Alabama Football Dominates Louisiana-Monroe 73-0: A Statement Win That Raises More Questions
After getting absolutely walloped by Florida State in Week 1, Alabama football had its back firmly planted against the wall heading into its home opener against Louisiana-Monroe. The Crimson Tide faithful were restless, the critics were circling, and frankly, nobody knew what version of this team would show up under the lights at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Well, they got their answer emphatically. Alabama football didn’t just beat ULM—they absolutely obliterated them 73-0 in a performance that was equal parts dominant and cathartic. Will this be a sign of better times ahead?
The Perfect Response Alabama Football Needed
You could practically feel the tension evaporating from Tuscaloosa as the Crimson Tide opened the game with six consecutive touchdown drives without a single incompletion. The quarterbacks went a perfect 20-for-20 in the first half alone, which is the kind of stat line that makes you do a double-take.
“I think the response, whether it was on the plane ride or in the locker room last Saturday, just really upset. Just not happy,” Head Coach Kalen DeBoer said postgame. “Just obsessed with understanding that we have to be better and we can be better, and it only comes through work.”
The Alabama football offense was surgical. Three quarterbacks combined to complete 29 of 33 passes for 371 yards and seven touchdowns, spreading the wealth to 11 different receivers. Even walk-on MJ Chirgwin got in on the action with a touchdown catch that probably made his parents lose their minds in the stands.
Defense Steps Up In a Big Way
While the offense was putting on a clinic, the Alabama football defense was equally impressive. They held ULM to under 50 yards in the first half and forced turnovers left and right. The Warhawks managed just nine first downs all game and never crossed Alabama’s 40-yard line.
True freshman London Simmons stepped up big time, starting in place of injured veterans Tim Keenan and Jeremiah Beaman. The kid looked like he belonged out there, helping anchor a defense that recorded 12 tackles for loss—a stark contrast to the three they managed against Florida State. Defensive leader James Smith was particularly active, racking up three tackles for loss and setting the tone for what was a relentless defensive effort.
Ground Game Finally Shows Life
One of the most encouraging signs for Alabama football was the resurgence of its running game. After struggling to establish any kind of ground attack against the Seminoles, the Crimson Tide rushed for 212 yards on 36 carries, averaging a healthy 5.9 yards per attempt. True freshman AK Dear provided the exclamation point with a 73-yard touchdown scamper that had the crowd on its feet. Nine different ball carriers touched the rock, showing the kind of depth that championship teams need.
Special Teams Gets Right
Even the special teams unit, which had been a source of frustration, found some redemption. Kicker Conor Talty nailed his lone field goal attempt—a 46-yarder that marked his first successful kick at Bryant-Denny Stadium. He also converted all six of his extra point attempts, while Peter Notaro chipped in with four more. The fact that Alabama football didn’t punt once the entire game probably gave Blake Doud the most relaxing Saturday he’s had in years.
The Bigger Picture For Alabama Football
Look, beating up on Louisiana-Monroe 73-0 doesn’t erase what happened in Tallahassee. But it does show that this Alabama football team has the talent and the pride to respond when its back is against the wall. “I’ve still got a chip on my shoulder,” Defensive Lineman LT Overton said after the game. “A little win like today means nothing to me. I’m going for a national championship.”
That’s the kind of mentality you want to hear from your players, even after a blowout win. This Alabama football squad knows they have bigger fish to fry, and Saturday’s performance was just the appetizer. As former Alabama great Mark Ingram put it on social media: “I don’t care who you play 73-0 is crazy. Way to respond fellas!!” The real test comes next week when Wisconsin visits Tuscaloosa, followed by a crucial bye week that could help this Alabama football team iron out any remaining kinks before SEC play begins in earnest.
For now, though, Crimson Tide fans can exhale. Their team looked like the Alabama football squad they expected to see all along—dominant, relentless, and hungry for more.
