Unfortunately, my recorded screwed up and I missed most of the first half. But two things surprised me in this game:

(1) Miss State’s QB can really throw the ball! Yeah he was not flawless but if he has time to set his feet, he can throw a perfect pass a long way!

(2) Alabama’s secondary has really improved. Last year or earlier this year, Miss State would have scored multiple TD’s. Bama did blow coverage on one play but the freshman State receiver didn’t turn around and got hit by the pass. I don’t know if the QB threw too early or the receiver screwed up but that could have been a TD. Otherwise, Bama’s secondary looked very good.

On another note, I saw posts on AL.COM where some Auburn fans posted about a missed call that called back an MSU TD on a kickoff return. But they were wrong. When the runner made a cut away from the sideline, his foot slide over the white line so the official made the right call.

Bama still has serious issues with its kickoff coverage. For the team to be so highly ranked, I cannot remember a Bama team whose kickoff coverage was more suspect. I guess the officials could be allowing holding though which might account for all of the kickoff returns this year by so many teams (including Bama). For example, I noticed that Auburn’s #90 held Georgia’s #22 with both hands preventing #22 from making a tackle. That was the lane that Auburn’s RB ran though when he ran a kickoff back for a TD late in the game. So much for the conspiracy theory that Auburn never catches a break.