Alabama football did what it was supposed to on Saturday, beating Middle Tennessee State, 56-7 at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
The Conference USA Blue Raiders didn’t put up much of a fight throughout the game and the Crimson Tide ran roughshod.
Before focus turns to the Texas game next week, here’s three takeaways from Saturday’s 56-7 Alabama win.
Quarterbacks Jalen Milroe had his eyes up, even as the snap from the MTSU 21-yard line rolled toward him.
When he recovered, he headed downfield, dancing around the Blue Raider defense before turning what looked like a sure sack into a touchdown run.
It was the first time the first score of an Alabama season has been a quarterback run since Brian Brugdorf did it in 1995 against Vanderbilt.
Besides that, Milroe completed his first seven passes of the day, for 52 yards before finally throwing an incompletion under duress in the second quarter after a protection breakdown.
Milroe did everything he needed to do to cement his status as top quarterback in the first half. He finished 10-for-13 passing, for 112 yards and a touchdown.
That touchdown was a 47-yard, perfectly placed deep throw to Isaiah Bond.
In the first drive of the second half, Milroe dropped a 48-yard pass into Jermaine Burton’s hand for another touchdown.
Overall, Milroe did exactly what Alabama fans were hoping to see from Bryce Young’s replacement.
And Tyler Buchner wasn’t bad in relief either once the Tide had built a 42-0 lead, rushing for a nine-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.