Twice as nice for Bulldogs

STARKVILLE, Miss. - As an offensive lineman, Evan Cardwell almost felt affronted by Alabama's loss Saturday.

"I think we had all the right guys in, we just couldn't' get the job done," said the former Brooks star and Alabama center after the Crimson Tide's 17-12 loss to Mississippi State. "It definitely was disappointing, especially with the way the game was last year and this year coming down to that. It hurts. It's one of the things we just have to get better mentally or physically."

For the second straight season, Alabama (6-4, 4-3 SEC) lost to the Bulldogs (6-4, 3-3), and for the third consecutive year, the Crimson Tide failed to score an offensive touchdown against MSU. The last time the Alabama offense reached the end zone against the Bulldogs was with 1:34 remaining in the fourth quarter of the 2004 game.

The Tide got two yards from breaking that streak Saturday. Quarterback John Parker Wilson, who missed all five of his first quarter attempts, completed 5-of-6 passes for 33 yards during a 77-yard drive to the Bulldogs 3-yard line late in first half.

With Alabama leading 9-3 - the product of three Leigh Tiffin field goals - tailback Terry Grant rushed for one yard on first down and no gain on second.

Unable to pick up two yards on two downs, Wilson dropped back to pass on third-and-goal, but under pressure from MSU defensive end Titus Brown chucked a pass to defensive back Anthony Johnson, who sprinted down the sideline and never looked back. Neither did the Bulldogs.

Johnson's 100-yard return broke the previous MSU record of 97 set in 1938 and gave the Bulldogs a 10-9 lead 4 seconds before halftime. They would never trail again.

"I was trying to throw it away, but I just couldn't get enough into it to put it in the bleachers," said Wilson, who completed 16-of-34 passes for 121 yards to go with two interceptions.

"I'll bet you he feels worse about it than anybody," coach Nick Saban said. "So, we support him, pat him on the back. He knows he shouldn't have done that. He needed to throw the ball away. If he gets sacked there we don't have any more time outs. We may not get the field goal off. But on the play before, if we had blocked it right, we would have scored on it."

Players and coaches insisted the potential 14-point swing didn't deflate morale, and Saban and Wilson said the senior quarterback wasn't rattled by the pick.

Wilson threw another interception on Alabama's first possession of the second half, giving the Bulldogs possession at the Alabama 41. Six plays later, Anthony Dixon punched it in from the 3 for MSU's only offensive touchdown of the game.

"It's frustrating, but we're a team," defensive end Wallace Gilberry said. "We win together and lose together."

After a 44-yard Alabama drive stalled at the MSU 33, Tiffin made a 50-yard field goal, cutting the Bulldogs' lead to 17-12 with 6:47 left in the game.

The defense had a chance to win the ball back, as the Bulldogs faced third-and-10 with 3:01 remaining, but MSU's Christian Ducre rushed for 11 yards to extend the drive. Alabama regained possession with 38 seconds to play, but after advancing to the Bulldogs 46 with two completions. Wilson was sacked at the Alabama 44 and time expired.

Though the loss eliminated Alabama from contention in the SEC West, Tide players said there's still more to play for.

"We have two more ball games left, actually three more (including a bowl game)," Gilberry said. "We have to play for pride, make it to a bowl game and get to eight wins."

Bryan App can be reached at 740-5727 or bryan.app@timesdaily.com