The Battle for Highway 82 comes Saturday between Alabama and Mississippi State.
Mike Leach is in his second year as head coach of the Bulldogs, and his “Air Raid” offense has taken root.
Mississippi State has improved on offense and defense and could be undefeated. It dropped matchups against Memphis and LSU by a combined five points. During the early years of Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa, the Bulldogs and South Carolina were the most physical opponents for Alabama. Coach Leach wants to stress out defensive secondaries and linebackers; however, his teams remain with a brand of toughness.