MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY Primary .Contact: .Joe .Galbraith .• .jgalbraith@athletics .msstate .edu .• .Office .- .662 .325 .0967 .• .Cell .- .662 .418 .3970 Secondary .Contact: .Kyle .Niblett .• .kniblett@athletics .msstate .edu .• .Office .- .662 .325 .0972 .• .Cell .- .662 .418 .9139 Game 10 • Alabama (8-1, 5-1 SEC) at Mississippi State (5-4, 1-4 SEC) • Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 • Davis Wade Stadium • 6:45 p.m. CT • ESPN Broadcast Information MISSISSIPPI STATE TO FACE #4 ALABAMA TURNOVER MARGIN CONTINUES TO TELL STORY Kickoff . 6:45 .p .m . .CT IN ESPN PRIME TIME CONTEST One . of . the . most . telling . stats . for . Mississippi . State . in . recent . TV . ESPN .(Brad .Nessler, Todd. .Blackledge, .Holly .Rowe) Mississippi .State .will .stay .home .for .the .second .consecutive . years . has . been . the . turnover . differential . This . season, . the . Online .Streaming . ESPN3 .com week . and . welcome . Alabama . to . Davis .Wade . Stadium . at . Scott . Bulldogs . are . plus-three . in . takeaway . margin . in . victories . and . Radio . Mississippi. .State .Radio .Network Field . for . a . Southeastern . Conference .Western . Division . contest . minus-one .in .losses . Announcers . .Jim .Ellis, .Matt Wyatt. .and .John .Correro The .game .is .scheduled .to .kick .off .at .6:45 .p .m . .and .will .be .tele- Going . against . the . trend . the . past . two . weeks, . the . Bulldogs . XM .Radio .Network . .Channel .201 vised .by .ESPN . turned .the .ball .over .three .times .at .Kentucky .and .did .not .record . Sirius .Radio .Network . .Channel .217 Brad . Nessler, . Todd . Blackledge . and . Holly . Rowe . will . call . a . takeaway, . and . against . UT . Martin . turned . it . over . once . and . in .Starkville . 100 .9, WKBB. the . action . on . television, . while . Jim . Ellis, . Matt .Wyatt . and . John . recorded .one .takeaway .but .still .came .out .on .top . Correrro .will .have .the .radio .call .on .the .Bulldog .Sports .Network . Mississippi State . DOGS UNBEATEN WHEN VICTORIOUS ON TURNOVERS Ranking . .NR .AP ./ .NR .USA TODAY. BULLDOGS LOOKING FOR NOVEMBER TO REMEMBER Since he. arrived. in. 2009,. head. coach. Dan. Mullen. has. stressed. Head .Coach . .Dan .Mullen Mississippi .State .navigated .a .road-filled .first .two-thirds .of .its . the .importance .of .ball .security .on .offense .and .forcing .turnovers . Career .Record . 19-15 .(8-13 .SEC) ./ Third. .Season 2011 .schedule .with .a .4-4 .overall .record .The . .Bulldogs .play .three . on defense. .Over . the. past. three. seasons,. Mississippi. State. is. 15-0. MSU .Record . .Same of .four .November .games .at .home .and .are .looking .to .close .the . when .winning .the .turnover .battle .and .4-15 .when .tied .or .having . 2011 .Record . 5-4 season .with .a .bang . a .negative .margin . Conference .Record . 1-4 State . will . close . the . regular . season . portion . of . the . schedule . with .games .against .#4 .Alabama, .#8 .Arkansas .(in .Little .Rock) .and . GROUND GAME GETTING BACK ON TRACK Alabama in-state .rival .Ole .Miss . Mississippi .State .has .rushed .for .100 .or .more .yards .in .31 .of .34 . Ranking . .3 .BCS ./ .4 .AP ./ .4 .USA TODAY. games .under .head .coach .Dan .Mullen . Head .Coach . Nick .Saban SECOND HALF SURGES HIGHLIGHTED DOG WINS... State .rushed .for .100+ .in .each .game .last .season, .and .eclipsed . Career .Record . 137-54-1 ./ .16th .Season . School .Record . 46-12 ./ .Fifth .Season Mississippi . State . did . much . of . the . heavy . lifting . in . its . first . the . 300-yard . mark . each . of . the . first . two . games . this . year . The . 2011 .Record . 8-1 three .victories .after .the .halftime .break . .The .Bulldogs .outscored . Bulldogs .ran .for .204 .yards .in .the .win .at .UAB .and .288 .against .UT . Conference .Record . 5-1 opponents .58-17 .after .intermission .in .the .three .wins, .including . Martin . State’s . current . average . of . 187 .0 . yards . per . game . ranks . a .21-0 .outburst .at .UAB . fourth .among .Southeastern .Conference .teams . Series History Overall .Series .Record: . Alabama .leads .74-18-3 ...BUT FIRST HALF LED WAY LAST TWO WEEKS RUNNING BACK BALLARD CONTINUES TO IMPRESS . in .Starkville: . .Alabama .leads .15-4 Against . Kentucky, . the . Bulldogs . scored . three . touchdowns . Senior .running .back .Vick Ballard has .amassed .1,758 .rushing . Last .meeting: . .Alabama, .30-10 during .a .stretch .of .four .possessions .in .the .first .and .second .quar- yards . in . his . Mississippi . State . career, . the . 15th . most . all . time . in . in .Starkville: . Alabama, .31-3 ters .to .build .a .21-6 .halftime .lead . school . history . In . just . 21 . career . games . (missed . one . game . last . Last .10 .meetings: . Alabama, .8-2 In .the .homecoming .contest .against .UT .Martin, .State .jumped . season) . he . has . scored . 27 . total . touchdowns . (third . all . time . at . Current Series. Win. .Streak: . Alabama, .3 .games out .with .touchdowns .on .the .first .three .possessions .en .route .to . MSU) .and .had .five .three-touchdown .games . building .a .28-3 .halftime .lead . Ballard .has .rushed .for .790 .yards .and .seven .touchdowns .over . Mississippi State Contacts the .first .nine .weeks .of .the .season, .and .currently .is .ranked .fourth . MEDIA .RELATIONS .- .662-325-0967 DOGS AGAIN FACE ONE OF NATION’S TOP SCHEDULES in .yards .per .game .in .the .Southeastern .Conference . Joe .Galbraith .- .662-418-3970 Last . season . Mississippi . State . played . five . teams . ranked . at . MISSISSIPPI .STATE .RADIO .NETWORK .- .662-325-4171 the .time .of .the .game .and .four .teams .that .finished .among .the . RUSSELL HAS BEEN STEADY Don Williams. .- .662-312-2564 nation’s . top . 12 . .This . year, . State . faces . six . teams . ranked . in . the . Sophomore .quarterback .Tyler Russell’s second .half .at .UAB . TELEVISION .CENTER .- .662-325-1332 top . 25 . this . week . with . five . in . the . top . 15, . including . the . #1, . #4 . last .weekend .was .one .of .the .better .30-minute .performances .in . Bennie .Ashford .- .662-418-2165 and .#8 .squads . Mississippi .State .history . .The .Meridian, .Miss ., .native .completed . FTP Information 11-of-13 .passes .for .166 .yards .and .touchdowns .on .three .consec- Located .on .XOS .Digital .Xchange OFFENSE CONTINUES TO MOVE UP utive possessions. as. the. Bulldogs. rallied. to. beat. the. Blazers. 21-3. Contact .Bennie .Ashford .in Television. .Center .for .login SINGLE-SEASON CHARTS... His .current .passer .efficiency .rating .of .154 .04 .would .be .tops . The .Bulldogs .are .currently .on .pace .to .rack .up .the .third .most . in .the .SEC .and .19th .nationally, .but .he .is .one .pass .attempt .shy .of . 2011 Mississippi State Schedule statistically . impressive . offensive . season . in . school . history, . in . the .NCAA .minimum . Date Opponent Result/Time most . categories . trailing . only . the . record-breaking . outburst . of . Sept . 1 . at .Memphis .(Thurs .) . W, .59-14 last .season .and .the .1994 .offense . DOG DEFENSE HAS BIG PLAY ABILITY... Sept . 10 . * .at .#23 .Auburn . L, .34-41 State’s .average .of .total .plays, .yardage, .scoring .and .per-game . The . Bulldog . defense . has . a . propensity . for . the . big . play . and . Sept . 15 . * .#3 .LSU .(Thurs .) . L, .6-19 yardage .are .all .on .pace .to .finish .among .the .best .in .school .his- have .intercepted .11 .passes .(returning .two .for .scores) .and .recov- Sept . 24 . LOUISIANA TECH. W, .26-20 .(OT) tory . ered .five .fumbles . .The .Bulldogs .are .tied .for .26th .nationally .and . Oct . 1 . * .at .Georgia . L, . .10-24 tied .for .fifth .in .the .SEC .with .11 .passes .intercepted . Oct . 8 . at .UAB . W, .21-3 ...BUT LOOKING FOR CONSISTENCY Oct . 15 . * .#13 .SOUTH .CAROLINA . L, .12-14 Mississippi . State . got . off . to . a . blistering . offensive . start . in . ...AS DOES PUNT RETURN Oct . 29 . * .at .Kentucky . W, .28-16 the .first .two .games .of .the .season .before .cooling .off .a .bit . .The . Johnthan .Banks .and .Chad .Bumphis .have .combined .to .form . Nov . 5 . UT .MARTIN .(HC) . W, .55-17 Bulldogs .gained .1,176 .yards .over .the .first .two .games, .the .most . quite .a .duo .returning .punts . .The .pair .have .recorded .19 .returns . Nov . 12 . * .#3 .ALABAMA . 6:45 .p .m . in .a .two-game .span .in .school .history . for .245 .yards, .and .their .12 .9 .average .per .return .would .rank .12th . Nov . 19 . * .at .Arkansas .(L .R .) . 2:30 .p .m . Last . week . against . UT . Martin, . the . Bulldogs . racked . up . 570 . nationally . .State’s .two .punt .returns .for .touchdowns .(a .65-yarder . Nov . 26 . * .OLE .MISS . TBA yards, .the .sixth .most .ever .by .a .Mississippi .State .team, .by .gain- by . Banks . and . a . 82-yarder . by . Bumphis) . is . tied . for . the . most . in . * Denotes SEC Game ing .282 .yards .through .the .air .and .287 .on .the .ground . .It .marked . the .nation . both .the .fourth .time .this .season .State .has .eclipsed .the .200-yard . Mississippi . State . is . one . of . only . three . teams . nationally . to . mark .rushing .and .the .fourth .time .to .go .over .200 .yards .passing . have .recorded .a .pair .of .touchdowns .via .both .punt .return .and . interception .return . Monday 7 Tuesday 8 Wednesday .9 Thursday 10 Friday 11 Saturday 12 Sunday 13 1 p.m. 5:45 p.m. 11:30 a.m. 7 p.m. No .Media .Availability 6:45 p.m. 12 noon Weekly .Press .Conference Coach .Mullen .and .selected . SEC Teleconference. Coach .Mullen .Radio .Show Kickoff .vs