TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Ty Simpson completed a program-record 17 consecutive passes, with three of them going for touchdowns, and No. 21 Alabama rebounded from a season-opening loss with a 73-0 drubbing of the University of Louisiana at Monroe on Saturday night.
The Crimson Tide scored on each of their 11 possessions, with 10 touchdowns and a field goal, and held ULM to 148 total yards. Alabama (1-1), coming off a stunning 31-17 loss at Florida State, finished with seven touchdown passes despite playing without star sophomore receiver Ryan Williams, who has been in the concussion protocol since exiting in the fourth quarter of the opener in Tallahassee.
“They made their minds up at some point leading up to Sunday,” Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said. “Because by Sunday they were ready to roll, and that carried through the whole week. The challenge now is, can you sustain it?”
Simpson was the catalyst Saturday, when the first-year starter’s perfect passing line produced 226 yards against the Warhawks. He led Alabama to four straight touchdown drives to start the game, and backups Austin Mack and Keelon Russell also shined in Alabama’s home opener, with each of them throwing two touchdown passes.
Simpson, a redshirt junior, was 23-for-43 for 254 yards with two touchdown and no interceptions a week earlier, but he was also sacked three times by the Seminoles and his nine rushes went for a total of 17 yards. DeBoer said he thought that this time around, the “game was slower” for Simpson, whose 8-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter made it 28-0.
His final touchdown pass in the final minute of the first half sent his team into the locker room up 42-0.
“That first week to second week, that’s what we needed to see,” the second-year Alabama coach added. “Saw the field, knew where guys were at, knew the situation and just made the throws.”
DeBoer had said during the week that he wanted his team to “cut it loose” amid mounting pressure on a program used to competing for Southeastern Conference titles, College Football Playoff berths and national championships. The Tide did just that in a dominant performance at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
The improved effort by Alabama’s defense was palpable, and the unit returned to form in an important category. The Tide, who finished fifth nationally last season in takeaways (28) but forced zero turnovers against Florida State, finished plus-3 in turnover margin.
“I think they just did a better job of every guy pursuing to the ball,” DeBoer said, adding that takeaways “are a contagious thing, doesn’t matter who you’re playing. That was something I saw in practice. Happy to see it carry over.”
Aidan Armenta was 8-of-14 passing for 28 yards with an interception for ULM (1-1). It was an expected result for the Sun Belt’s Warhawks against an Alabama team trying to prove a point, but it came with a sizeable payment of $1.9 million that will help fund the entire athletic department.
Alabama’s win, coupled with losses by No. 12 Arizona State, No. 13 Florida and No. 17 SMU to unranked opponents, should help the Tide climb higher in the AP Top 25 poll Sunday.
Alabama hosts Big Ten member Wisconsin (2-0) next Saturday, then has an open date before kicking off SEC play at reigning league champion Georgia.