3 Takeaways from Alabama’s lopsided win over MTSU

Alabama football hammered Middle Tennessee State 56-7 to open the 2023 season, led by the debuting Jalen Milroe at starting quarterback.

The last time Alabama entered a season with a quarterback battle, it took a few drives against the USC Trojans for Nick Saban to move off of Blake Barnett and onto Jalen Hurts. That was all the way back in 2016.

This time around, Jalen Milroe started the season and was electric from the start. Middle Tennessee State may not be quite the competition that a program like USC is, but Milroe looked the part from the get-go.

It’s always difficult to take too many lessons from these lopsided games. Alabama entered this one as a 39.5-point favorite, so the question was less “Do they win?” and more “How much do they win by?”.

Still, it’s an interesting time for Alabama football, and a win like this maintains the status quo. With their status atop the SEC more in question than ever in the Saban era, every win is important, even if it’s just a momentum-builder against MTSU.

1. The Jalen Milroe era starts with a bang

It didn’t take long for Jalen Milroe to inspire confidence in the Crimson Tide faithful. Just a few minutes into the season-opener, with 11:01 left in the first quarter, the new Bama starting quarterback took a bobbled snap and turned it onto an electric 21-yard touchdown run.

If this is the result when mistakes are made, just imagine how things will go once Milroe settles into his new role.

Milroe wasn’t just effective on the ground. Through the air, he finished the night 13-of-18 for 194 yards and three touchdowns. It was a complete night that displayed all the reasons Saban ultimately chose Milroe to lead this team.