Alabama vs. Mississippi State results: Tide offense struggles in second straight shutout

Zac Al-Khateeb

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Alabama vs. Mississippi State results: Tide offense struggles in second straight shutout image

For the first time all season, Alabama faced some offensive adversity in its game against No. 18 Mississippi State, a 24-0 win for the home team.

The Tide struggled like they hadn't all season, putting up season-lows in points (24) and yards (305) and giving up four sacks against Tua Tagovailoa, who left the game after getting fairly beat up. Thankfully for Alabama, its defense stood tall to hold MSU to 169 total yards and zero points while sacking Nick Fitzgerald five times. This is also the first time since 1980 Alabama has held consecutive SEC opponents scoreless (Alabama won 29-0 last week against LSU).

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Check out all the big plays, scores and highlights from the Tide's win against MSU:

Final: Alabama 24, Mississippi State 0

6:49 p.m.: Three plays later, and Bama comes away with the 24-0 win. Not pretty, but the defense looked excellent.

6:42 p.m.: Alabama doesn't get it. Jeffrey Simmons gets enough of a push into the backfield to hit Damien Harris and stop him from breaking the plain. Turnover on downs for Bama; MSU will take over at the 1.

6:40 p.m.: Alabama has it fourth-and-goal from the 2. Looks like the Tide will go for it with less than 1:30 left to play. Timeout MSU.

6:37 p.m.: Alabama's continued reliance on the run is starting to pay dividends. Josh Jacobs hits a 17-yarder down to the MSU 9.

6:34 p.m.: Two rushes get Alabama a first down. Wouldn't be surprising to see them keep it on the ground the rest of the game with just six minute left to play.

6:31 p.m.: MSU tries the fake sweep/quarterback sneak on fourth-and-1. He didn't get close, and that makes it fourth-and-1 at the 28. Punt team coming out.

6:29 p.m. Mississippi State to take over at its 19-yard line after the ensuing kickoff. They have 9:06 left to put together a comeback.

6:26 p.m.: Field goal! Three plays later, and Joseph Bulavos is on to try the 49-yard field goal ... and he makes it! That's a career-long for Bulavos to make it 24-0 Alabama, which draws a big cheer from the crowd.

6:24 p.m.: A Damien Harris 13-yard run gives Alabama a first down out to the MSU 27. 

6:20 p.m.: Alabama stops the third-down conversion, but Mississippi State goes for it on fourth. Dylan Moses was beat on the quick out, but tight end Justin Johnson dropped the would-be converting pass. It's a turnover on downs, and Alabama takes over at the Mississippi State 42.

6:18 p.m.: Another third-and-long upcoming after Raekwon Davis hits Fitzgerald in the backfield for a 4-yard loss. Third-and-9 upcoming. 

6:17 p.m.: Fitzgerald gets 11 yards on the quarterback draw out to the MSU 36.

6:15 p.m.: A Mac Jones middle screen to Damien Harris is sniffed out before the latter can get back to the line of scrimmage. A punt by Mike Bernier gives MSU the ball back at its 25. Might be on the defense from here on out.

6:11 p.m. Mac Jones (the third-string quarterback) is in. Tagovailoa is on the bike.

6:10 p.m.: Mississippi State goes for it, but Nick Fitzgerald's pass is batted down at the line of scrimmage by Xavier McKinney. Tide take over at the 40.

Third quarter: Alabama 21, Mississippi State 0

6:08 p.m.: Mississippi State has it fourth-and-6 from Bama's 40 heading into the fourth quarter. Decision time here, but it wouldn't be surprising for MSU to try and pin Bama deep, the way the Bulldogs have gotten to Tagovailoa today.

6:06 p.m.: Mississippi State takes over at its 36. Fitzgerald's first throw is a 30-yard gainer to Deddrick Thomas! Bulldogs at the Bama 44.

6:05 p.m.: Third-and-9, Mississippi State sells out for the blitz. Cameron Dantzler hits him for a 10-yard loss. Dantzler hits Tagovailoa on the knee, and the latter is slow to get up. Looks like he's hobbling on the sideline. Alabama is incapable of protecting Tagovailoa right now.

6 p.m.: A called Tagovailoa fumble on the field (recovered by DeVonta Smith for a first down) is being reviewed. Should be called an incomplete pass, which would make it third-and-9.

5:59 p.m.: Alabama starts another drive with a run. Mississippi State selling out to stop it. Second-and-9 upcoming.

5:58 p.m.: Wow, Nick Fitzgerald scrambled and had a first down, but he slid too early. It's fourth-and-1 — the Bulldogs' fifth three-and-out. Bama to take over at the 25 after the punt.

5:53 p.m.: Looks like Alabama's punt team coming out after Tagovailoa hits Irv Smith for a 5-yard gain on fourth-and-7. A 34-yard punt gives Mississippi State the ball at its 33.

5:48 p.m.: A false start makes it fourth-and-12, and MSU's punt team is now on the field. Bama to take over at its 14.

5:47 p.m.: Mississippi State staying out there on fourth-and-7 from the 37. 

5:46 p.m.: Two plays later, Nick Fitzgerald is sacked for a 12-yard loss by Dylan Moses back to the Bama 48. That's its fifth of the day (and eighth tackle for loss).

5:45 p.m.: Interception! A 10-yard sack makes it third-and-19, then Tagovailoa throws an interception to linebacker Willie Gay Jr. Mississippi State to take over at the Bama 40.

5:43 p.m.: Nine- and 12-yard gains to Jaylen Waddle and Jerry Jeudy gives the Tide a first down. Bama driving at the 45.

5:38 p.m.: Bama to take over at its 18.

5:36 p.m.: Quinnen Williams hits Kylin Hill for a 4-yard loss. He met him about the time he took the handoff. A incomplete pass on the next play will bring out the punt team.

5:36 p.m.: Fitzgerald hits Farrod Green for a 12-yard gain out to the 50. 

5:35 p.m.: A dropped pass makes it third-and-7 for MSU. Got to have this one.

5:34 p.m.: Alabama kicks the ball out of bounds, so Mississippi State gets the ball at the 35.

Halftime: Alabama 21, Mississippi State 0

5:21 p.m.: Halftime stats.

Total yards: Alabama 216, Mississippi State 86
First downs: Alabama 17, Mississippi State 3
Passing: Alabama 10 of 14 (1 TD), Mississippi State 5 of 8
Passing yards: Alabama 127, Mississippi State 61
Rushing: Alabama 27 carries, 89 yards (1 fumble), Mississippi State 14 carries, 24 yards
Third downs: Alabama 3 of 5, Mississippi State 0 of 5
Turnovers: Alabama 1, Mississippi State 1
Time of possession: Alabama 17:56, Mississippi State 12:04

5:12 p.m.: Jace Christmann misses it just outside the left goal post. Crazy turn of events there: It could have been 21-7 Alabama, but the Bulldogs head into halftime with nothing.

5:11 p.m.: And now Alabama calls an all-out blitz. Fitzgerald is sacked by Jared Mayden to make it fourth-and-22 from the Alabama 24. A 41-yard field goal attempt upcoming.

5:08 p.m.: Another touchdown taken off the scoreboard. This time it's because of a delay of game. Wow. Third-and-14.

5:06 p.m.: Wow. Mississippi State has a huge touchdown to make it 21-7 but a terrible, terrible block in the back call against Deddrick Thomas negates the score. It's second-and-9 MSU from the 11.

 

 

5:07 p.m.: Nick Fitzgerald completes his pass to Aeris Williams for 23 yards down to the Bama 12. This is their best bet to score before the half with just under a minute left to play.

5:05 p.m.: Very nice run by Kylin Hill! He gets the pitch to the left and is nearly taken down by Anfernee Jennings in the backfield, but breaks lose for a 38-yard gain to the 33.

5:03 p.m.: Kylin Hill got about a 4-yard gain, but an injury to MSU lineman Darryl Williams stops the clock.

5:01 p.m.: One thing you absolutely cannot do: Give Alabama a short field. MSU learned the hard way. The Bulldogs take over at their 25.

5 p.m.: Touchdown! And Tagovailoa has his first touchdown of the day, a 14-yard connection to Josh Jacobs out of the backfield. It's 21-0 Alabama. The Tide have scored three touchdowns today, compared to just nine the Bulldogs have given up all year.

4:59 p.m.: Tagovailoa hits Irv Smith for a 15-yard gain to the 14-yard line and a first down.

4:57 p.m.: The Tide continue to commit to the run. Mississippi State hits Josh Jacobs for a 2-yard loss.

4:56 p.m.: And now Mississippi State has its first turnover of the day! Deddrick Thomas muffs the punt and Alabama takes over at the Bulldogs 27.

4:55 p.m.: Another sack by MSU! The Bulldogs bring five and Montez Sweat hits Tagovailoa for the 11-yard loss. 

4:53 p.m.: A pretty good throw by Nick Fitzgerald falls right into Farrod Green, who drops it. It still wouldn't have amounted to a first down. Bama takes over at its 43-yard line after the punt.

4:52 p.m.: A false start makes it third-and-23 from the 17 for MSU.

4:48 p.m.: Second-and-9, MSU tries the flea flicker. It doesn't work. LaBryan Ray and Raekwon Davis converge on Fitzgerald for a sack. It's third-and-18 from the MSU 22. 

4:45 p.m.: Another rare miscue from Alabama. Tagovailoa and Damien Harris fumble on the exchange and Mississippi State's Braxton Hoyett jumps on it. The Bulldogs will have the ball at about their 30-yard line with half a quarter left to play. 

4:43 p.m.: An 8-yard pass to Jerry Jeudy and neutral zone infraction against MSU give Alabama a first down to the Bulldogs 34. Speaking of Jeudy: What are his legs made of?

4:43 p.m.: Tua Tagovailoa avoids the pressure and has Jaylen Waddle open — but Chris Rayford is draped all over him. That's a 15-yard pass interference call down to the MSU 48.

4:41 p.m.: Alabama to take over at its own 37 after the punt with just about 10 minutes left to play in the half.

4:40 p.m.: Bulldogs have third-and-3 from their 19 — but the snap is early, and Nick Fitzgerald is forced to dive on it for a 4-yard loss. Punt upcoming.

4:38 p.m.: Bulldogs get their first first down of the day thanks to a couple good runs from Aeris Williams. Bulldogs driving at their 12.

4:37 p.m.: Mississippi State takes over at its own 1 after a 37-yard punt by Mike Bernier. Not a great spot.

4:33 p.m.: Interesting playcall there on third-and-8 for Bama. Tide faked the jet sweep and hand the ball to Josh Jacobs straight up the middle. Montez Sweat sniffs it out and tackles Jacobs for no gain. Bama's first punt upcoming.

4:31 p.m.: Tagovailoa hits Jeudy on a receiver screen, and the latter takes it 11 yards for another first down. Not seeing a lot of downfield throws from Tagovailoa so far.

4:30 p.m.: Alabama starts with an inside slant to Jerry Jeudy that goes for 12 yards. First down.

First quarter: Alabama 14, Mississippi State 0

4:27 p.m.: And now something rarely seen: A surrendered Alabama sack (just its seventh this season). Chauncey Rivers got in there to sack Tagovailoa for a loss of 6 yards. Bama will face second-and-11 to start the second quarter.

4:25 p.m.: Alabama starts at its own 26. An offside call gives them 5 free yards and a start at its 31.

4:21 p.m.: Another three-and-out for MSU. Nick Fitzgerald hits Stephen Guidry for 12 yards to make it fourth-and-4 from the 31-yard line.

4:18 p.m.: Another sack for Bama. This time it's — who else — Quinnen Williams. He continues to ball out this year. It's third-and-16 for MSU from the 19.

4:17 p.m.: Mississippi State stars the drive with a sack. Isaiah Buggs again.

4:16 p.m.: On that drive: Alabama ran the ball on nine of 13 plays, including six straight to end the possession. Tide definitely content with taking the ball out of Tagovailoa's hands (he's 5 of 6 today for 67 yards).

4:13 p.m.: Touchdown! A 1-yard touchdown run from Josh Jacobs makes it 14-0 (thanks to a fantastic juke). The Tide have already scored more than MSU's scoring average this year (12.3 ppg).

4:12 p.m.: Alabama keeps getting huge chunks of yards on the ground. Tide are driving at the MSU 1 now.

4:11 p.m.: Alabama gets some nice chunk plays from Josh Jacobs and Najee Harris (8-yard runs apiece) to get down to the MSU 25.

4:08 p.m.: Alabama continues to convert on third down. Against a five-man MSU rush, Tagovailoa takes his time and hits Jaylen Waddle on a 12-yard comeback route to the MSU 45.

4:06 p.m.: Bama starts the drive with a play-action rollout. Tagovailoa hits Irv Smith for a gain of 21 yards down the left sideline to the Bama 38.

4:03 p.m.: Alabama takes over at its 17 after a 51-yard punt by MSU's Tucker Day.

4:02 p.m.: Mississippi State will punt after a three-and-out. The Bulldogs faced third-and-1 from their own 34, but Isaiah Buggs burst through untouched off the edge to hit Kylin Hill for a loss of 2 yards.

3:57 p.m.: Touchdown! A methodical Alabama drive nets the Tide the first score of the day: A 1-yard run from Damien Harris. On that drive: Tua Tagovailoa completed both of his passes for 30 yards (including a 25-yarder down to the 1-yard line). Damien Harris ran the ball five times for 29 yards.

Tagovailoa's pass:

3:54 p.m.: Looks like Damien Harris may have fumbled on a carry, but Alabama snaps the ball before the refs think to review. The Tide continue their drive into Mississippi State territory.

3:51 p.m.: And here we go! Alabama takes the opening kickoff out to the 27-yard line to start the game.

Zac Al-Khateeb

Zac Al-Khateeb Photo

Zac Al-Khateeb has been part of The Sporting News team since 2015 after earning his Bachelor's (2013) and Master's (2014) degrees in journalism at the University of Alabama. Prior to joining TSN, he covered high school sports and general news in Alabama. A college sports specialist, Zac has been a voter for the Biletnikoff Award and Heisman Trophy since 2020.