By CURTIS ROCKWELL

HATTIESBURG — Mississippi proved to be quite hospitable hosts against Alabama Saturday in the 37th annual Alabama/Mississippi All-Star Football Classic.
The visiting squad took advantage of six Mississippi turnovers plus a botched punt attempt, as Alabama took a 26-17 win at M.M. Roberts Stadium on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi in this annual affair. It marked the fourth straight win for Alabama, and Alabama leads the overall series 26-11.

“You can’t make mistakes like that in any game and hope to win, especially in a game where both teams have players that are as good as this,” Mississippi head coach Judd Boswell of Clinton High said.
Alabama used the turnover advantage to overcome being flagged for over 120 penalty yards in the contest.
“We overcame a lot of undisciplined play and thankfully found a way to win,” Alabama head coach Ben Blackmon of Enterprise High said. “We were able to make some plays when we had too and take advantage of their mistakes.”
Alabama wasted no time in taking a quick lead it would never relinquish, blocking a punt deep in enemy territory to end Mississippi’s first possession and turning it immediately into points.

Taking over at the Mississippi five-yard line, Alabama running back Jamarion Burnett covered the distance on the first play putting Alabama 7-0 with 9:09 left in the first quarter.
Mississippi would miss a chance to cut into the deficit when a 38-yard field goal was no good just minutes later.
After the first quarter ended with Alabama up 7-0, Mississippi knotted things up three minutes into the second stanza when quarterback Trey Petty of Starkville scored on a 6-yard run.
But, Alabama answered quickly to regain the lead, as Roman Gagliano hit Ryan Williams on a 48-yard scoring strike less than two minutes later to put the visitors up 14-7 with 7:37 left before halftime.
Hayden Wolfe of Clinton hit a 38-yard field goal for Mississippi with 4:33 left in the second quarter to make it 14-10. Alabama now leads 14-10.
However, Alabama once again capitalized on a Mississippi turnover to extend its lead at intermission to 20-10 as after recovering a fumble quarterback Jared Hollins hooked up with Ryan Williams on a 4-yard touchdown pass with just five seconds left in the half.

The squads swapped scores in the third frame, as Alabama capitalized on an interception when Gagliano found Malcolm Simmons on an 88-yard touchdown toss with 4:09 left in the period to increase its advantage 26-10.
Mississippi countered as Petty found Daniel Hill of Meridian on a 14-yard touchdown pass less than two minutes later which resulted in the final count of 26-17.
Neither team managed to score in the fourth quarter, but Alabama sealed the win with a pair of interceptions near mid-field in the final three minutes of the game.
Williams was named the Most Valuable Player for Alabama, while Petty earned the same honor for Mississippi.
Next year’s game will return to Alabama and will be played at Hancock-Whitney Stadium on the campus of the University of South Alabama in Mobile.