On Saturday, No. 21 Alabama will host Louisiana-Monroe in hopes of bouncing back after a disappointing loss to Florida State.
This will mark the fifth meeting between the two teams, with Alabama holding a 3-1 record. The last time the two met was in 2022, which resulted in a 63-7 victory for the Crimson Tide. The most famous meeting between the two teams was back in 2007 in Nick Saban’s first season with Alabama, when Louisiana-Monroe upset the Crimson Tide at home 21-14
Here are a few things to watch for in Alabama’s home opener.
- How Does Alabama Respond?
The verdict is still out on how good Florida State will be this year, but even if they end up a playoff team, last week's showing was still an embarrassing loss for Alabama. The last time the Crimson Tide started 0-1 was 24 years ago. Alabama followed up that loss with a disappointing 12-9 win over Vanderbilt. The Crimson Tide could show up on Saturday and win 100-0 and still not get rid of the bitter taste of last week’s loss. However, a convincing win will be needed to prove to the coaching staff and fans that this team has the passion to be a good football team.
- Will the Offensive Line Show Up?
A unit that was supposed to be one of Alabama’s strong suits did not show up last week. The offensive line is led by left tackle Kadyn Proctor, who is projected to be an NFL first-round pick but did not perform like one last week. Look for Proctor and company to protect the quarterback significantly better and open up holes in the run game more like the opening drive against Florida State.
- Can a Banged-up Front Seven Make Plays?
The Alabama front seven struggled to put any pressure on the quarterback and got gashed in the run game. The Crimson Tide allowed Florida State to rush for 230 yards Saturday. Pass rush may not be as important on Saturday, but stopping the run will be. Albeit an FCS foe, Louisiana-Monroe rushed for a total of 311 yards on Saturday. If the Crimson Tide can’t do a better job against the run, it could be a long day.
- Effort
The team’s effort was questioned heavily in the Florida State game. There were many instances caught on film of guys not giving it 100%. The lack of effort and loafing showed up in poor tackling. Against Florida State, the Crimson Tide defense missed a total of 14 tackles.
- Stay Injury Free
The physical injuries have been stacking up for Alabama. A once deep defensive line has become thin over the past week. Defensive lineman Tim Keenan is out this week and possibly the next week, along with running back Jam Miller. In practice this week, Alabama lost defensive lineman Jeremiah Beaman for the year in practice this week. Beaman was filling in for Keenan in the starting lineup. The Crimson Tide also got banged up at the receiver position, seeing Ryan Williams exit with a concussion and Isaiah Horton fight through a lower-body injury that had him sidelined most of the game. Alabama needs to get out of Saturday’s game with a win and injury-free.
Alabama will host Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday at 6:45 p.m. The game will be televised on the SEC Network.
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