Ty Simpson completed all 17 passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns to help No. 21 Alabama demolish UL Monroe 73-0 on Saturday night at Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Simpson set a Crimson Tide record for consecutive completions at the outset of a game while helping Alabama (1-1) rebound from a 31-17 loss to Florida State in its opening game. He also rushed for a score.
Germie Bernard caught two touchdown passes and Isaiah Horton, Kaleb Edwards, Josh Cuevas, Cole Adams and MJ Chirgwin each had one scoring catch as the Crimson Tide built a 42-point halftime lead and cruised in the second half. Backup Austin Mack and prized prospect Keelon Russell each threw two touchdown passes while Richard Young and AK Dear each rushed for one score.
Aidan Armenta completed 8 of 14 passes for 28 yards and one interception for the Warhawks (1-1). UL Monroe allowed 583 yards and gained just 148.
UL Monroe didn’t get its initial first down until Armenta completed an 11-yard pass to JP Coulter with 8:23 left in the first half. The Crimson Tide had 14 first downs at the time and finished with a 29-9 edge.
UL Monroe famously upset the Crimson Tide 21-14 in 2007 during Nick Saban’s first season as Alabama coach. Since then, the Warhawks have been outscored in three meetings by a cumulative 170-7.
Alabama star receiver Ryan Williams (concussion) sat out the contest. He was injured against Florida State.
Simpson hit Bernard for a 29-yard touchdown pass on the game-opening possession. The duo connected again on a 16-yard scoring play to make it 14-0 with 8:10 left in the opening quarter.
Young scampered in from the 3 to make it a 21-point margin with 3:18 left in the first quarter. Simpson scored on an 8-yard keeper to make it 28-0 with 13:04 left in the half.
Mack replaced Simpson for a series and threw a 6-yard scoring pass to Edwards with 9:20 left in the half. Simpson returned and tossed a 29-yard touchdown pass to Horton with 31 seconds remaining to make it 42-0.
Conor Talty kicked a 46-yard field goal to increase the lead to 45 with 6:20 left in the third quarter. Mack threw a 3-yard scoring pass to Cuevas to make it 52-0 with 17 seconds to go in the period.
Russell threw his first career scoring pass when he hit Adams from 18 yards out with 12:46 left in the game. He tossed a 20-yard scoring pass to Chirgwin later in the period while Dear broke away with a 56-yard scoring run.
