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5 Things You Didn’t Know: Alabama vs. Mississippi State

By David Wasson

Nov 5, 2016; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban celebrates as he leaves the field following a win against the LSU Tigers in a game at Tiger Stadium. Alabama defeated LSU 10-0. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 5, 2016; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban celebrates as he leaves the field following a win against the LSU Tigers in a game at Tiger Stadium. Alabama defeated LSU 10-0. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 5, 2016; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers tight end DeSean Smith (89) reacts after dropping a pass on fourth down during the fourth quarter of a game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Tiger Stadium. Alabama defeated LSU 10-0. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 5, 2016; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers tight end DeSean Smith (89) reacts after dropping a pass on fourth down during the fourth quarter of a game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Tiger Stadium. Alabama defeated LSU 10-0. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /

5 Things No. 3: Facing, Beating the Best

The Crimson Tide has the fourth-toughest schedule in college football this season per ESPN.com’s preseason College Football Power Index, trailing only Southern California, Ole Miss and Florida State. Alabama will, by season’s end, face off with nine teams who participated in a bowl game a season ago and will have met four teams ranked in the preseason Associated Press Top 25

The Crimson Tide is 45-12 (.789) against the Associated Press top 25, including a 24-6 (.800) mark against AP top-10 teams since the start of 2008. This season, the Tide has faced six teams ranked in the AP poll, defeating then-No. 20 USC, 52-6, then-No. 19 Ole Miss, 48-43, then-No. 16 Arkansas, 49-30, then-No. 9 Tennessee, 49-10, then-No. 6 Texas A&M, 33-14 and, most recently, then-No. 15 LSU, 10-0, by an average score of 40.1-17.1.

Alabama is scheduled for one more matchup against a team currently in the top 25 (No. 8 Auburn). Alabama fi nished 8-1 in 2015 against the AP top 25 after going 5-2 in 2014, 3-2 in 2013 and 5-1 in 2012. The Tide held a 4-1 mark vs. top 25 teams in 2011 and went 5-3 in 2010.

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