The College Football BeltThe CFB Belt
Belt / 2016 season / Reign #297 · Game 1,510 of 1,643
November 12, 2016 Week 11 · Regular Season Belt defended

Alabama defends the belt, 51–3, at home over Mississippi State.

Home · Defending Holder
AlabamaAP No. 1 51
AT
Away · Challenger
Mississippi State 3

AP poll, week 11: Mississippi State unranked at Alabama No. 1 · No. 1 that week: Florida. The belt vs. the polls →

Belt context

Where this game sits in the lineage

Alabama came in 21 days into reign #297, which began with a win over Texas A&M, with one defense already behind it; this was its second defense. Alabama went on to defend it 4 more times before Clemson took it on January 9, 2017, 79 days after the reign began.

For Mississippi State this was its 19th shot at the belt; it had held the belt twice before.

It was the 4th of 4 belt games between the two; going in, Alabama led the belt series 3–0; all-time Alabama leads 4–0. Every meeting →

AI-Written

Recap

Alabama's defense suffocated Mississippi State from the opening kickoff, with the Crimson Tide's offense putting up 51 points in a dominant display of offensive firepower. Jalen Hurts orchestrated a relentless passing attack, connecting with Calvin Ridley for the game's first touchdown just over a minute into the first quarter, then finding ArDarius Stewart twice in the second quarter for scores of 67 and 20 yards respectively. Mississippi State's offense managed only a field goal from Westin Graves in the third quarter, while Alabama's Adam Griffith added four field goals and Hurts added a rushing touchdown to bury the Bulldogs. The belt stayed in Tuscaloosa as Alabama's explosive first half essentially decided the game before halftime, with the Tide controlling time of possession despite being outgained in that department while converting crucial third downs and avoiding costly mistakes in the second half.

Written by Claude from the box score and play-by-play on this page — a plain-English recap of the numbers below, not a substitute for them.

Full Box Score

Team stats

CFBD box score
 AlabamaMississippi State
Total yards615274
Rushing yards21894
Passing yards397180
First downs2617
3rd down conv.7/137/20
Turnovers21
Penalties–yards3–354–31
Time of possession27:2232:38

Full team box score from CFBD’s /games/teams data. This section only appears for belt games from 2003 onward — CFBD doesn’t have team-level stats that far back.

Play By Play

Key plays

CFBD play-by-play
WhenTeamYardsPlay
Q1 13:16Alabama+20 ydJalen Hurts pass complete to Calvin Ridley for 20 yds to the MisSt 15 for a 1ST down
Q1 12:20Alabama+30 ydAdam Griffith 30 yd FG GOOD
Q1 8:23Alabama+4 ydJalen Hurts pass complete to Calvin Ridley for 4 yds for a TD, (Adam Griffith KICK)
Q1 8:23Alabama+25 ydAdam Griffith kickoff for 65 yds , Brandon Holloway return for 25 yds to the MisSt 25
Q1 7:53Mississippi State+41 ydNick Fitzgerald pass complete to Donald Gray for 41 yds to the Alab 34 for a 1ST down
Q1 5:27Mississippi State+47 ydWestin Graves 47 yd FG MISSED
Q1 3:58Alabama-46 ydJalen Hurts pass intercepted Jamoral Graham return for 46 yds to the Alab 38
Q2 12:36Alabama+67 ydJalen Hurts pass complete to ArDarius Stewart for 67 yds for a TD, (Adam Griffith KICK)
Q2 12:36Alabama+50 ydAdam Griffith kickoff for 60 yds , Brandon Holloway return for 50 yds to the Alab 45
Q2 10:52Alabama+24 ydJalen Hurts pass complete to ArDarius Stewart for 24 yds to the MisSt 42 for a 1ST down
Q2 9:55Alabama+4 ydJalen Hurts run for 4 yds for a TD, (Adam Griffith KICK)
Q2 10:08Alabama+26 ydJalen Hurts pass complete to Joshua Jacobs for 26 yds to the MisSt 4 for a 1ST down
Q2 2:37Alabama+28 ydAdam Griffith 28 yd FG GOOD
Q2 4:04Alabama+60 ydJalen Hurts run for 60 yds to the MisSt 16 for a 1ST down
Q2 0:00Alabama+39 ydAdam Griffith 39 yd FG GOOD
Q3 13:38Mississippi State+24 ydNick Fitzgerald pass complete to Donald Gray for 24 yds to the Alab 23 for a 1ST down
Q3 11:43Mississippi State+47 ydWestin Graves 47 yd FG GOOD
Q3 10:52Alabama+25 ydJalen Hurts pass complete to O.J. Howard for 25 yds to the MisSt 45 for a 1ST down
Q3 9:04Alabama+1 ydJalen Hurts run for 1 yd to the MisSt 35 Jalen Hurts fumbled, forced by Jamal Peters, recovered by MisSt Mark McLaurin
Q3 8:44Mississippi State+22 ydNick Fitzgerald run for 22 yds to the Alab 43 for a 1ST down
Q3 6:47Alabama+58 ydJoshua Jacobs run for 43 yds to the ALABAMA 41 for a 1ST down MISSISSIPPI ST Penalty, Face Mask (15 yards) (Jamoral Graham) to the MisSt 26 for a 1ST down
Q3 6:12Alabama+15 ydJalen Hurts pass complete to ArDarius Stewart for 15 yds for a TD, (Adam Griffith KICK)
Q3 5:25Alabama+30 ydJalen Hurts pass complete to O.J. Howard for 30 yds to the MisSt 28 for a 1ST down
Q3 4:40Alabama+20 ydJalen Hurts pass complete to ArDarius Stewart for 20 yds for a TD, (Adam Griffith KICK)
Q4 14:21Mississippi State-9 ydNick Fitzgerald pass intercepted Tony Brown return for 9 yds to the Alab 24
Q4 14:51Mississippi State+22 ydNick Fitzgerald pass complete to Malik Dear for 22 yds to the Alab 28 for a 1ST down
Q3 0:48Mississippi State+24 ydAeris Williams run for 24 yds to the MisSt 47 for a 1ST down
Q4 5:20Alabama+31 ydCooper Bateman pass complete to Cam Sims for 31 yds to the MisSt 30 for a 1ST down
Q4 2:34Alabama+5 ydCooper Bateman pass complete to Trevon Diggs for 5 yds for a TD, (Andy Pappanastos KICK)
Q4 1:02Mississippi State-8 ydDamian Williams sacked by Raekwon Davis for a loss of 8 yards to the MisSt 24 Damian Williams fumbled, forced by Raekwon Davis, recovered by MisSt Damian Williams , return for 0 yards

Scoring plays, turnovers, and gains of 20+ yards, pulled from CFBD’s play-by-play. This section only appears for belt games with play-by-play on file (2003 onward).

Box Score

Player stats

CFBD player stats

Passing

Alabama

PlayerC/ATTYDSAVGTDINTQBR
Jalen Hurts28/373479.44183.4
Cooper Bateman3/45012.51077.2

Mississippi State

PlayerC/ATTYDSAVGTDINTQBR
Nick Fitzgerald10/331454.4019.3
Damian Williams6/10353.50025.3

Rushing

Alabama

PlayerCARYDSAVGTDLONG
Jalen Hurts111009.1160
Josh Jacobs9899.9043
Ronnie Clark4143.507
Damien Harris393.004
Derrick Gore461.503

Mississippi State

PlayerCARYDSAVGTDLONG
Aeris Williams11565.1024
Nick Fitzgerald11151.4022
Damian Williams4112.809
Ashton Shumpert492.305
Malik Dear231.503
Dontavian Lee221.002
Keith Mixon1-2-2.000

Receiving

Alabama

PlayerRECYDSAVGTDLONG
ArDarius Stewart815619.5367
O.J. Howard67712.8030
Cam Sims34515.0031
Josh Jacobs33411.3026
Calvin Ridley4266.5120
Miller Forristall3196.308
Derek Kief11414.0014
Damien Harris11111.0011
Gehrig Dieter11010.0010
Trevon Diggs155.015

Mississippi State

PlayerRECYDSAVGTDLONG
Donald Gray37625.3041
Fred Ross3237.7011
Malik Dear12222.0022
Jamal Couch22110.5014
Farrod Green2189.0011
Jordan Thomas166.006
Dontavian Lee155.005
Justin Johnson155.005
Gabe Myles242.005
Show more stats (7 more categories)

Defense

Alabama

PlayerTOTSOLOSACKSTFLPDQB HURTD
Reuben Foster6401000
Minkah Fitzpatrick6301000
Rashaan Evans6200120
Dalvin Tomlinson6000010
Ronnie Harrison5200100
Da'Ron Payne5100010
Anthony Averett4300200
Tony Brown4300000
Ryan Anderson4212010
Tim Williams3312020
Levi Wallace3300000
Shaun Dion Hamilton3200110
Da'Shawn Hand3200010
Terrell Lewis2200000
Hootie Jones2100100
Keith Holcombe2100000
Christian Miller2100010
Jonathan Allen2000020
Raekwon Davis1111000
Marlon Humphrey1100000
Calvin Ridley1100000
Aaron Robinson1101000
Dakota Ball1000000
Joshua Frazier1000000
Anfernee Jennings1000000
Shyheim Carter1000000
Mack Wilson1000000
Jared Mayden0000100

Mississippi State

PlayerTOTSOLOSACKSTFLPDQB HURTD
DeAndre Ward750.51.5000
Richie Brown640.50.5000
Brandon Ladarius Bryant5500000
Dezmond Harris5300000
Jamal Peters4300000
J.T. Gray4201000
Leo Lewis4100.5000
Kivon Coman3301000
Gerri Germaine Green3200000
Chris Rayford3200000
Jamoral Graham3200000
Mark McLaurin3200000
Jeffery Simmons3200000
Torrey Dale3101010
Cedric Jiles2200000
Lashard Durr2200000
Johnathan Calvin2100010
Cory Tyrone Thomas1100000
Will Coleman1100000
Donald Gray1100000
Marquiss Spencer1100000
A.J. Jefferson1000.5000
Braxton Keyonte Hoyett1000000
Nick James0000100

Fumbles

Alabama

PlayerFUMLOSTREC
Jalen Hurts110

Mississippi State

PlayerFUMLOSTREC
Mark McLaurin001
Damian Williams100

Interceptions

Alabama

PlayerINTYDSTD
Tony Brown190

Mississippi State

PlayerINTYDSTD
Jamoral Graham1460

Kick Returns

Alabama

No recorded stats in this category.

Mississippi State

PlayerNOYDSAVGLONGTD
Brandon Holloway39331.0500
Keith Mixon11111.0110

Kicking

Alabama

PlayerFGPCTLONGXPPTS
Adam Griffith3/3100.0395/514
Andy Pappanastos0/00.001/11

Mississippi State

PlayerFGPCTLONGXPPTS
Westin Graves1/250.0470/03

Punt Returns

Alabama

PlayerNOYDSAVGLONGTD
Trevon Diggs111.010

Mississippi State

PlayerNOYDSAVGLONGTD
Fred Ross11010.0100
Keith Mixon100.000

Punting

Alabama

PlayerNOYDSAVGTBIn 20LONG
JK Scott315451.30062

Mississippi State

PlayerNOYDSAVGTBIn 20LONG
Kody Schexnayder721030.00040

Full player stats from CFBD’s /games/players data, split out by team. This section only appears for belt games from 2003 onward — CFBD doesn’t have player-level stats that far back. Linked player names go to that player’s stat line in every other belt game they’ve appeared in.

Sources Box score at ESPN · Game record: College Football Data (id 400869049) · This game in the downloadable dataset