The odds makers and everyone else in America looked at Saturday’s game between Alabama and Mississippi State University and immediately wrote it off as a blowout waiting to happen. However, that would not be the case as the Bulldogs hung in there and went toe-to-toe with the nation’s top-ranked team.  Alabama moved to 10-0 on the season after defeating the Bulldogs 20-7. 
In Alabama’s 10 games this season, Saturday’s game was the second-toughest game the Tide have played all year. Coming into the game, the Tide had beaten every team it had played this season by 21 points or more except Texas A&M, and now the Bulldogs are on that short list of teams that have made head coach Nick Saban and company sweat. 
Though the Dogs played with great effort and gave it their all, special teams blunders and breakdowns on defense at the end of the first half cost MSU yet again. 
Perhaps the most pivotal point in the entire game was the final six minutes of the first half. Over this stretch, the Bulldogs failed to score a touchdown despite getting within two yards of the end zone, missed a chip shot 23-yard field goal, went three-and-out and gave the ball right back to Bama after the defense came up with a huge interception. On the Tide’s final drive of the half, MSU gave up a 50-yard run to T.J. Yeldon that would lead to a touchdown, and the Bulldogs faced a 10-0 deficit going into the half instead of potentially tied 3-3 or even with the lead.
Saturday’s game was the seventh time this season a team scored on the Bulldogs on its final possession of the first half. This allows the other teams to go into the half with all the momentum. 
Special teams also continues to be a pivotal issue this season for MSU. 
The Bulldogs missed a close-range field goal and saw continued inconsistency from the punters. 
Head coach Dan Mullen said the issue with the kickers right now is not a mental one but a lack of consistency. 
“We’ve got to be more consistent with our kicks, not just with field goals but in every phase of it,” Mullen said. “Our punters were very inconsistent tonight. We had one 53-yard punt, then a couple of 30-yard punts. We had one kickoff go out of the end zone, and then kicking in the same direction on the next one, we miss it. You can’t just do it right sometimes.You have to do it right every time.”  
One thing the Bulldogs can hang their hat on from this game was the way the defense played, especially against the pass. Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron came into the game as one of the most accurate and efficient quarterbacks in the country, and the Bulldogs forced him to throw two interceptions and held the Bama passing attack under 200 yards. Sophomore Taveze Calhoun came up with both interceptions. 
Calhoun credited the defensive coaching staff for containing Bama’s offense. 
“We had a good game plan coming in. The coaches did a great job,” Calhoun said. “We had a lot of disguises, and we just played with relentless effort the whole night.”
Putting pressure on McCarron was another key to the Bulldogs’ success against Bama’s passing game. The defense did not have a ton of sacks, but they were able to force McCarron to move around and get him out of the pocket more than he is accustomed to. 
Freshman defensive lineman Chris Jones also credited the coaching staff and positioning for the defense’s success. 
“They’re a great team, but coach Collins (defensive coordinator) did a great study on them and put us in position to make plays,” Jones said. 
MSU is now 4-6 overall after the loss. Only two games remain, and to be bowl-eligible the Bulldogs must win next week at Arkansas and defeat Ole Miss on Thanksgiving in the Egg Bowl.  Arkansas (3-7, 0-6) still seeks its first conference win under first-year head coach Brett Bielema.