Mississippi State Game Notes
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MISSISSIPPI STATE GAME NOTES MSTATE (5-4, 2-3 SEC) VS. ALABAMA (6-3, 4-2 SEC) DAVIS WADE STADIUM AT SCOTT FIELD (55,082) • NOVEMBER 10, 2007 • 11:30 A.M. CT MSTATE SCHEDULE & RESULTS MISSISSIPPI STATE PLAYS HOST TO ALABAMA IN SEC WEST CONTEST Date Opponent W-L Score/Time Following last week's open date and a 31-14 Southeastern Conference road win at nationally No. 14 Aug. 30 * LSU L 0-45 Kentucky one week prior, Mississippi State returns home and to SEC Western Division contests when Sept. 8 at Tulane W 38-17 the Bulldogs play host to Alabama, Saturday, Nov. 10. The game will kick off at 11:30 a.m. CT and Sept. 15 * at Auburn W 19-14 will be televised throughout the southeast by Lincoln Financial Sports. Sept. 22 GARDNER-WEBB W 31-15 Sept. 29 * at South Carolina L 21-38 MISSISSIPPI STATE TO APPEAR ON TUBE SIX BULLDOG ASSISTANT COACHES Oct. 6 UAB (Homecoming) W 30-13 FOR SEVENTH TIME IN 10 GAMES ALSO HAVE TIES TO THE CRIMSON TIDE Oct. 13 * TENNESSEE L 21-33 Oct. 20 at West Virginia L 13-38 Mississippi State looks to improve on a 52-76 all-time In addition to Sylvester Croom's association with the Oct. 27 * at Kentucky W 31-14 record (.406) when appearing on television. State is 3-3 University of Alabama, six members of his coaching staff Nov. 10 * ALABAMA 11:30 a.m. on the tube this season. The MSU-Alabama game marks also worked in Tuscaloosa. Both offensive coordinator Nov. 17 * at Arkansas (Little Rock) TBA the Bulldogs' seventh televised game in the first 10 games Woody McCorvey (1990-97) and defensive coordinator Nov. 23 * OLE MISS 11:30 a.m. of the 2007 season, the most televised Bulldog games Ellis Johnson (1990-93, 1997-2000) served on Crimson All times Central since the 2001 season when eight contests were shown Tide coaching staffs, as did position coaches Rockey The Series on live network television. Felker (1983-85), Charlie Harbison (1998-2000, 2003-06), Overall Record . Alabama leads, 71-17-3 Melvin Smith (2002) and David Turner (2006). at Starkville . Alabama leads, 14-3 MISSISSIPPI STATE RETURNING TO EARLY at Tuscaloosa . Alabama leads, 38-9-1 MORNING SUCCESS ON TELEVISION? ALABAMA COACHING STAFF HAS at Neutral Sites . .Alabama leads, 19-5-2 Last meeting: . .MSU 24-16, 2006 in Tuscaloosa Mississippi State is 19-24 (.442) in games aired by the MAGNOLIA STATE CONNECTIONS Last meeting in Starkville: . .Alabama 17-0, 2005 SEC's current early television window partner (Lincoln Alabama defensive line coach Bo Davis grew up in Magee Last 10 meetings: . .Alabama leads 6-4 Financial Sports/Jefferson Pilot Sports). That record has and attended Co-Lin Community College in Wesson. UA Current Series Win Streak: . .MSU, 1 game been skewed by a 4-13 mark in televised morning games tight ends and special teams coach Ron Middleton shares Sylvester Croom vs. Alabama: . 1-2 since 2001, however, the Bulldogs have now won three of the same Atmore, Ala., hometown as MSU offensive at Starkville . 0-1 Nick Saban vs. Mississippi State: . 5-0 their last four in the early morning time slot. And those coordinator Woody McCorvey. Middleton, who played at at Starkville . 2-0 four wins were big Bulldog victories -- a 38-31 win over Auburn with State wide receiver coach Pat Washington, Croom vs. Saban: . 0-1 Florida in 2004, a 24-16 win at Alabama last fall, a 19-14 later played professionally with the San Diego Chargers, victory at Auburn earlier this season and a 31-14 victory a team whose running back coach was Sylvester Croom. Broadcast Information over nationally ranked Kentucky two weeks ago. Prior to Tide outside linebackers coach Lance Thompson previ- Television . .Lincoln Financial Sports Announcers . Bill Rosinski, Dave Archer and Jenn Hildreth the 4-13 stretch, State was 15-11 in such games. MSU is ously coached at Alabama with MState defensive coordi- Radio . Mississippi State Radio Network 6-12 all-time vs. Alabama on TV, 5-4 on LF/JP. This marks nator Ellis Johnson and safeties coach Charlie Harbison in Announcers . Jack Cristil, Jim Ellis, John Correro the fifth straight season the MSU-UA game has been tele- 1999-2000. Thompson and Harbison were also together XM Radio. Channel 199 vised, the 18th time in the last 19 years. at LSU in 2002. in Starkville . 107.9, WFCA Quick Facts - Mississippi State BULLDOGS SEEK POST-SEASON BOWL A SLEW OF ALABAMA-BORN BULLDOGS Record . .5-4, 2-3 ELIGIBILITY FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2000 WELCOME HOME-STATE SCHOOL Ranking (AP/Coaches'). NR / NR Mississippi State has won five games thus far in the 2007 No less than 15 Mississippi State football student-ath- Last Game . W, at Kentucky, 31-14 season and is one win away from qualifying for post-sea- letes from the state of Alabama will welcome UA to Head Coach . .Sylvester Croom son bowl consideration. MSU has not been in this position Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. True freshmen DB Career Record . .14-29 / fourth season MSU Record . .14-29 / fourth season since 2000, the last time the school had five victories and Zach Smith (Altoona), OL D.J. Looney (Birmingham), three road wins in the same season. LB Terrell Johnson (Cullomburg), and QB Chris Relf Quick Facts - Alabama (Montgomery) have the pleasure of seeing a familiar Record . .6-3, 4-2 MSTATE HEAD COACH SYLVESTER school on their new turf. Offensive linemen Mark Melichar Ranking (AP/Coaches'). 21 / 23 CROOM REUNITES WITH ALMA MATER (Birmingham) and Johnny Carpenter (Citronelle), run- Last Game . .L, vs. LSU, 34-41 Head Coach . Nick Saban A 1975 graduate of the University of Alabama, Mississippi ning back Arnil Stallworth (Daphne), snapper Aaron Feld Career Record . 112-62-1/ 14th season State head coach Sylvester Croom will coach against his (Homewood), defensive linemen Rodney Prince (Irondale) Alabama Record . 6-3 / first season alma mater for the fourth time this Saturday. The former and Titus Brown (Tuscaloosa), wide receivers Ryan Mason Crimson Tide player and Tuscaloosa native also served as (Mobile) and Aubrey Bell (Prichard), defensive backs Keon MISSISSIPPI STATE ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS an assistant coach at UA from 1976-86. Humphries (Montgomery) and Chris Nance (Tuscumbia) P.O. Box 5308 Mississippi State, MS 39762 and quarterback Michael Henig (Montgomery) also call Football Contacts: Mike Nemeth, Joe Galbraith the state of Alabama home. The 15 players from Alabama Phone: (662) 325-2703 • Fax: (662) 325-2563 are the most out-of-state Bulldogs on the MSU roster. Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Alabama Crimson Tide • November 10, 2007 • Football Game Notes • Early Week Notes ALABAMA SPORTS EIGHT PLAYERS WITH MEDIA SERVICES CONNECTIONS TO MAGNOLIA STATE STATISTICAL COMPARISON MONDAY TELECONFERENCE Alabama wide receiver Nikita Stover played at Itawamba Mississippi State vs. Alabama MSU head football coach Sylvester Croom will Community College and offensive lineman Joshua Curry conduct a Monday teleconference (10 a.m. CT) prior (2007 per-game averages) went to East Central Community College. Crimson Tide to Bulldog games this year. Contact the MSU Athletic running backs Jimmy Johns (Brookhaven), Terry Grant Media Relations Office (662-325-2703) for access info. (Lumberton) and Jeramie Griffin (Batesville), defensive Mississippi State Alabama TUESDAY PRESS CONFERENCE lineman Milton Talbert (Hattiesburg), defensive back Justin Overall Record . 5-4. 6-3 Coach Croom will conduct a weekly press confer- Woodall (Oxford), and wide receiver Mike McCoy (Northwest Conference Record . 2-3. 4-2 ence each Tuesday prior to an MSU game. The confer- Rankin) all played high school ball in Mississippi. Points Scored . 22.7. 31.8 ence will be held at the Bryan Athletic Administration Points Allowed . 25.2. 23.0 Building. Coach Croom's press conference begins at BALANCED OFFENSE SPURS MSU TO UK 1 p.m. (CT). Selected players will be available following Total Offense . 297.2. 395.9 WIN, MAINTAINS LEAGUE RANKINGS Croom's presentation (approximately 1:30 p.m.). To Rushing Yards . 149.8. 153.3 request specific players, media members must contact Mississippi State rushed for 200 yards and passed for 152 MSU Athletic Media Relations (662-325-2703) by 5 p.m. more to keep Kentucky off balance and produce 31 points Passing Yards . 147.4. 242.6 the Monday preceding each respective press confer- in the Bulldogs' win over the Wildcats. It was the third time Yards Allowed. 341.3. 368.3 ence. this year that MSU has rushed for 200 yards or more in a Rushing Yards Allowed . 149.4. 126.4 game. The Bulldogs never reached that figure in any game WEDNESDAY SEC WEEKLY TELECONFERENCE Passing Yards Allowed. 191.9. 241.9 last season. State was four-for-four in red zone offensive Coach Croom will join the league's other 11 coach- First Downs. 17.2. 23.7 production against UK and now stand third in the SEC, es on the SEC's Wednesday teleconference. Coach Time of Possession. 31:07. 30:06 Croom's seven-minute segment is scheduled from converting 91.7 percent (22 of 24) of its chances in the 11:03-11:10 a.m. (CT). The teleconference phone num- opponents' scoring zone. 3rd Down Conversion . 41%. 39% ber can be obtained by calling the MSU Athletic Media Relations office. MSU KEEPS POSSESSION EDGE WITH INDIVIDUAL COMPARISON MUCH-IMPROVED CONVERSION RATE WEEKLY PLAYER INTERVIEWS Mississippi State vs. Alabama Mississippi State made seven-of-15 third-down conversion During game week, all player interviews must (2007 per-game averages) attempts against Kentucky in its most recent game, and has be conducted by Tuesday evening and need to be arranged at least 24 hours in advance.