Last week's win over LSU put No. 2 Alabama in the driver's seat for another SEC West title, but No. 17 Mississippi State isn't out of the race just yet. A home upset of the Crimson Tide would keep Dak Prescott's SEC Championship hopes alive while cementing his place as a Bulldog legend.
Alabama vs. Mississippi State 2015 live stream: How to watch the SEC West battle online
The SEC West race isn’t over yet, but it might as well be if No. 2 Alabama beats No. 17 Mississippi State on Saturday.
Prescott became the latest SEC passer to join the 10,000-yard, 100-touchdown club in MSU’s win over Missouri last week. His 18:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio is tops in the league and the senior seems destined to finish his career with more all-conference honors before graduating. Beating Alabama on Saturday would raise his stock from “All-SEC standout” to “Heisman contender.”
However, getting past an Alabama team that dominated the previously undefeated LSU is no small task. The Tide shut down all-world tailback Leonard Fournette in their defensive dismantling of the Tigers. ‘Bama held Fournette to just 1.6 yards per carry and limited the LSU offense to only 182 total yards in their 30-16 win. Prescott will have to find a way to topple the nation’s third-ranked defense when these two teams meet on Saturday afternoon.
How to watch, stream and listen
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS
Radio: Mississippi State, Alabama
Online streaming: CBSSports.com
Spread: Alabama is favored by 8 points.
Make friends: Bulldog fans can chat up the game without cowbell interference over at For Whom the Cowbell Tolls, while Tide fans can do the same at Roll Bama Roll.
Three things to watch
1. Can Alabama stop Dak Prescott's two-headed attack? Even if you slow down his passing, the Mississippi State QB can beat you with his feet. He's been held to a passer rating of fewer than 140 points three times this season, but in each of those games he found a way to score a rushing touchdown to balance things out. The Tide held a moderately mobile Brandon Harris to just 20 rushing yards in last week's win. Can they repeat that performance against Dak Dangerous?
2. LSU will be rooting hard for a Bulldog upset on Saturday. The Tigers can still claim the SEC West title, but they’ll need Alabama to lose another conference game to have that opportunity. The Crimson Tide will close out their season with games against MSU and an underwhelming 5-4 Auburn team. Rivalry game craziness aside, this may be LSU’s best hope for an invitation to the SEC Championship game in December.
3. Heisman Highlander. Leonard Fournette's poor performance against the Tide led to a surge in Derrick Henry's Heisman stock. The Bulldogs can create a similar effect by shutting down Henry in a Prescott-led upset bid. So who gets the edge with the voters in New York? There can only be one.
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