Hello and Roll Tide!

Saturday marks the 109th edition of the Battle for Highway 82, as the Tide will travel to Starkville for a showdown in Wade Davis Stadium. Alabama and Mississippi State’s rivalry dates back to 1896 and Alabama leads the all-time series 88-17-3. Prior to the 2024 season, Alabama and Mississippi State played each other 76 years in a row, dating back to 1948. Alabama is currently on a 16-game winning streak; the last loss came in Nick Sabab’s first season at Alabama. This year’s edition features two rising superstars in Keelon Russell and Kamario Taylor. Both are only sophomores and are currently considered top-5 candidates for the Heisman trophy. Things are shaping up for this to be one of the most exciting 11 am CT kickoffs of the season. Below are injury updates, a Mississippi State preview, and Week 5 storylines. Let’s go!

Injury Updates:

  • Left Guard Will Sanders is not on the injury report and will be available Saturday
  • Justin Hill, Desmond Umeozulu, and Jorden Edmonds will be OUT
  • Jayvin James is considered QUESTIONABLE for Saturday
  • Zay Mincey appeared on the list as PROBABLE

Week 5 Preview: Mississippi State

Mississippi State is led by 3rd year head coach Jeff Lebby. Miss State is 11-18 under Lebby, and their 4-0 start is the best so far during his tenure. Prior to Miss State, Lebby held the position of Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks coach at UCF, Ole Miss, and Oklahoma. The year before Lebby took over, Miss State ranked 107th nationally averaging 21.8 points per game. In year 3, Lebby has the Bulldogs averaging 43.0 points per game which is currently 15th nationally. A large reason for this success is starting quarterback Kamario Taylor. Taylor is a Mississippi native. He grew up in Macon, Mississippi and played high school football at Noxubee County High School. His high school is only 30 miles away from Wade Davis Stadium. The 4-star committed to Miss State during his Junior year, over a year before signing day. This season, Kamario Taylor is 2nd in the SEC with 1,192 passing yards and leads the nation with 14 passing touchdowns. Kamario’s deep ball accuracy is lethal. He’s completed a 40+ yard pass to four different receivers. His favorite target this year has been Anthony Evans III who has 28 receptions for 408 yards with 3 touchdowns. Behind him is Sanfrisco Magee who leads Miss State with 5 touchdown receptions. Transfer Marquis Johnson is a deep threat, already hauling in a 70-yard reception this season. Lebby implements a veer and shoot offense which spreads receivers out and leans heavily on the run game. This puts pressure on defenses to defend the run in open space, often creating one-on-one opportunities for wide receivers. Kamario has taken advantage of matchups this season, hitting a lot of deep shots. Opportunities have opened up due to Miss State’s complimentary run game. The Bulldogs are averaging 217.8 rushing yards per game which is 26th nationally. As a team, they are averaging a respectable 5.5 yards per carry. The leading back is Fluff Bothwell who has carried the ball 73 times for 402 yards. Fluff is from Oneonta, Alabama and started his career with South Alabama, before transferring to Miss State. Fluff was the leading rusher for Miss State a season ago, and looks to be even more involved during the 2026 campaign. Mississippi State’s defense was overhauled during the offseason via that transfer portal. Both starting safeties, Jardin Gilbert and Marcus Williams, transferred in during the offseason. Through 4 games, they are 3rd and 4th on the team with 21 and 22 tackles. EDGE rusher Amaree Williams transferred in from Florida State and leads the team with 1.5 sacks. Despite these productive transfers, Miss State has struggled on the defensive side of the ball. Miss State is allowing 353.8 yards per game (74th nationally), 249.0 of which is passing yards (114th nationally). The secondary is susceptible to the passing attacks and has allowed 13 completions of over 20 yards this season. Alabama’s passing attack is heating up right now and will provide a challenge for this unit. The secondary needs help from the defensive line who has been unable to pressure opposing quarterbacks. Miss State ranks 13th in the SEC with only 9 sacks this season. Homefield advantage may help this struggling unit as this game is shaping up to be a shootout.

Week 5 Storylines:

Shoot First – Keelon Russell vs Kamario Taylor has the potential to be a classic shootout. Both teams have proven that they can score a lot of points quickly. Alabama had a few slow starts but appears to be in mid-season form. The offense needs to draw blood early and often, because no lead will be safe on Saturday.

Suffocate the run to close off the pass – Jeff Lebby’s veer and shoot offense thrives when they are able to run the ball effectively. Stretching the field with wide receivers often forces defenses to play man-coverage. The defensive line needs to close gaps and set the EDGE. If Miss State struggles to run the ball, Alabama can set up in more Dime and Quarter packages to provide cornerbacks with help. If Alabama cannot stop the run without heavy linebacker help, Kamario Taylor could exploit one-on-one matchups. Dijon Lee has been susceptible to big plays in man coverage.

Weather the Storm - Hopefully this does not come into play, but the forecast for Starkville, Mississippi looks bad on Saturday. Showers and heavy thunderstorms could lead to delays and difficulty passing the football. The fans deserve to see two fantastic quarterbacks squaring off. If the weather plays a factor, Alabama’s recent success in the run game could give them an edge. Grubb is dedicated to running the football and the offensive line/tight ends are willing blockers.

What is your score prediction? Who will be the Offensive and Defensive MVPs for Alabama? As always, reach out with any questions or comments that you have. If you know of anyone interested in joining the newsletter, send their info my way.

Roll Tide -Jake