Toronto Star
· collected 2026-10-03 · by Brett Martel The Associated Press
Keelon Russell threw for 285 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for another score as No. 7 Alabama defeated No. 16 Mississippi State 56-23 on Saturday. The victory was marred by early turnovers from Kamario Taylor, who struggled due to an ankle injury, leading the Bulldogs into a significant deficit early in the game. Alabama outgained Mississippi State 179-18 in rushing yards and recorded five sacks of Taylor, extending their winning streak over Mississippi State to seventeen games.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-03,
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.
STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Keelon Russell passed for 285 yards and three touchdowns to go with a rushing score, and No. 7 Alabama routed 16th-ranked Mississippi State 56-23 on Saturday in a matchup of previously unbeaten teams.
asserted
Alabama → pass → teams
“Just going out there, just having fun, understanding the assignment, doing me, playing my game,” said the 19-year-old Russell, who was intercepted three times at Kentucky in his first Southeastern Conference road game but did not turn the ball over against the Bulldogs.
asserted
who → go → Bulldogs
“You make your mistakes and you learn from it,” Russell said.
asserted
Russell → make → it
“And I feel like that’s what I’m doing.”
asserted
I → feel → what
Trae’shawn Brown ran for two touchdowns, Rico Scott caught two TD passes and Dijon Lee Jr. returned an interception 30 yards for a score during a game that saw Alabama (5-0, 3-0 SEC) reinforce its credentials as contenders.
asserted
Alabama → run → contenders
Alabama outgained Mississippi State (4-1, 2-1) 179-18 in yards rushing in its 17th straight victory in the series — the last seven by 23 or more points.
asserted
Alabama → outgaine → points
The game featured two of college football’s most dynamic quarterbacks this season, but the mobility of the Bulldogs’ Kamario Taylor appeared limited by an ankle injury last week and he struggled Saturday.
asserted
he → feature → injury
His early fumble and two interceptions set up Alabama touchdown drives.
asserted
fumble → set → drives
“It’s pretty obvious that he wasn’t able to do anything with his legs,” Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby said.
asserted
Lebby → ’ → legs
“So, him not being able to do some of those things, it changes it.
asserted
it → do → it
It makes it harder.”
asserted
it → make → ?
Taylor was sacked five times and pulled from the game with the Bulldogs down by 26 early in the fourth quarter.
asserted
Bulldogs → sack → quarter
“He did look kind of iffy getting out of the pocket and stuff and we knew that,” Alabama linebacker Caleb Woodson.
asserted
we → look → that
“So, we knew we had a better chance to contain him.”
asserted
we → know → him
Leading Bulldogs receiver Anthony Evans III had 12 catches for 166 yards and two touchdowns, one of his team’s few bright spots.
asserted
III → lead → spots
Early mistakes put the Bulldogs in a hole
What was widely seen as the biggest game at Davis Wade Stadium since Dak Prescott starred at QB for the Bulldogs more than a decade ago started poorly for Mississippi State.
asserted
Prescott → put → State
Taylor’s first two turnovers put the Bulldogs in a 14-0 hole less than seven minutes into the first quarter.
asserted
turnovers → put → quarter
He fumbled five plays into the opening possession when the ball slipped from his throwing hand on an apparent pump fake near midfield and Alabama’s London Simmons recovered.
asserted
Simmons → fumble → midfield
That led to Ryan Coleman-Williams’ 15-yard touchdown on Russell’s short pass to the right flat.
asserted
That → lead → flat
Taylor’s next pass resulted in Lee’s pick-6.
asserted
pass → result → pick-6
Taylor finished with 258 yards and three TDs passing, including an 11-yard score to Zion Riggins that pulled the Bulldogs to 21-14 in the second quarter.
asserted
that → finish → quarter
But Alabama responded again with Brown’s 7-yard scoring run, capping an 88-yard drive highlighted by Russell’s third-down completions of 50 yards to Lotzeir Brooks and 22 yards to Coleman-Williams.
asserted
Alabama → respond → Williams
“He moves around, throws a shot and they pick up a huge first down,” Lebby said.
asserted
Lebby → move → down
“He’s really accurate, got great anticipation and you continue to see him make big plays with his feet.”
asserted
him → ’ → feet
Brooks finished with four catches for 96 yards.
asserted
Brooks → finish → yards
Russell continued to improve his Heisman Trophy credentials by playing with composure amid the usual din of ringing cowbells at Mississippi State.
asserted
Russell → continue → State
He avoided turnovers and had several clutch completions on third down — including connections of 39 and 50 yards, and his touchdown pass to Scott.
asserted
He → avoid → Scott
Accolades and stuff will come,” Russell said.
asserted
Russell → come → ?
“I don’t want to spoil myself too much about what I can get and rather (focus on) what am I going to do to make myself better.”
asserted
myself → want → what
Top running back Fluff Bothwell, who entered the game nursing a lower-body injury, carried the ball only once for 1 yard on the Bulldogs’ opening series and watched the second half with a boot on his left foot.
asserted
who → enter → foot
Bothwell had entered the game with 402 yards and three TDs rushing.
asserted
Bothwell → enter → yards
Lebby did not provide specifics on the injury after the game.
asserted
Lebby → provide → game
Mississippi State: Has a bye before visiting No. 11 LSU on Oct. 17.
___
asserted
State → have → Oct.
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