Alabama had its 19-game winning streak snapped in Week 6 with a stunning three-point loss to Texas A&M. Seth Small converted a 28-yard field goal as time expired to hand Nick Saban his first loss in two years. With their season now hanging in the balance, can the Crimson Tide bounce back in the Alabama vs Mississippi State game?
Alabama Crimson Tide installed as -17.5 favorites
Alabama's playoff hopes were dealt a major blow on Saturday when it suffered a gut-wrenching 41-38 loss to unranked Texas A&M at Kyle Field. The Crimson Tide had no answer for Texas A&M quarterback Zach Calzada, who threw for 285 yards and three touchdowns. It was a disappointing result for Alabama, which lost for the first time since November 30, 2019.
With the shock defeat, Alabama dropped to No. 5 in the AP Top 25 poll, the first time the Crimson Tide had been ranked outside the top 3 since 2019. They will look to get their season back on track when they take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs this coming Saturday. For the Crimson Tide to record the much-needed victory, they must start strong against the Bulldogs.
Alabama scored just 10 points in the first half against Texas A&M, causing them to trail by 14 points at half-time. The Crimson Tide managed to turn things around in the second half, even grabbing a 38-31 lead in the fourth quarter. However, Alabama failed to hold on to that advantage as defensive mistakes surfaced once again, with the Aggies scoring 10 unanswered points in the final three minutes to grab the unlikely victory.
Related Article: AP Top 25 College Football Poll Week 7: Georgia Jumps to No. 1; Alabama Drops to No. 5
Mississippi State Bulldogs enter Week 7 as +17.5 underdogs
Mississippi State finally snapped its two-game losing skid with a 26-22 victory over Texas A&M in Week 5. It was a huge bounce-back win for the Bulldogs, who suffered narrow defeats to Memphis and LSU in Weeks 3 and 4. With the victory, Mississippi State improved its record this season to 3-2.
The win over Texas A&M gained even more importance for Mississippi State after the Aggies stunned Alabama in Week 6. With Alabama coming to Starkville in Week 7, the Bulldogs have an excellent opportunity to bolster their College Football Playoff credentials further.
However, beating Alabama will be an arduous task for Mississippi State, as the Bulldogs have struggled mightily against the Crimson Tide of late. The Bulldogs have lost their last 13 games against the Crimson Tide, including a heavy 41-0 defeat to Alabama in their previous meeting last year.
The Bulldogs will need to get another massive performance from quarterback Will Rogers to record a major shock this coming weekend. He completed 46 of 59 passes for 408 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions against Texas A&M.
Writer's Prediction
Alabama wins and covers the spread.
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