Alabama-Mississippi State Postgame Notebook
By David Wasson
Alabama’s offensive performance vs. Mississippi State today ranks among the best single-game outings in school history. The Tide’s 397 passing yards and 31 completions both rank as the fifth-best in UA history in their respective categories. The five touchdown passes thrown today ties for the second-most all-time behind the seven thrown by the Tide vs. Southern Miss in 1950. The 615 yards in total offense ties for 11th in Alabama history.
Alabama’s school record consecutive games scoring streak was extended to 208 games with Adam Griffith’s 30-yard first quarter field goal vs. Mississippi State today. Alabama was last held off the scoreboard in a 9-0 loss to Auburn on Nov. 18, 2000.
Today’s four-yard touchdown pass from Jalen Hurts to Calvin Ridley marked the first time Alabama has scored a first-quarter touchdown in the game following the LSU contest since 2001, when Santonio Beard scored on a six-yard run with 7:51 to go in the quarter.
With 218 yards rushing today, Alabama is now 87-4 (.956) since the start of the 2008 season when rushing for at least 140 yards. The only losses were at Auburn in 2013, at Ole Miss and vs. Ohio State in 2014, and against Ole Miss in 2015. The Crimson Tide rushed for 140 yards or more 10 times in 2015 and has done so nine times this season.
Jalen Hurts’ 100 yards rushing against Mississippi State gives him 735 yards on the season, making him just the second quarterback in Alabama history to rush for 700 yards in a season. Hurts is 56 yards shy of the single-season record of 791, set by Steadman Shealy in 1979.
With two touchdown passes and a scoring run against Mississippi State, Jalen Hurts moved into fifth place on the Alabama single-season touchdown responsibility list with 25. Hurts has thrown 14 touchdown passes and rushed for 11 scores this season. AJ McCarron (2013- 28 passing) and Derrick Henry (2015- 28 rushing) are tied for third. Blake Sims (2014) holds the single-season record with 35 touchdowns (28 passing, 7 rushing).
Jalen Hurts’ 447 yards in total offense against Mississippi State is the third-highest single-game total in school history, trailing only Blake Sims (484 vs. Florida on Sept. 20, 2014) and Scott Hunter (457 vs. Auburn on Nov. 29, 1969).
Jalen Hurts’ four touchdown passes vs. Mississippi State was one shy of the Alabama single-game record of five set by Gary Hollingsworth at Ole Miss on Oct. 7, 1969.
Jalen Hurts’ 28 completions, 37 attempts, 347 yards and four touchdowns are all new career highs. His previous single-game highs in completions, attempts and yards were set in a 23-of-36, 287-yard performance vs. Western Kentucky on Sept. 10. Hurts had thrown two touchdowns in a game five times this season entering today. The 28 completions today ties for the fifth-most in school history.
Jalen Hurts’ 100 yards rushing today is his fourth 100-yard rushing performance of 2016 and his third in the last four games. Hurts had a season-high 146 yards at Ole Miss on Sept. 17, 132 yards at Tennessee on Oct. 15, and 114 at LSU on Nov. 5.
ArDarius Stewart’s three touchdown receptions today equals the Alabama single-game record, which has been reached six times previously, most recently by Amari Cooper vs. Auburn on Nov. 29, 2014.
Junior ArDarius Stewart’s 156 receiving yards on eight catches is a new career high in yardage for the wideout. Stewart’s previous high was 120 at Arkansas on Oct. 8.