Alabama wrapped up its final tune-up before the Iron Bowl with a dominant 56–0 win over
Eastern Illinois inside Bryant-Denny Stadium. It was a clean, efficient, and historic performance
in several areas. Yes, the level of competition wasn’t SEC-caliber, but the Crimson Tide handled business exactly the way a championship program should.

Here’s the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly from the Tide’s shutout victory.

The Good: Historic Defense and Confidence-Building Rushing Attack

Let’s begin with the most eye-opening statistic of the afternoon: 34 total yards. That’s all
Alabama’s defense allowed - breaking a program record that had stood since 1962. No matter who you’re playing, holding any college team to 34 total yards is remarkable. Kane Wommack’s unit played with discipline, effort, and focus from start to finish.

Offensively, the Tide found exactly what it needed: identity and confidence in the run game.
Alabama punched in eight rushing touchdowns, the most combined rushing scores by the
Crimson Tide since 1979, when Alabama posted nine rushing touchdowns at Vanderbilt. It was a record-setting afternoon, and while the competition was not SEC-level, sometimes a performance like this is exactly what a unit needs to rebuild momentum heading into Auburn week.

Another encouraging sign: penalties. Alabama has cleaned things up significantly in recent
weeks, and that continued with only four penalties for 29 yards. After some midseason games where penalties had become a concern, the improvement has been steady and noticeable.

Games like this are also invaluable for the players who rarely get the spotlight. Walk-ons and
deep depth-chart guys - the ones who spend countless hours running scout team and giving the starters their looks - finally got real game reps. These are the moments that become lifelong memories, and they are a reminder of how important those players are to the program’s foundation.

And one more “good” that often gets overlooked, as I walked into Bryant-Denny Stadium, I
noticed so many young kids coming in with their families. These games provide affordable
opportunities for families to enjoy Alabama football together. Who knows - one of those kids
might run out of the tunnel someday wearing crimson and white. Games like this help cultivate
the next generation of fans and future players.

The Bad: Passing Game Still Searching for Answers

The run game flourished, but the first-team passing attack still feels a bit disconnected.
Ty Simpson has not looked like the quarterback who dominated early in the season. The
confidence, rhythm, and decisiveness that defined his first seven games have not quite been there the last few weeks. Everyone knows just how good he can be when he is locked in - he has shown it repeatedly - but something has felt slightly off.

To be fair, Alabama was missing three significant offensive contributors: Parker Brailsford, Germie Bernard, and Josh Cuevas. That’s a major chunk of production, leadership, and chemistry sitting on the sideline.

With the Iron Bowl and postseason coming into focus, it would not be surprising to see Ryan
Grubb makes some sideline adjustments to help settle the passing game. Moving him to the field last week may have been part of that strategy.

The Ugly: The Boo Birds and Ongoing Kicking Concerns

The one jarring moment of the afternoon came from the stands.

It has been a long time since I have heard booing that loud inside Bryant-Denny Stadium, but kicker Connor Talty heard it clearly. Some of that reaction may stem from how he handled the
snapping exchange last week against Oklahoma - and some of it is simply frustration over the
continued inconsistency.

Talty missed a 28-yard field goal, the kind of attempt that must be automatic for an SEC kicker. Instead, it has become part of a concerning trend. If Alabama plans to make a postseason run, something must change. Either Talty finds a new rhythm fast, or the staff may need to explore another option.

Field goals in tight games cannot feel like an adventure.

Final Thoughts

Alabama got what it needed: a clean, dominant, confidence-building win that allowed the defense to shine, the run game to reestablish itself, and the depth to get meaningful snaps.

But now the conversation shifts.

It’s Iron Bowl week.

And now it is time to do what you said - beat Auburn like a drum.

I will have more on this win Monday at 2 p.m. on The Game with Ryan Fowler on Tide 100.9.

I’m looking forward to hearing your takes during our weekly Good, Bad,
and Ugly segment, presented by Daniel Moore Art.