STARKVILLE, Miss. — A meeting of unbeaten teams at Davis Wade Stadium turned into a 56-23 Alabama rout. No. 7 Alabama stayed perfect. Sixteenth-ranked Mississippi State did not.
Nineteen-year-old quarterback Keelon Russell passed for 285 yards and three touchdowns and added a rushing score. He had turned the ball over three times at Kentucky in his first SEC road start. He did not give it away Saturday. “You make your mistakes and you learn from it,” he said. He brushed off Heisman talk and said he would rather focus on getting better than on what he might win.
Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor’s early fumble and two interceptions handed Alabama short fields. London Simmons recovered a fumble near midfield on the opening possession, and Ryan Coleman-Williams scored on a 15-yard catch. Dijon Lee Jr. then returned an interception 30 yards for a touchdown. Taylor, limited by an ankle injury, was sacked five times and pulled with the Bulldogs down 26 early in the fourth quarter. Coach Jeff Lebby said it was obvious Taylor could not do what he usually does with his legs. Taylor still finished with 258 yards and three touchdown passes. Anthony Evans III was the bright spot, with 12 catches for 166 yards and two scores. Top rusher Fluff Bothwell carried once for a yard, then watched the second half with a boot on his left foot. He had entered with 402 rushing yards.
Alabama outgained Mississippi State 179-18 on the ground and won the series for the 17th straight time, the last seven by 23 points or more. Trae’shawn Brown ran for two touchdowns, and Rico Scott caught two scoring passes. Lotzeir Brooks had four catches for 96 yards. Alabama is 5-0 and 3-0 in the SEC and hosts No. 2 Georgia next Saturday. Mississippi State fell to 4-1 and has a bye before a trip to LSU on Oct. 17.