Alabama takes early lead over Mississippi State after two turnovers

No. 16 Mississippi State hosted No. 7 Alabama at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi, on October 3, 2026.

College GameDay Analysts Predict Winner at Davis Wade Stadium

Davis Wade Stadium features a listed seating capacity of 60,311 spectators, according to reporting by the Mississippi Clarion Ledger. Pregame excitement included national media attention from College GameDay, where guest picker Caitlin Clark and analyst Desmond Howard selected Mississippi State, while Nick Saban, Pat McAfee, and Kirk Herbstreit picked Alabama, as noted by Kevin Procter. Prior to kickoff, College GameDay aired a recorded interview between former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow and Kamario Taylor. Just for me being an instate child, just trying to uphold the standard of being in StarkVegas and give our fans something to be happy about, something to ring those cowbells about, we’re trying to keep that going, Taylor told Tebow in the interview.

Roster adjustments impacted both sides before and during the opening sequence. Mississippi State starting running back Fluff Bothwell was missing his uniform following the opening drive, Sam Sklar reported. Meanwhile, Mississippi State starting linebacker Jalen Smith sustained a right leg injury during an Alabama touchdown sequence. The training staff assisted Smith off the field, and he proceeded directly to the locker room. The game also featured two former Mississippi State players now on Alabama’s roster: defensive lineman Kedrick Bingley-Jones, who entered the matchup with nine tackles and zero sacks across two seasons with Mississippi State and one start this year.

Alabama Takes Early Lead After Mississippi State Fumbles

Alabama won the coin toss and deferred possession to the second half, giving Mississippi State the opening kickoff. The game’s early momentum shifted rapidly through a series of fumbles and defensive plays. Kamario Taylor fumbled on the Bulldogs’ opening drive when a pass attempt slipped during a pump fake, allowing Alabama to take over at the Mississippi State 48-yard line. The Crimson Tide capitalized quickly when Keelon Russell threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Coleman-Williams to establish a 7-0 lead with 9:41 remaining in the first quarter.

Taylor committed a second turnover on the ensuing drive, throwing an interception to Dijon Lee Jr., who returned it 30 yards for a touchdown to extend Alabama’s advantage to 14-0 with 8:30 left in the opening period. Mississippi State responded when Taylor engineered a scoring drive concluding with a 2-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Evans III with 3:26 remaining in the first quarter, cutting the deficit to 14-7. Evans recorded seven catches for 72 yards across the Bulldogs’ first three possessions. Alabama pushed the lead to 21-7 with 14:53 left in the second quarter following a 17-yard rushing touchdown by Keelon Russell, which capped a drive set up by Russell’s 39-yard completion on third-and-19.

Special teams errors and subsequent fumbles followed in rapid succession. Alabama muffed a punt recovered by long snapper Kyle Rushing, giving Mississippi State possession at the Alabama 44-yard line. Sanfrisco Magee immediately lost a fumble for Mississippi State, handing the ball back to Alabama at its own 16-yard line. Two plays later, Daniel Hill fumbled for Alabama, and Kendel Dolby recovered at the Alabama 11-yard line. Mississippi State capitalized on the takeaway immediately, as Taylor threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Zion Ragins to narrow the score to 21-14 with 9:09 remaining in the first half. Alabama answered before halftime when Trae’shawn Brown ran for a 7-yard touchdown, giving the Crimson Tide a 28-14 lead with 1:56 left in the second quarter.

Historical Context at Davis Wade Stadium

The matchup stands against a lengthy historical losing streak for Mississippi State against its conference rival. The Bulldogs entered the October 3 contest carrying a 16-game losing skid against the Crimson Tide that dates back to 2007.