Alabama running back T.J. Yeldon (4) gets a touchdown during his game against Texas A&M, Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014, in Tuscaloosa, Ala.TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Alabama is still Alabama.
As for the Texas A&M Aggies? Well, they just became the biggest mirage of the 2014 college football season.
In one of the most complete performances in Alabama's rich history, the No. 7 Crimson Tide shellacked the No. 21 Aggies 59-0 Saturday afternoon before a delighted crowd of 101,821 at Bryant-Denny Stadium. A 45-yard touchdown pass from Blake Sims to Amari Cooper put the Crimson Tide up 52-0 less than four minutes into the third quarter, at which point they had 506 yards to Texas A&M's 50.
"I'm really proud of our players and the way we played today," Tide coach Nick Saban said. "This is as close to Alabama football in terms of what we try to get from our players in terms of the effort, the toughness, the emotional excitement and the execution that we got for the most part throughout the game."
Alabama (6-1, 3-1 SEC) registered its largest victory ever over a ranked team, topping a 61-6 victory over No. 14 Syracuse in the 1953 Orange Bowl. It was also the Tide's largest win over a league foe since a 66-3 whipping of Vanderbilt in 1979.
Sims completed 16 of 27 passes for 268 yards and three touchdowns, and he also had four carries for 54 yards, including a 43-yard score that made it 24-0 with 11:06 left before halftime.
"That was a good designed play," Sims said. "I just tried to used my God-given ability to run the ball, and it turned out well."
T.J. Yeldon rushed 13 times for 114 yards and two touchdowns, while Derrick Henry added 10 carries for 70 yards and a score. Cooper led Alabama's receivers with eight catches for 140 yards and two touchdowns.
Cooper's outburst against the Aggies occurred just a week after he was held to two receptions for 22 yards in the 14-13 escape at Arkansas.
"They didn't roll their safeties up on him all the time," Saban said. "Blake did a good job of getting it out to him at times, and he did a good job of making plays and making them miss."
Texas A&M opened this season with a resounding win at South Carolina and climbed to No. 6 nationally with a 5-0 start. In the three weeks since, the Aggies have been pummeled by Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Alabama.
In the first three quarters of their past three games, the Aggies have been outscored 135-24, which led to coach Kevin Sumlin being asked if he has lost control of his players.
"I don't think I've lost them," he said, "but however you cut it, that performance was unacceptable and embarrassing. I think Alabama had a lot to do with that, but we've got to get back to work and examine where we are right now."
Texas A&M quarterback Kenny Hill, once a candidate for the Heisman Trophy, completed 17 of 26 passes but for just 138 yards. He threw one interception for the Aggies, who are 6-7 in their last 13 SEC games.
"We don't have the same confidence anymore," Hill said. "That's something we need to get back."
Sims completed his first four passes for 51 yards to open the game but had a potential pick-six later in the initial possession dropped by Aggies cornerback Deshazor Everett. That would be the last hope of the day for the visitors, as Adam Griffith kicked a 21-yard field goal on the next play to put the Crimson Tide up 3-0.
Alabama scored touchdowns on its next seven possessions, including the final six of the first half. The quickest strike was a 24-yard scoring pass from Sims to Cooper that made it 38-0, which followed a 47-yard punt return by Christion Jones.
Alabama's 45 first-half points were the second most in school history, trailing the 52 it scored against Vanderbilt in 1990.
"It felt great," Sims said of the halftime tally, "because we knew other guys would get the opportunity to play."
Alabama plays at Tennessee this Saturday night, while Texas A&M gets its first bye week of the season.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.