Alabama got a favorable bit of news Monday for what already looks like a dangerous trip to Starkville.
The SEC announced that the Crimson Tide’s October 3 road game at Mississippi State will kick off in the early window, either at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN or 11:45 a.m.
CT on SEC Network. The exact start time has not been finalized, but either option points to a much quieter scene than the kind Alabama could have faced at night in Davis Wade Stadium.
That matters. Mississippi State fans are no doubt disappointed to miss out on an evening kickoff, when the building would have had all day to turn up the volume. Instead, Alabama should find a more manageable atmosphere before noon local time.
Even with the early start, this is no soft landing spot for Kalen DeBoer’s team. The Bulldogs will be a classic trap-game opponent, sitting just one week before Alabama’s highly anticipated showdown with Georgia at Bryant-Denny Stadium. That one has been on Alabama’s radar all season, especially after Georgia handled the Crimson Tide in last year’s SEC Championship Game.
Mississippi State, though, will have this one circled too. Alabama is one of the Bulldogs’ biggest rivals, and the two schools are separated by just 82 miles of highway.
This will be the first meeting between the teams since 2023, and Alabama enters with a 16-game winning streak in the series. Mississippi State’s last win came in 2007, Nick Saban’s first season on campus.
The challenge for Alabama is only growing. Mississippi State is now 3-0 after its road win over South Carolina last week, and the Bulldogs jumped into the AP Top 25 at No.
- They also have another ranked game coming this weekend before Alabama arrives, with Missouri heading to StarkVegas.
With Kamario Taylor at quarterback, Mississippi State looks capable of making life difficult for the Crimson Tide. Alabama will be favored, but likely not by much. If the Tide are going to leave Starkville with a win, it will probably take their best effort of the season.
In Other News...
Alabama Suddenly Has A Fan Tension Problem It Can't Ignore
Alabamas offense has been under enough scrutiny already, and Ryan Grubb only added to the conversation when he apologized for remarks he made about fans booing after the units struggles. It was the kind of public back-and-forth that tends to linger around a program like this, especially when expectations are high and the margin for patience gets smaller the longer the offense goes through uneven stretches.
There is at least some football business to distract from the noise. Injured offensive players AK Dear and Noah Rogers are expected to be available for the upcoming game against South Carolina, although their exact roles remain unclear, and the October 3 trip to Mississippi State will come in an early kickoff window. Alabama also picked up a recruiting development worth watching, with two committed prospects from other schools decommitting and expected to visit, giving the staff another chance to keep momentum moving while the fan tension around the offense still hangs in the background. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Suddenly Needs More From A Freshman In A Tough SEC Spot
Alabamas defensive front is already dealing with a new test heading into South Carolina, and the ripple effect is pretty clear. Edge defenders Justin Hill and Desmond Umeozulu are both listed out after getting hurt in the previous game, and both are expected to miss multiple contests, leaving the Tide thinner at a spot that usually depends on rotation and disruption.
That opens the door for freshman Xavier Griffin to take on a much bigger role sooner than planned, with the staff now needing him to hold up in a difficult SEC setting. Caleb Woodson could also be used more as a pass rusher as Alabama sorts through the depth chart, but the bigger question is how quickly the young pieces can settle in while the Tide waits for reinforcements. [Read more 🡒]
Alabamas Pass Rush Faces Its Trickiest Test Yet Against South Carolina
Through three games, Alabama has already shown it can get after the quarterback, joining a small group of SEC teams with at least 10 sacks as the defense settles in under Kalen DeBoer. The early production has been helped by the additions from the NCAA transfer portal, and it has given the Crimson Tide a clearer identity up front as they move deeper into conference play.
South Carolina now offers a different kind of challenge, with LaNorris Sellers giving Alabama a quarterback who can change the game with both his arm and his legs. DeBoer pointed to the need for a strong pass rush, but just as important is keeping lane integrity so the pressure does not open escape routes for a dynamic player who can punish even a small breakdown. [Read more 🡒]