Leach knows challenge Alabama poses MSU
STARKVILLE — Alabama may have lost a game for the first time since 2019, showing the sort of vulnerabilities not often seen from college football's preeminent program. The No. 5 Crimson Tide fell to Texas A&M — a team Mississippi State upset the week before 4138.
But that doesn't change a thing about how the Bulldogs will prepare for coach Nick Saban and Alabama (5-1, 2-1 SEC) when they come to Davis Wade Stadium on Saturday (6 p.m., ESPN). Mississippi State coach Mike Leach knows the importance of blocking out the noise, of avoiding the kind of overthinking that can derail an underdog in a big matchup.
So despite that loss attached to the Crimson Tide's record, the Bulldogs (3-2, 1-1) can't take their foot off the gas. In fact, that loss could make the margin for error that much narrower against the former top-ranked team in the country.
“Well, if we relax against the University of Alabama, then we are the stupidest team in college football,” Leach said Monday. “I mean, if we relax under those circumstances, we may have some very good qualities, and we may have some very positive things and stuff like that.
“But you have to really be a dumb team to relax if you're playing Alabama or anyone like that. Really, our schedule, if you relax playing our schedule, period, I can't think of anyone you can relax on. At least not around here, coming up.”
Mississippi State, of course, hasn't beaten Alabama since 2007 — a 17-12 victory during Saban's first year in Tuscaloosa. Since then, the Crimson Tide have won 13 straight matchups, outscoring the Bulldogs 416-101.
And last year, when Mississippi State visited Alabama, the Bulldogs suffered a 41-0 beatdown in which just three drives progressed into the opponent's half of the field.
Quarterback Will Rogers, a freshman in relief of K.J. Costello, threw two interceptions in that loss — as many as he's thrown through five games this season.
The Bulldogs will take some confidence from their 26-22 upset against Texas A&M on Oct. 2 at Kyle Field. And Leach said that while the Aggies were unranked heading into the game against Alabama, “anyone who thinks there's 30 teams better than Texas A&M is out of their mind.”
So Mississippi State will study the film from the Aggies' upset over thenno. 1 Alabama, aiming to find weaknesses in a squad that's normally devoid of them.
“We've looked at it a bunch,” Leach said. “It's a pretty good representation of them. One thing with Alabama, watching a team that plays them to the wire, not everybody does. So that's beneficial from that tape.”
Should Mississippi State suffer a setback against Alabama, Leach wants his players to stay even keeled.
It's easier said than done, particularly against the Crimson Tide, but it's an integral part of staying competitive come kickoff.
“You always fight that with a young group,” Leach said. “But I have seen some positive things. I thought we did that through the A&M game, so that was pretty good practice in regard to that.”