Down Goes College Football Number 1

15 Nov, 2014

Alabama’s lead had dwindled into dangerous territory against the nation’s top-ranked team.

Suddenly, Blake Sims and the fourth-ranked Crimson Tide’s offense roared to life with a downfield march full of clutch plays. The result was a decisive fourth-quarter touchdown that finally provided some comfort in Saturday’s 25-20 victory over No. 1 Mississippi State.

“It was one of the greatest drives in Alabama history, probably,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said.

And it came in one of the biggest games in Mississippi State annals.

The Tide (9-1, 6-1 Southeastern Conference, No. 5 CFP) reasserted itself as a national title contender with a dominant first half and some clutch play in the fourth quarter. Alabama had been stuck just outside of the top four teams in the College Football Playoff rankings but powered its way squarely into the mix.

Dak Prescott and the Bulldogs (9-1, 5-1, No. 1 CFP) kept fighting to keep their first-ever reign going for a sixth week. They couldn’t conquer Alabama at raucous Bryant-Denny Stadium, though.

“We should feel awful,” Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen said. “You should have a sickness in your stomach. We should embrace this feeling to make sure that this feeling doesn’t happen again. We’ll feel sick tonight but then we’ll get over it.

“Except for being undefeated, every other goal is still ahead of us.”

Mississippi State scored early in the fourth to make it a six-point game but Sims and Yeldon answered with a start-and-stop march to the end zone.

The Bulldogs produced a touchdown with 15 seconds left after a drive took 3 precious minutes off the clock.

“We just ran out of time,” said Prescott, who was intercepted three times. “I just think that it was us.

“I can’t turn the ball over like I did.”

Prescott was 27-of-48 passing for 290 yards and two touchdowns, but also threw a pass that was intercepted by Cyrus Jones in the end zone and another that halted a promising drive. He ran 22 times for 82 yards.

Sims completed 19 of 31 passes for 211 yards and a touchdown, but made his biggest plays on Alabama’s final touchdown drive. Yeldon finished with 72 yards on 16 carries while Amari Cooper caught eight passes for 88 yards and a score.

The Bulldogs outgained Alabama 428-335 but the Tide didn’t commit any turnovers.

AP

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