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Mississippi-Alabama Preview

Oct 13, 2010 - 4:53 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Mississippi (3-2) at No. 1 Alabama (5-1), 9:00 p.m. EDT

Soon after suffering its first loss in more than a year, Alabama was assessing what went wrong and how it can climb back into the national title picture.

The eighth-ranked Crimson Tide will find out how resilient they are Saturday at home against Mississippi, which has dropped nine straight in Tuscaloosa.

Defending national champion Alabama (5-1, 2-1 SEC) had won 19 consecutive games, the last two against top-10 opponents, before falling 35-21 to then-No. 19 South Carolina last Saturday to fall out of the top spot in the rankings.

The loss was the Crimson Tide's first since a 31-17 defeat to Utah on Jan. 2, 2009, in the Sugar Bowl.

"I think some of the guys that have never experienced a loss here at Alabama just thought we could show up because we're Alabama," star running back Mark Ingram said Monday. "That's definitely not the case."

Ingram managed 41 yards on 11 carries and failed to score a touchdown for the first time this season. Alabama finished with 36 rushing yards - its fewest in a regular-season game since it ran for 20 in a 41-34 loss to LSU in 2007.

The running game wasn't the only problem. Greg McElroy threw for 315 yards and two touchdowns, but was sacked seven times - an occurrence coach Nick Saban blamed on McElroy holding onto the ball too long.

Defensively, the Tide also gave up their most points since the 2007 LSU loss.

"What'd I say last week?" Saban said. "At this time of year if you're not doing things right, you're going to get exposed. Well, we had some guys get exposed. Whether it's the left tackle, whether it's the right corner. So what are you going to do about it, that's the question."

While it will need some help if it hopes to win the SEC title and get back in the national title hunt, Saban's team could benefit from returning home. The Tide have won 17 in a row in Tuscaloosa, including three games this season in which they have outscored opponents 103-12.

Alabama has also beaten Mississippi six straight times, including a 22-3 win last season in which Ingram rushed for 172 yards and a touchdown.

The Tide have won nine in a row at Bryant-Denny Stadium over the Rebels and 23 of 24 between the teams there, although the last two matchups have been decided by a combined seven points.

"Anytime you play Ole Miss it's a tough game," Saban said. "Anytime you play a Houston Nutt-coached team it's a tough game."

Fresh off a bye week, Mississippi (3-2, 1-1) is looking to win its third straight. The Rebels defeated Kentucky 42-35 on Oct. 2 as quarterback Jeremiah Masoli threw for three touchdowns and ran for another.

Mississippi now begins a brutal stretch of schedule. After facing Alabama, the Rebels must visit No. 12 Arkansas and host No. 7 Auburn. However, Nutt feels that following a slow start, his team has the potential to make a run in the SEC.

"I wish we could start over today," he said. "We've gotten better. We got back to fundamentals and got back to doing the little things right. You can never take that for granted."

A big reason for his confidence is the improved play of Masoli, who transferred after two years at Oregon, which kicked him off the team for off-field troubles.

Masoli has thrown five touchdowns in the last two games after connecting on only one in the first three. He's completing 60.6 percent of his passes.

"As Masoli has gotten more comfortable with their offense they have been very, very productive and one of the leading teams in the country in terms of scoring points," Saban said.

Mississippi has won four of its last five against ranked opponents.