Alabama’s 2007 loss to Louisiana-Monroe still on Nick Saban’s mind

Full disclosure, numerous trips inside the 40 were against the FCS foe.

ULM’s quarterback Garrett Smith has completed 79 percent (49-of-62) of his passes with 576 yards and five touchdowns this season. Ceaser has 23 catches in two games. “The problem with those games is these guys were in the sixth grade when that happened”, Saban said. Louisiana-Monroe will travel to Tuscaloosa on Saturday afternoon to take on the Tide for the first time since November 17, 2007, when the Warhawks handed Alabama a 21-17 loss in Nick Saban’s first season as the Tide’s head coach. Now, they’re readying for 242-pound Derrick Henry, who cornerback Trey Caldwell calls “probably the biggest (running back) we’ve ever faced”. The team’s defense was gashed for 243 rushing yards against the Bulldogs. As a whole, the Crimson Tide are rushing for 224.3 yards per game.

Those opportunities can be hard to find against a Power Five team, with top-level talent all across the field, but Berry said it’s just a matter of getting one of his top players matched up against one of Alabama’s. This season’s squad sports what many are calling the best front seven in college football. Both Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott and Auburn’s newly anointed Sean White will have similar goals Saturday night at Jordan-Hare Stadium: Trying to help their teams rebound from losses to LSU and make their way back into Western Division contention. The game is also airing as a live stream online. Led by senior linebacker Reggie Ragland, the Alabama defense will be tough to beat unless you have the weapons of Ole Miss.

ULM and Alabama are meeting on the gridiron for the third time as the two teams square off in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. They can get me where I want to go and that’s to be able to play at the next level. There shouldn’t be almost as much desperation against ULM, which is allowing almost 350 total yards per game this season. The Alabama defense, which did not force a turnover against Ole Miss, needs to go after the football and force some turnovers because down the stretch they are certainly going to need to do that to win some games later in the year.

Humphrey and true freshman corner Minkah Fitzpatrick were heavily targeted by Ole Miss last week and have been a sore spot in the Crimson Tide secondary so far this season as the youngsters have continued to develop.