3. Hurts to Smith for the Game Winner in Starkville
Devonta Smith hauled in Hurt’s 26-yard pass with 25 seconds left in the game for a 31-24 victory. Hurts drove the Tide down the field 68 yards with six plays in 44 seconds.
The Tide had struggled with the Mississippi State Bulldogs all game. Quarterback Nick Fitzgerald kept the Bulldogs offense on the field by completing 8 of 15 on thirds downs and had a time of possession of 38:56 compared to Alabama’s 21:04. The Bulldogs rushed for 172 yards behind Aeris Williams’s 98 yards. The Tide had suffered losses to linebackers Mack Wilson, and Shaun Dion Hamilton in the LSU game and the Tide were feeling the after effects. Depth was paper thin.
Alabama was down 21-17 entering the third quarter. Nick Saban and the Tide were on the verge of their first loss of the season. Damien Harris tied it up with 9:49 in the fourth quarter with a 14-yard gallop to the end zone.
Jalen Hurts had freezing ice water in his veins calmly moving the Tide down the field. On the final two passes, the Bulldogs dared Hurts to throw the ball. He distributed two perfect passes, one to Calvin Ridley and then Smith for the game-winner.