Toronto Star
· collected 2026-10-02 · by Brett Martel The Associated Press
Alabama, currently ranked No. 7 in the AP Top 25, faces Mississippi State on Saturday with a 16-game winning streak against the Bulldogs since 2007. Both teams stand at 4-0 this season, but Alabama has dominated its previous opponents by scoring over 45 points each game and maintaining double-digit margins. This matchup features two first-year starting quarterbacks: Mississippi State’s Kamario Taylor, who is completing nearly 70% of his passes for 298 yards per game with 14 touchdowns against just two interceptions, and Alabama’s Keelon Russell, also performing impressively with similar stats. The article highlights the challenging environment Alabama will face at Davis-Wade Stadium, known for its record-breaking cowbell noise during games.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-02,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In SEC Week 5, No. 7 Alabama (4-0) faced No. 16 Mississippi State (4-0) in a ranked matchup on Saturday, with Alabama winning 56-23. Despite being heavy favorites, the game highlighted the contrasting performances of quarterbacks Keelon Russell and Kamario Taylor. Russell, who had struggled early in the season, passed for 285 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for another score; he didn't turn over the ball against Mississippi State after committing interceptions at Kentucky previously. Meanwhile, Taylor's mobility was limited by an ankle injury, leading to a subpar performance. Alabama outgained the Bulldogs significantly in rushing yards (179-18), extending their winning streak against Mississippi State to 17 games with seven of the last victories coming by 23 points or more.
Written for “Alabama vs Mississippi State College …” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 5 other(s) covering the same event.
When Alabama visits Mississippi State, it’s usually a bad day for the Bulldogs.
asserted
it → visit → Bulldogs
Quarterback Kamario Taylor’s dynamism and recent effectiveness in the clutch has provided Mississippi State’s cowbell-ringing fans hope that perhaps Saturday will be different from every other time these teams have met since 2007.
asserted
teams → provide → 2007
Taylor is “playing really good football for us,” Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby said.
asserted
Lebby → play → us
“I’m proud of his toughness and how he’s going about his business.
asserted
he → ’m → business
Alabama (4-0, 2-0 SEC), which will invade Starkville ranked at No. 7 in the AP Top 25, has won 16 straight in the series and the past six engagements haven’t been close, with victory margins ranging from a high of 41 points in 2020 to a low of 23 points the last time they met in 2023.
asserted
they → invade → 2023
The Crimson Tide tide also has been dominant against its first four opponents this season, beating each by two or more touchdowns and scoring at least 45 points in each game.
asserted
tide → beat → game
No. 16 Mississippi State (4-0, 2-0) has had to weather a little more adversity so far, winning its two SEC games by a single touchdown and having to come back from a one-TD, fourth-quarter deficit against Missouri last weekend.
asserted
State → have → Missouri
But the Bulldogs will be at home, where last week the Davis-Wade Stadium crowd entered the Guinness Book of World records by ringing 41,819 cow bells at once.
asserted
crowd → enter → bells
“We are going to get challenged this next week against a very, very good Mississippi State team,” Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said.
asserted
DeBoer → go → team
“Coach Lebby has done an awesome job of bringing these guys together.
asserted
Lebby → do → guys
They’re off to a great start.
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They → ’re → start
But he’s heard plenty and spoke about having cowbell sound effects blaring at practice this week.
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effects → hear → practice
“What I hear from the people that I trust, is that it’s going to be an absolutely crazy environment,” DeBoer said.
asserted
DeBoer → hear → that
“We’re going to be prepared for that.”
asserted
We → go → that
First-year starting QBs are flourishing for each team
Taylor and Alabama first-year starting QB Keelon Russell have effectively planted themselves in Heisman Trophy contention during this season’s first month.
asserted
Taylor → start → month
Taylor is completing nearly 70% of his passes for 298 yards per game with 14 TDs against just two interceptions.
asserted
Taylor → complete → interceptions
He also has rushed 37 times for 185 yards and a score, without taking many undue risks.
asserted
He → rush → risks
“He’s done a much better job of understanding not taking the unnecessary hit,” Lebby said.
asserted
Lebby → do → hit
Russell is completing about 71% of his throws for 282.3 yards per game with eight TDs to two interceptions.
asserted
Russell → complete → interceptions
He has 32 rushes for 168 yards and three TDs.
asserted
He → have → yards
Russell has “got great talent around him,” and produces a lot of explosive plays, Lebby said, adding, “For us it’s going to be about applying pressure, getting our fans really involved and excited about what’s going on in between those white lines.”
asserted
what → get → lines
Taylor has found Anthony Evans for 408 yards and three TDs, including three 100-yard games, while running back Fluff Bothwell has provided ground support, averaging 100 yards per game rushing and scoring three times.
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Bothwell → find → game
The Crimson Tide is traveling on game day
The two campuses are just 90 miles apart, so DeBoer decided his team might be better off staying in Tuscaloosa on Friday night and traveling first thing in the morning for the 11 a.m. (local time kickoff).
uncertain
team → travel → a.m.
DeBoer noted that Alabama stayed in the hotel it normally uses the night before home games on the night before the Tide’s last victory at Mississippi State in 2023.
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it → note → 2023
“I guess I just trusted a lot of what we’ve done in the past,” DeBoer said.
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DeBoer → guess → past
“That’s the best way to do it.”
asserted
That → ’ → it
The entire series history has been lopsided
On the field (not counting one vacated result and one that was forfeited), Alabama has won 88 of the 108 meetings between these teams since they first played one another in 1896.
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they → count → 1896
Mississippi State has won 17 meetings — the last coming in retired coach Nick Saban’s first year at Alabama.
asserted
last → win → Alabama
They’ve also tied three times.
asserted
They → tie → ?
The Crimson Tide has a 34-7-1 road record in the series.
asserted
Tide → have → series
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