Last week, the No. 1 team in the land, the Alabama Crimson Tide, had their annual slugfest with the LSU Tigers, and even though they came home with a victory, they came out of the game slightly bloodied. For each game after the LSU game since 2001, it normally takes Alabama some time to get going, and there have been games where they suffered a so-called “LSU hangover”, losing to teams that they should beat.
Well, so much for that “LSU Hangover”, and forget the idea that this week’s game against Mississippi State would be the trap game to take them down. For anyone that thought Alabama would be sluggish and flat were completely mistaken in sounding such an alarm. Nick Saban and his staff made sure his team focused on Mississippi State, not LSU, not No. 9 Auburn (yes people, the Iron Bowl is coming), or anyone else. The Crimson Tide came out ready for a lunchtime kickoff against the Bulldogs earlier today and completely dominated from the opening, winning 51-3.
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Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Hurts got going quickly after the way he struggled against LSU. He finished with a career-high 347 yards and four touchdowns passing. He also ran for 100 yards and a touchdown. The defense continued to be a brick wall, as they stopped everything that the Bulldogs have to offer. The only thing the defense did not do was score, which would shock a lot of people since they average a touchdown a week.
Now with Mississippi State out of the way and FCS school Chattanooga on tap for next weekend, it’s full steam ahead to the Iron Bowl where Auburn team awaits. If Auburn beats Georgia this afternoon, the matchup will serve as a defacto play-in game for the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta. Alabama hosts this year’s Iron Bowl, which is good news for the Tide since they have not lost at home to Auburn since 2010 when Cam Newton led a second-half comeback that saved the Tigers’ championship season.