Another big performance by Keelon Russell and the Alabama Crimson Tide in a 56-23 win at Mississippi State in Starkville has Kalen DeBoer's team among college football's biggest winners from Week 5.
Russell threw for 285 yards and accounted for four touchdowns as Alabama turned a 21-14 lead in the second quarter into a second-half rout.
The former five-star recruit fired two touchdown passes to Rico Scott, and an early 15-yard strike to Ryan Coleman-Williams. The Crimson Tide raced to a 14-0 lead barely six minutes in after a pick six from cornerback Dijon Lee. It was Alabama's fourth interception return for touchdown this season.
Russell added a 17-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter for a 21-7 lead. It was Russell's fourth
rushing touchdown of the year.
Freshman running back Trae'shawn Brown had two touchdown runs, and the Crimson Tide defense forced four turnovers. Alabama set a program record for the most points scored on the road against a ranked opponent. The Tide have scored 45 or more points in each of their first five games.
Alabama moved up one spot to No. 6 in Sunday's new AP Top 25 and are No. 7 in this week's US LBM Coaches Poll.
Here's what national outlets like USA TODAY Sports, CBS Sports and Sports Illustrated are saying about Alabama following a dominant win over a top-25 Mississippi State team.
Where Alabama sits in national title odds after Mississippi State win
— Roll Tide Wire (@RollTideWire) October 5, 2026
📸 Ayrton Breckenridge/Clarion Ledg, USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co https://t.co/UGB3kDxTIB pic.twitter.com/1MuD4MLnVU
CBS Sports says 'Alabama death machine is back' after 33-point road win in SEC
Shehan Jeyarajah included Alabama at the top of his biggest performers in Week 5 for CBS Sports.
Jeyarajah said:
"Beware, college football: the Alabama death machine is back. The Crimson Tide went on the road against a nationally-ranked Mississippi State and delivered kill shot after kill shot to Kamario Taylor and the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs turned the ball over four times, including two from Taylor on the first two drives, to set up a blowout victory.
"But the story of the day was under center, where Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell was sensational. The sophomore threw for 285 yards and three touchdowns while adding another score on the ground. With Russell under center, Alabama's offense is starting to look like the unstoppable Michael Penix Jr. unit DeBoer fielded at Washington. There's a lot of football left, but the Tide looks like a serious national championship contender."
USA TODAY Sports names Alabama football, Keelon Russell biggest winners of Week 5
Longtime college football analyst Paul Myerberg of USA TODAY Sports named Alabama the biggest winner of Week 5 from a group of teams that included Ohio State and Missouri.
Myerberg said:
"This offense is really, really good. Quarterback Keelon Russell threw for 285 yards and three touchdowns on just 22 attempts and No. 7 Alabama dropped 14 points in every quarter to swamp No. 16 Mississippi State 56-23. Russell is working with an elite receiver corps: Lotzeir Brooks had a game-high 96 yards and Rico Scott caught two scores as six players made at least two catches and five had at least 32 receiving yards. At this point, Alabama has done enough against a few pretty good teams to be taken as a serious contender. But we'll know for sure after next week's matchup with No. 2 Georgia."
Sports Illustrated: too early for Keelon Russell Heisman Trophy candidacy?
Patrick Andres of Sports Illustrated not only included Alabama among his top Week 5 winners, he called Russell's performance against Mississippi State "an announcement of his Heisman candidacy."
"All kinds of victory for the Crimson Tide in a comprehensive 56–23 win over the Bulldogs. For Russell: an announcement of his Heisman candidacy after spreading 10 passing touchdowns and 970 yards over his past three games. For DeBoer: another big-game feather in his cap as he continues his multiyear quest to win over the Alabama faithful. For the Crimson Tide at large: a 5–0 start that buys them a margin of error over the next five weeks, during which they’ll see Georgia, Tennessee on the road and LSU on the road."
Where Keelon Russell sits in Heisman odds after Mississippi State win
— Roll Tide Wire (@RollTideWire) October 5, 2026
📸 Ayrton Breckenridge/Clarion Ledg, USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co https://t.co/YwRPWEsIEU pic.twitter.com/cwEJkSqrHW
Alabama football schedule 2026
No. 6 Alabama takes on No. 2 Georgia in Week 6 of the 2026 college football season at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Kickoff is 6:30 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on ABC.
All times Central.
- Sept. 5: vs. East Carolina Pirates (W, 48-10)
- Sept. 12: at Kentucky Wildcats (W, 45-17)
- Sept. 19: vs. Florida State Seminoles (W, 50-36)
- Sept. 26: vs. South Carolina Gamecocks (W, 49-18)
- Oct. 3: at Mississippi State Bulldogs (W, 56-23)
- Oct. 10: vs. Georgia Bulldogs, 6:30 p.m., ABC
- Oct. 17: at Tennessee Volunteers, 2:30 p.m., ABC, ESPN or SEC Network
- Oct. 24: vs. Texas A&M Aggies, TBA
- Nov. 7: at LSU Tigers, TBA
- Nov. 14: at Vanderbilt Commodores, TBA
- Nov. 21: vs. Chattanooga Mocs, 1 p.m., SEC Network+
- Nov. 28: vs. Auburn Tigers, TBA
Record: 5-0, 3-0 SEC.
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This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Keelon Russell, Alabama football lead national media's biggest winners for Week 5
