Starkville, MS (Sports Network) - Mark Ingram ran for 149 yards and two scores, as third-ranked Alabama kept its perfect season going with a 31-3 rout of Mississippi State.
Week 11, Other Late Night Action: Recaps And Reactions
Ingram, who played part of the contest with a bandage on a cut above his right eye, piled up his yardage on 19 carries, which included a 70-yard TD run. Greg McElroy was an efficient 13-of-18 for 192 yards and two scores for the Crimson Tide (10-0, 7-0 SEC), who have already clinched the conference's West Division and remain in the thick of the national title hunt.
Alabama has games at home against Tennessee-Chattanooga and at Auburn before it faces Florida in the SEC championship game on December 5.
Tyson Lee struggled under center for Mississippi State (4-6, 2-4), completing 9-of-17 passes for 99 yards with two interceptions. He was also sacked twice, as the Bulldogs gained just 213 total yards.
After a scoreless first quarter, Alabama got on the board early in the second. The Crimson Tide advanced 80 yards in six plays, scoring on a 45-yard pass play. Under pressure, McElroy found Darius Hanks on the left side of the field, and after making the catch, Hanks ran up the left sideline into the end zone with 12:48 left in the half.
Mississippi State punted on its next possession, and Alabama drove for another score. McElroy’s 11-yard pass to Hanks converted a third down, and the Tide picked up a 1st-and-goal when Ingram ran three yards to the Bulldogs’ one-yard line. On the next play, Ingram stretched to get the ball across the goal line with 4:41 left as Alabama assumed a 14-0 lead.
Ingram had his helmet knocked off in the process, and with his head exposed, he was cut and remained on the field as trainers attended to him. But after a quick examination, he jogged off the field to be bandaged, then rejoined his team in the second half.
Alabama had the only points of the third quarter, a 39-yard field goal from Leigh Tiffin on the opening drive of the half.
Mississippi State got on the board in the fourth quarter, as Derek DePasquale kicked a 34-yarder to end a 15-play drive that consumed nearly seven minutes of game clock.
The score came with 10:35 left, but just 17 seconds later, McElroy found Julio Jones for a 48-yard TD and a 24-3 Alabama lead.
Mark Barron intercepted Lee on the next Mississippi State drive, and on the first play of the ensuing Crimson Tide series, Ingram dashed 70 yards for a score.
Jones finished with four catches for 66 yards, while Hanks ended with three grabs for 59...Anthony Dixon gained 81 yards on 22 carries for the Bulldogs, while also catching six passes for 59 yards...Mississippi State has lost 10 straight games against teams ranked in the top five...Alabama holds a 73-18-3 lead over Mississippi State in the all-time series, which dates back to the 1896 season.
-- Via Sports Network
See More:
