An oral history of the University of Alabama’s football season, as told by the people who lived it
Resurgence By Aaron Suttles Sports Writer
The University of Alabama enjoyed a bye week after the LSU game, a contest that took an emotional and physical toll, before welcoming the No. 1 team in the country into BryantDenny Stadium. That top-ranked team was Mississippi State, a surprise national championship contender that had amassed an impressive resume that included victories over LSU, Texas A&M and Auburn. After racing out to a 19-point lead, Alabama held on for a 25-20 victory that vaulted the Crimson Tide in the top spot in all the polls and in the middle of the national title picture. Leon Brown, senior offensive guard: Them being No. 1 in the country put a bigger sense of urgency on us. We felt like we’re not playing Mississippi State, we’re playing the No. 1 team in the country. We had to come out there and play ball. Trey DePriest, senior linebacker Before the game I get a little bit of nervousness. Once I get a play in that goes away. Whatever happens is going to happen. Reggie Ragland, junior linebacker: It was a very intense, high-intensity game. They were coming into our house. We had to buckle down. We don’t lose in our house. That was our mind set. We can’t lose in our house. staff photo | robert sutton
Continued
Crimson Tide players celebrate during their game against Mississippi State on Nov. 15, 2014. Alabama beat the then-No. 1 Bulldogs, 25-20.