Tide Illustrated's Max Wolborsky caught up with Bulldog Blitz staff writer Jack Byers to discuss No. 6 Alabama's game against No. 24 Mississippi State this weekend.

What has Mississippi State quarterback Will Rogers done this year to make the Bulldogs' offense so effective?

“Where Rogers has been most effective this year is in his decision-making. Rogers is as patient as anyone in the pocket and always acts as if there is someone open. He’s done a better job of navigating the pocket this season to find that open guy, and he very rarely forces a throw that he doesn’t have to make which is shown by his 23:4 touchdown to interception ratio.

In Mike Leach’s third year, what is the most noticeable improvement under his watch?

“Overall there is a much better culture within the program compared to what there was under Joe Moorhead. When Leach took over in 2020, there was obviously a big change in the offensive scheme, but he, more importantly, had to get guys who were bought in. He seems to have that now in his third year, and things are beginning to click.

Mississippi State leads the SEC and ranks 10th in the country at forcing turnovers. What has been the key to the Bulldogs’ success?

It certainly helps to have a guy in the secondary with the ball skills of Emmanuel Forbes Jr., who was just named an AP midseason All-American. Forbes has five interceptions and a blocked field goal this season and recently tied an SEC record with his fifth career pick-six last week.

While Forbes has been stellar, the biggest cause of the Bulldogs’ ability to create turnovers is the pressure that defensive coordinator Zach Arnett likes to bring. Arnett gets very creative with what he does with his linebackers, and they’ve been able to force some strip sacks and under-pressure throws that resulted in interceptions.

What has the emergence of Caleb Ducking done for the Bulldog offense?

There aren’t many receivers with the size Ducking possesses at 6-foot-5, 200-pounds, and his emergence has really helped the Bulldogs convert more frequently in the red zone. Mississippi State is ninth best in the country this season in the red zone, scoring a touchdown on 20 of their 22 red zone trips. Ducking has been a big piece of that as he’s got seven scores on the season.

Mississippi State has struggled to score touchdowns against Alabama recently. How can the Bulldogs fix that?

“Mississippi State has continuously lost the battle at the line of scrimmage to Alabama over the past few seasons, which has been a detriment to their scoring against the Tide. It was really shown last season when Will Anderson matched up with former Alabama tackle Scott Lashley on the edge and picked up four sacks.

Mississippi State has been at its best this season when it is running the football. The Bulldogs held Arkansas, the SEC sack leader this season, to zero sacks on Will Rogers, and a big part of that was because they were able to rely on their rushing attack. If the Bulldogs can run the football as they did against the Razorbacks, they can neutralize some of what makes Will Anderson and company so effective. That should allow them to create more scoring opportunities.

Who are some of the other threats on the Bulldog offense?

As I mentioned in the last question, the Bulldogs are at their best when they’re running the football, and the duo of Dillon Johnson and Jo’quavious Marks have made that rushing attack emerge. Both backs have improved from last season, averaging 0.6 more yards per carry than they did a season ago, and they’re both also very good threats in the passing game.

At wideout, sophomore Rara Thomas might be the most complete receiver that Mississippi State has had a few years. While most receivers on Leach’s team are used specifically because of their size or their speed, Thomas is the rare mix of both for Mike Leach and he’s been a very good downfield threat while also being a reliable in the short and intermediate passing game.

Bryce Young had a remarkable game in Starkville last season. What’s the plan of attack for the Bulldogs this time?

It’s simple. The Bulldogs are going to have to create pressure on Bryce Young to either create some sacks or turnovers. If State doesn’t play aggressive, Young will have the time to pick the State defense apart and Jahmyr Gibbs will run free on the outside.

Zach Arnett has been able to do this against quarterbacks like Max Johnson and Malik Hornsby this season but doing it against a guy with the pocket awareness that Young possesses will be a whole new challenge.

The Bulldogs played Alabama following their loss to Texas A&M last year. This year they are facing a team who just lost a close one in Knoxville. What kind of mindset should Mississippi State have going into the game?

Mississippi State just has to treat it like any other game. They have to play their game which is to play aggressively on the defensive front and to take what the defense gives them. They can’t worry about how long it’s been since they beat Alabama or how mad the Tide will be coming off a loss. If the Bulldogs stick to themselves, they have a chance to make it a very competitive game, but if they deter from their identity, it could slip away in a hurry.

What ways can the Bulldogs cause issues for Young and the Alabama offense?

As I mentioned earlier, the Bulldog defense has been it’s best when they create pressure. They’ll need to send linebackers Tyrus Wheat and Bookie Watson through the gaps to force Bryce Young to make some bad throws and hope their secondary can make some plays. It’s been a decent recipe so far, so we’ll see how it holds up against the Tide.

Who can make an impact on the Bulldog defense to force the Crimson Tide into trouble?

The two guys who will need to be at their best on Saturday is SAM linebacker Tyrus Wheat and cornerback Emmanuel Forbes. Wheat’s talent has really shown this season, and he’s been very disruptive at the line of scrimmage, whether it’s sacking the quarterback and forcing a fumble or batting down a pass to force an incompletion. Forbes has been one of the lockdown cornerbacks this season, and he’s virtually eliminated a third of the field for opposing quarterbacks. If they throw his way, it could end up as six points for the Bulldogs so he’ll need to be on his game to help State in this one.