Alabama Football: 3 takeaways from road victory at Mississippi State

3. Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa injured again

After suffering ankle issues for the second straight season, Tua Tagovailoa looked healthy after returning to the field last week and having some lingering issues in the loss to LSU. It was a confidence-building first half for the Crimson Tide as they try to get themselves back into the College Football Playoff discussion.

Tagovailoa was on fire against Mississippi State, leading the Alabama offense to a 35-7 lead by halftime as he threw for 256 yards and a pair of scores on 14-of-18 passing. Making smart decisions through the first two quarters, he proved that he is the engine of the Crimson tide attack. With the visitors up big, Tagovailoa was still in the game against the Bulldogs.

The fact that he was still in the game proved costly, as Tagovailoa took a hard sack that left him crumpled on the field. Carted off with an apparent hip injury, the quarterback went to the locker room early to get examined by the team medical staff.

Nick Saban and the coaching staff were already planning to shift to Mac Jones in the second half after Tagovailoa put the game out of reach. By keeping him in until halftime, however, the Crimson Tide might have cost themselves a shot to stay alive in the College Football Playoff race. Tagovailoa’s status for the big games ahead will be a huge factor moving forward.