Amari Cooper is the best receiver in college football right now, an inarguable statement if there ever was one. Likewise, pulling in 8 catches for 83 yards and touchdown is an excellent game by most standards, yet Cooper was nowhere near his best while posting that line against LSU. Alabama will need him there this weekend against No. 1 Mississippi State.

Cooper’s solid game paled in comparison to his best efforts. While that’s alright, looking at the big picture — he performed solidly against one of the best pass defenses in the country and his team got the win — Cooper was far worse than his stat line indicates.

In fact, Cooper could have easily had his fourth double-digit catch game of the season had he been able to hang onto the ball. He had at least three drops on passes that he usually catches in his sleep.

In the first quarter, he let a wide receiver screen, a play he’s made just about everyone pay on, hit the ground. He had two drops in the fourth quarter; one went right through his hands, and another came on the Crimson Tide’s game-tying drive and would have put them in field goal position.

Against the top team in the country, Alabama won’t be able to afford that. Mississippi State has one of the worst pass defenses in the nation between the 20s, but they’re still a definitively better team than LSU, which Alabama needed overtime to beat.

Bulldogs coaches have been talking like they’re not afraid to play Cooper one-on-one on the outside. Offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin and quarterback Blake Sims are going to want to take advantage of that.

The warning signs for a Cooper explosion are all present. State not only defends the pass poorly, but it gives up yards in massive chunks, ranking at the bottom of the SEC in long passes allowed. Eight of Cooper’s 10 scores on the year have come from outside the red zone.

The Bulldogs are also stingy against the run, so Alabama will have to turn to the air to move the ball. That means the record-setting junior will see plenty of targets.

Alabama’s season comes down to Saturday’s showdown: win and the Crimson Tide take control of the SEC West, lose and end up watching the College Football Playoff unfold on television.

Amari Cooper is as good at his craft as any player in the country. Despite his drops last week, Alabama needs to entrust the game to his hands.