What Ty Simpson says is different about this Alabama team from years past
Both Alabama’s head coach and quarterback made sure to mention the postgame locker room. They wanted to talk about the scene underneath Williams-Brice Stadium.
“There’s probably as much juice as I’ve seen in the locker room right now over the course of the last five weeks,” Kalen DeBoer said.
Ty Simpson called the postgame locker room “awesome.”
“It was just great,” Simpson said.
And for good reason. No. 4 Alabama secured a 29-22 victory over South Carolina on Saturday in Columbia, South Carolina. The Crimson Tide (7-1, 5-0 SEC) has won seven consecutive games.
That’s why Alabama celebrated like it did, even though plenty went wrong in the game. It was an ugly performance.
But the Crimson Tide managed to win a game on the road against an unranked opponent, what had been mostly elusive otherwise for Alabama under DeBoer.
Players were hugging each other in celebration in the locker room, Simpson said. He added many players told each other something like this ...
Man happy for you. Proud of you. Got your back.
“The amount of ‘I’ve got your back’ in the locker room right now is amazing,” Simpson said. “I’ve never felt that in a locker room before. The amount of trust and just having each other’s back and the amount of love we have for one another is like no other.”
That’s saying something, considering Simpson has been with the program since 2022. That means he’s been around four Alabama teams.
“Super proud of the team. Just kept fighting,” Simpson said. “We never had a doubt. Kept on fighting.”
Super Bowl Champion Puts Broncos on Notice Before Chargers Game
The Denver Broncos are prepared to face the “MVP” through two weeks of the regular season, and former star cornerback
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Quarterback Justin Herbert has led the Los Angeles Chargers to their second consecutive 2-0 start and will look for his first even 3-0 opening salvo as a pro against the Broncos.
Bo Nix and the Broncos are looking to bounce back after their loss in Week 2.
Broncos Legend Chris Harris Sets Tone For Chargers Game
An undrafted free agent out of Kansas in 2011, Harris spent 12 seasons in the NFL, nine of which were with the Broncos in the “
Harris has ties on both sides of this AFC West rivalry, spending two seasons with the Chargers.
“This Chargers vs Broncos game is huge,” Harris posted on X on September 18. ”A lot at stake early in the season.”
Broncos-Chargers is a "double buckle" game – Dave Logan 😤
"I think anybody who coaches against Jim Harbaugh has that little competitive thing because he brings it out of people. He's a quirky dude." pic.twitter.com/WaOddFcwTI
— DNVR Broncos (@DNVR_Broncos) September 17, 2025
Harris faced the Chargers 17 times during his Broncos tenure, including one playoff game during the 2014 season. He played in 16 of those contests, with the postseason matchup among them.
Harris and the Broncos won five of those games.
Conversely, Harris was 2-2 with the Chargers against the Broncos, further underscoring LA’s recent upper hand in the rivalry.
Broncos Set to Face ‘MVP’ Justin Herbert
GettyJustin Herbert #10 of the Los Angeles Chargers passes the ball against the Las Vegas Raiders.
The 2025 Broncos will not have it much easier than Harris’ squads, who went up against the Chargers with
Joseph also called Herbert a “special athlete,” who is “playing at a high level right now.”
“He is accurate. He’s obviously a big man. So, he can see over the pressure. He’s escaping on major downs, second-and-long and third downs, to keep drives alive. So, how we rush this guy is going to be key. But how we cover the receiving targets and make him hold the ball is also going to be key,”
“It’s a combination of rush and coverage to contain this quarterback. And, it’s a run-first offense. So, the balancing act between stopping the run and defending the pass is going to be critical.”
Justin Herbert in his last 4 regular-season starts 🔥
89 QBR74% Comp307 Pass YPG10 TD, 1 Int
Tonight on MNF, he has a chance to be the first player in 5 years to post an 80+ QBR in 5 straight starts (via
@ESPNInsights) pic.twitter.com/g3lbRf9Utl— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) September 15, 2025
Entering Week 3, the Broncos have allowed opposing QBs to complete 56.5% of their passes, the third-lowest mark in the league. The Broncos rank ninth in passing yards allowed, but there is reason for even more encouragement.
The Chargers’ QB has taken 5 sacks, while the Broncos are tied for the third-most sacks with 7.
Herbert has completed 72.1% of his passes for 560 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions through two games.
Justin Herbert Aware of Broncos’ Defense
GettyJustin Herbert #10 of the Los Angeles Chargers during warm ups before facing the Los Angeles Rams.
Herbert is not overlooking the Broncos. He is 5-4 against them in his career, though he swept them last season, completing 65.7% of his passes with a 2,199-13-7 line in those contests.
Herbert said the Broncos are a “very talented” and “really good defense.”
“They’re never really out of place. They’ve added a few pieces this year, and those guys have had huge roles in other teams,”
Nix – who posted a 479-4-1 line of 65.7% completion against the Chargers as a rookie – and the Broncos must be at their best to notch a victory in Week 3.
