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Alabama scraped by USF in Week 3, downing the Bulls 17-3 in a rare road game against a non-power conference opponent. The No. 10 Crimson Tide struggled to generate offense under new starter Tyler Buchner, which paved the way for redshirt freshman Ty Simpson to enter the game late in the second quarter and through the second half.
Simpson, a former five-star prospect, showed some promise in his first real playing time of the year. He engineered Alabama's first scoring drive -- a field goal to tie the game at 3-3 near the end of the second quarter -- and connected with tight end CJ Dippre for 45 yards in the third quarter -- the longest gain of the game, regardless of team. Simpson finished with 5 of 9 passing for 73 yards.
Alabama was able to lean on its running game. Crimson Tide running back Roydell Williams had one of the best games of his career, rushing 17 times for 129 yards and one touchdown. Despite the win, Alabama has some things to work on before it opens conference play next week against No. 17 Ole Miss.
Quarterback competition keeps on turning
Alabama added a wrinkle to its quarterback situation before the game even began when it was revealed that Buchner -- a Notre Dame transfer -- would get the start over Jalen Milroe. Milroe was QB1 in Alabama's first two games and played every snap of Week 2's 34-24 loss against Texas.
Buchner failed to impress in his relatively limited playing time. He completed just five of his 14 pass attempts for 34 yards, averaging just over 2.4 yards per attempt, and all five of Alabama's drives with him at the helm ended in punts. Alabama turned to Simpson near the end of the second quarter.
Simpson finished the game and fared a bit better, leading all three of Alabama's scoring drives. It was interesting that Milroe didn't enter the game at all. He threw for 449 yards and five touchdowns while rushing for 92 yards and two touchdowns in his first two starts. He also profiles as the Tide's most athletic quarterback, adding a different dimension to the offense -- one that would have been really useful in a game like USF.
Alabama's offensive line a big concern
A lot was made during the offseason about Alabama's gargantuan offensive line. It garnered plenty of hype as one of the best units in the nation, and most assumed it would be a strength for the Crimson Tide. Saturday showed that Bama's offensive front still has a long, long way to go.
The Crimson Tide allowed five sacks -- USF's highest single-game total since 2019 -- and eight tackles for loss. Alabama struggled to pick up exotic blitz looks as South Florida defensive back Daquan Evans led all players with three sacks. The Crimson Tide's o-line struggles will hamstring anyone Alabama's coaching staff decides to trot out at quarterback.
Tide needs to prioritize running game
While Alabama's offensive line let its quarterbacks down, the Crimson Tide eventually did a really good job of opening running lanes and providing good looks on the ground.
Nine of Alabama's 10 plays that covered at least 10 yards came on the ground. Williams had two rushes of at least 20 yards, including a 26-yard scamper he parlayed into a 1-yard rushing touchdown -- Alabama's first rushing touchdown of the game. Wiliams combined with Jase McClellan for 203 rushing yards and one touchdown.
Alabama would be smart to lean on that duo moving forward. A strong rushing attack can cover up shortcomings at quarterback. Having someone like Milroe running the offense can add another dimension to the run game, as well.
