.
- Tuscaloosa-native Malcolm Johnson's 74-receiving yards on the day were the best since Nov. 16, 2013 vs. Alabama, when he had 84 yards receiving.
- Fred Ross' 23-yard punt return towards the end of the third quarter set a new career high for longest punt return.
- All-American candidate Preston Smith has recorded a tackle behind the line of scrimmage in nine straight games.
- Prescott leads the FBS in 3rd down touchdowns responsible for with 14 (nine passing, five rushing).
- Prescott's 27 completions gave him 173 on the season, tying him for third in the MSU record books for completions in a single season. (Tommy Pharr - 1968)
- Prescott is now tied for third for career touchdown passes by a Bulldog with 34. (Wade Makin: 1998-2001)
- Prescott now has ten 200-yard passing games, in ten games, this season and 15 in his career.
- Robinson moved into ninth in all-purpose yards in the MSU record books in a season with 1,368.
- Kendrick Market's seven tackles are the most he has recorded this season, his seven solo tackles also tie a career high. (Sept. 14, 2013 at Auburn)
