In one of the bigger mismatches in recent history at Bryant-Denny Stadium, Alabama football moved to 9-2 with a 56-0 blowout win over Eastern Illinois.
Alabama was able to move forward from last week's loss to Oklahoma with an easy win on Senior Day against an overmatched opponent. Not much could be learned from it as it was bare bones basic offense from the Crimson Tide, with a deliberate message for the College Football Playoff committee mixed in.
Ty Simpson played the first half of the game before giving way to Austin Mack and Keelon Russell in the second half. A lot of folks got to play and, more importantly, the Crimson Tide got out of the game without any further injuries to key players that they didn't have coming in.
Parker Brailsford and Germie Bernard sat with nagging minor dings, and Josh Cuevas missed the game with a foot injury that could be longer-term than would be preferable.
5 observations from Alabama's blowout win over Eastern Illinois
1. Alabama sent a deliberate message to the CFP committee
After the ridiculous comments by College Football Playoff committee chairman Hunter Yurachek about Alabama's struggles running the football in WINS over South Carolina and LSU, it was clear from the outset against Eastern Illinois that the Crimson Tide was going to run the football.
The social media team trolled the committee throughout the game in a concerted effort to deliver a middle finger to the 12 people in that room.
Alabama ran for 121 yards in the first half and finished the game with 269 on the afternoon, with eight touchdowns on the ground.
Alabama's struggles running the ball this season have been well documented. Nothing they did against Eastern Illinois was going to impress the committee, but this is the level of pettiness that I can get behind.
2. Alabama needs Ty Simpson to find himself
The Ty Simpson who looked like the best quarterback in the country, a Heisman Trophy candidate, and potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft has been missing the last couple of weeks. This game seemed like the obvious time for him to snap out of his funk and find a rhythm heading into the Iron Bowl. It didn't happen.
Simpson only played the first half against the Panthers, completing 11-of-16 passes for 147 yards and two interceptions. It was the seventh consecutive game Simpson has turned the ball over, a concerning trend that could derail Alabama's hopes to get into the College Football Playoff.
Simpson's first interception was an athletic play by an Eastern Illinois defender, but also probably not a throw he should have made. The second INT was on a Hail Mary throw before the half.
Alabama needs to get Simpson dialed in this next week during practice. It needs the best version of him next week at Jordan-Hare.
3. Alabama's defense completely overwhelmed Eastern Illinois
There was no clearer sign of how big a mismatch this game was than when Eastern Illinois had the football. Alabama's defensive front completely overwhelmed the Panthers. At halftime, EIU had just 10 total yards of offense. For the game, the Panthers finished with just 34 total yards.
Alabama's defense was fast and physical, flying around from the opening whistle. It didn't make a single bit of difference when Kane Wommack subbed the starters out early. Second stringers, third stringers, and even walk-ons were out there making plays.
While Alabama's offense has hit a speed bump, Wommack has his defense peaking late in the season.
4. Austin Mack and Keelon Russell both looked sharp at QB off the bench
Rival fans and national media scoffed in the preseason when DeBoer and Grubb made mention to Alabama having the best QB room in the country. There haven't been many opportunities for Austin Mack and Keelon Russell to get live game reps this season due to all the close games, but when they have, they've made that opinion hard to disprove.
Mack completed 5-of-5 passing for 45 yards and also flashed his athleticism with an impressive 20-yard rushing touchdown.
Russell was 7-of-9 for 78 yards and flashed the impressive arm talent that makes him stand alone among the nation's young quarterbacks.
Alabama's QB room is in good shape for the future, regardless of whether Simpson decides to return for a fifth year in 2026.
5. Alabama's gameplan couldn't have been more basic
Alabama scored 56 points even though the offense looked mostly discombobulated, at least in the first half with Simpson and the first-teamers out there. There's no reason to be concerned about that, however, as the Tide's game plan couldn't have been simpler.
This was not a game, even on Alabama's worst day, that they could have possibly lost. DeBoer and Grubb played it as close to the vest as they could to keep everything they could in the clip for next week against Auburn.