Kirk Herbstreit reveals what has changed for Ty Simpson since season opener

The 2025 season could have gone very differently for Alabama after Week 1’s loss to Florida State. Instead, the Crimson Tide have re-established themselves as a major player in the SEC after last week’s win over Georgia.

QB Ty Simpson has been at the forefront of that effort. Playing at the level many expected him to, ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit revealed the biggest difference in the Crimson Tide QB’s game in the four games since the loss.

“Command of the offense. Ty Simpson, from the game against Florida State on the road (compared to the) first SEC game against Georgia last week, looked like a different guy,” Herbstreit said during SportsCenter ahead of College GameDay. “I think he and Ryan Grubb, the offensive coordinator, just got on the same page. Got him more comfortable when they played Louisiana Monroe and Wisconsin. I think it was just really about his eyes, just putting it in the right spot.”

Through give games, Simpson is completing nearly 70% (88-127) of his passing attempts or 1,138 yards and 11 touchdowns. He hasn’t thrown an interception to this point in the season, and has added a couple of extra touchdowns on the ground. Last week against Georgia, he was responsible for all three of Alabama’s touchdowns during the matchup.

“If you watch the game last week, I think they started 8-for-8 on third down,” Herbstreit continued. “He just looked like a wily veteran. … Like any quarterback, when you have answers, you’re going to play faster. And last week, he was as decisive as any quarterback I’ve watched all year, especially on the road against a good team.”

It will be on Vanderbilt to disrupt that rhythm early. If not, Simpson and the Crimson Tide could take control of the matchup early by keeping Diego Pavia and the Commodores offense off the field. Vanderbilt is averaging 49.0 points per game this season, so limiting their opportunities will be key for the Crimson Tide on Saturday.

Fans of both teams won’t soon forget the outcome of 2024’s meeting. Simpson wasn’t a factor in that game, backing up Jalen Milroe during the shocking 40-35 loss. During his first start against Vanderbilt on Saturday, he’ll look to get back to Alabama’s historical success against the Commodores. Alabama leads the all-time series 63-19-4, and had won every meeting since 1984 before last season.

Kickoff between the Crimson Tide and Commodores is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET. ABC will carry the national broadcast of the high-profile, ranked SEC showdown.