TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Alabama Crimson Tide extended their impressive nine-game winning streak and improved their record to 10-1 with a commanding 66-10 victory over the Chattanooga Mocs.
Alabama wasted no time in asserting their dominance, forcing an offensive onslaught beginning with a 56-yard touchdown pass to Jermaine Burton on the first play of the game. The Crimson Tide’s opening drive, marked by a fast-paced no-huddle approach, spanned just four plays and lasted barely over a minute. Minutes later, after forcing a punt from Chattanooga, Alabama replicated their success with another deep pass to Burton, covering 44 yards and setting the stage for their second touchdown. By this point, Burton had already amassed 100 receiving yards and a touchdown in under four minutes of offensive possession.
Yet, it wasn’t solely Burton who shone in the spotlight. Jalen Milroe delivered an impressive performance, completing 13 of 16 passes for an impressive 81% completion rate, accumulating 197 yards, and securing three passing touchdowns—all achieved in the first half of the game. Despite a few missed opportunities, Milroe ran the offense well distributing the ball to multiple players.
The Tide’s offensive display was a well-balanced effort, amassing a total of 574 yards—315 on the ground and 259 through the air. Defensively, Alabama encountered little resistance, limiting the Mocs to just 233 yards. Chattanooga managed to break through with a score in the third quarter, courtesy of Gino Appleberry’s elusive forty-yard run. However, the Mocs faced an uphill battle from the start due to the absence of their starting quarterback, Chase Artopoeus, who was sidelined with a shoulder injury. Leaving redshirt freshman Luke Schomburg at the helm.
Bright Future
In a matchup that may not have been highly anticipated, the game became a showcase for Alabama, with a plethora of highlights not only from the starters but also from the bench, hinting at a promising future for the team. Ty Simpson took over at quarterback for the Tide in the second half and wasted no time in making an impact. In a scoring possession that took just under two minutes, the 6’2 freshman quarterback delivered a 32-yard deep pass to Kendrick Law, narrowly missing a touchdown. The next play freshman Justice Haynes powered his way into the end zone, extending the lead to 45-10 in their first possession back after halftime.
In the late-fourth-quarter, Ty Simpson flashed his potential once again as he demonstrated his ability to make plays with his legs as he scrambled for a 79-yard touchdown. However, his youth became evident as he prematurely dropped the ball a yard before the end zone, resulting in the touchdown being reversed—a moment reminiscent of the famous Desean Jackson play.
Adding to the noteworthy performances, Caleb Downs showcased his versatility as a defensive back. Substituting for Kool-Aid on special teams following a fumble on a punt return, Downs made a strong impact by returning a punt to the house for an impressive 85 yards. This substitution proved to be the right move for Alabama.
When asked about the decision to make the substitution, head coach Nick Saban said, “Sometimes when you’re in that position, confidence is really really important, and we’ve got to get his confidence back (Kool-Aid). Caleb has confidence. Obviously, he did a great job.”
Goodbye Seniors
Prior to Kickoff, Alabama gave one final round of applause for the seniors who were playing their last game at Bryant Denny Stadium. From, Jase McCellan, Jermain Burton, Roydell Williams, Jaylen Key, Trey Amos, Seth McLaughlin, Will Reichard, and more, Nick Saban, and Alabama fans paid their respects to the seniors who led the foundation for this years team.
“These seniors have done a great job of representing the program first of all, represent the university on and off the field. Really good, group of fine young man that I am very proud of the way they’ve developed personally and academically, the success that they’ve had, you know, in school and developing a career off the field and what they contributed to the team. You know, some of these guys have been fantastic leaders set a great example. And the one thing that’s been really, really good over the years for us and these guys did a fantastic job of that as well as the older guys embracing the younger guys that come into the program. You know, in some places, that doesn’t happen, but it always happens here. It’s very helpful to the development of our young players. We always have a lot of young players who contribute because our team turns over faster guys going out to the draft and all that kind of stuff. So these guys have done a phenomenal job of embracing the young players on our team and helping them grow and develop and that a fantastic job of representing our program.” said Saban.
Alabama will now go on to face Auburn at Jordan-Hare Stadium Nov. 25 at 2:30 CST.
