TideSports.com - Staff Picks: Mississippi State

October 26, 2012

Staff report

The TideSports.com staff make their predictions for Alabama homecoming matchup with Mississippi State.

Andrew Carroll
Alabama 27,
Mississippi State 17
It's homecoming at Alabama and a time for celebration, but only if the Crimson Tide can beat an unbeaten Mississippi State. The Bulldogs come to town with their own agenda - taking over the top spot in the SEC Western Division. Tyler Russell has thrown for 1,573 with 15 touchdown passes. LaDarius Perkins has 724 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. Alabama mauled two SEC opponents on the road, but Mississippi State is a better team.

Chase Goodbread
Alabama 30,
Mississippi State 10
What should concern Alabama is that the MSU team that went to the half behind only 7-0 and into the fourth quarter down only 10-0 against Alabama last year isn't nearly as good a team as the 2012 edition of the Bulldogs. With a quality quarterback and an opportunistic defense, Mississippi State enters the game at 7-0. Of concern to the Bulldogs is that of the seven teams MSU faced to reach 7-0, none of them could stay on the field with the Crimson Tide.

Cecil Hurt
Alabama 27,
Mississippi State 7
Fans from each side can argue the merits of the other side's schedule, but throw that out and you are left with an Alabama team that is well ahead of Mississippi State in most areas. This will be the toughest Crimson Tide opponent so far, but don't expect much to change in terms of outcome.

Damien Martin
Alabama 31,
Mississippi State 13
The Bulldogs have a good running game but will have a very difficult time throwing on the Crimson Tide secondary, which will make them one-dimensional, not a good formula for beating Alabama. I think the home crowd will rise to the occasion for the first truly intriguing game at Bryant-Denny this season. Mississippi State has a good team, but it's not quite ready to challenge for the top spot in the SEC West, as tonight and a trip to LSU next month will show.

Michael Southern
Alabama 31,
Mississippi State 7
Last week AJ McCarron became a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate thanks to Amari Cooper. Now the Crimson Tide faces a Mississippi State team bolstered with confidence after its 7-0 start. However, Dan Mullen's Bulldogs have never scored more than 10 points and average just 6.7 points per game against Alabama. With the machine-like precision the Tide is displaying, it's hard to imagine Mississippi State will have a breakout performance.

Edwin Stanton
Alabama 35,
Mississippi State 17
Mississippi State has all the confidence in the world it can beat Alabama tonight. Confidence is one thing, having the talent to actually pull it off is another. Granted, the Bulldogs are a better team than in years past, but asking the Bulldogs to come into Tuscaloosa and beat the No. 1 team in the nation is too much. This game will be tight for the first half, but Alabama will wear down MSU and pull away in the fourth quarter.

Harold Stout
Alabama 31,
Mississippi State 14
Alabama is a 24-point favorite. On one hand, I can see that. On the other, I'm a little surprised it's that many points. Regardless, UA has to be a solid favorite. Dan Mullen has the Bulldogs on the right path. But they're not to the level of Alabama. I think it will be tight early, and at some point there will be a "wow" factor. As has happened often, by late in the game the Tide will have some fresh players on the field and will be pulling away.

Aaron Suttles
Alabama 30,
Mississippi State 10
Alabama faces a team that wants to do exactly what the Crimson Tide seeks to do - run the ball, stop the ball, capitalize on mistakes. As Nick Saban put it earlier this week, Mississippi State is the best team Alabama has played up until this point in the season. It will no doubt be a physical game, but Alabama's depth should win out.