2025 Alabama Football Opponent Preview, Game 2: Louisiana-Monroe

The Alabama Crimson Tide kicks off the home football season in Tuscaloosa in the second week of the year by hosting the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks.

Alabama and Louisiana-Monroe are not strangers as this season's matchup will mark the fifth meeting between the programs in the last 20 years. While the Crimson Tide have dominated the last two matchups with a combined score of 97-7, no one can forget the Warhawks monumental victory in Bryant-Denny Stadium in 2007.

Both programs feature second year head coaches looking to build off moderate first seasons. Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer led the program to a 9-3 regular season in 2024, but sees playoff expectations in his future. ULM's Bryant Vincent took over a 2-10 program and squeezed out five victories in 2024 but finished the season on a six-game losing streak. If Vincent's able to find a sixth win in 2025 he'll lead the Warhawks to their second bowl appearance in school history.

Offense:

Head coach Bryant Vincent also serves as the team's offensive coordinator. He announced at the conclusion of last season his plans to give up the offensive coordinator and play-calling duties for 2025 after his team finished 126th in the nation in total offense, but those plans didn't come to fruition. Instead, Vincent hired Hindley Brigham away from UAB to serve as the run-game coordinator and Kishawn McClain as the wide receivers coach to shake up the offensive staff.

The Warhawks return quarterback Aidan Armenta who passed for almost 1300 yards last season and nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Unfortunately, ULM lost its best weapon to the transfer portal as Ahmad Hardy left the program to join the Missouri Tigers.

Vincent dipped into the transfer portal himself and found rising senior Zach Palmer-Smith to replace Hardy. Palmer-Smith spent two seasons at Wagner before playing for the Richmond Spiders in 2024 where he rushed for 1,433 yards and 11 touchdowns.

The Warhawks were one of the nation's best offenses inside the red zone in 2024, despite struggling to matriculate down the field. ULM finished sixth in the nation in red zone scoring percentage, taking points at a 93 percent success rate once making it inside the 20-yard line.

Defense:

The Warhawks led the Sun Belt in passing defense in 2024 but lost every game when giving up more than 190 rushing yards (0-6).

Safety Wydett Williams led the team in tackles and had three of the Warhawks' six interceptions, but left the team to join the Ole Miss Rebels.

ULM brought in linebacker Marcus Ross from Mississippi State to pair with Tyrese Hopkins to try to sure up the run defense. The pair, along with Edge Billy Pullen, defensive end Kevontay Wells and defensive tackle Jaden Hamlin will focus on improving the run defense to create more advantageous down and distances.

Schedule:

The Warhawks have a balanced non-conference schedule. ULM has challenging road trips against Alabama and Northwestern but a favorable home opener against St. Francis and a fairly evenly matched road game with UTEP.

The program will aim to split its four non-conference games and win four of its Sun Belt games to make it to a bowl game for the second time in program history.

Outlook:

The Warhawks must improve their rushing defense in order to take a step forward and compete in the Sun Belt. Vincent's offense must take a step forward and find more consistency in the passing game while limiting the turnovers in order to be more competitive in 2025.

ULM's schedule presents early challenges as five of its first six opponents have them outmatched on paper. The program made its only bowl game in 2012 and has an uphill climb to reach that status in 2025.

The program made its only bowl game in 2012 and has an uphill climb to reach that status in 2025.

The Game:

Date: September 6, 2025
Time: 6:45 p.m. CT
TV: SEC Network
Location: Saban Field at Bryant Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Series history: Alabama leads 3-1 (Alabama later vacated a 2006 win over the Warhawks)
Last meeting: September 17, 2022 (Alabama won 63-7)

The Team:

Head coach: Bryant Vincent (Second season, 5-7 overall record)
Offensive coordinator: Bryant Vincent (Second season)
Defensive coordinator: Earnest Hill (Second season)
2024-25 record: 5-7 (3-5 Sun Belt)
2024 rankings: 126 total offense (304.4 yards per game), 84th total defense (384 yards per game)
Players to watch: Kevontay Wells, DE | Billy Pullen, EDGE | Aidan Armenta, QB | Zach Palmer-Smith, RB
Top newcomer: Zach Palmer-Smith
Biggest question: Can ULM replace Ahmad Hardy's 1351 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns?

The School:

Location: Monroe, Louisiana
Founded: 1931
Enrollment: 8,277
Nickname: Warhawks
School colors: Maroon and gold
Mascot: Ace the Warhawk

The Program:

Last win in series: November 17, 2007 (21-14)
Last conference title: 2005 (Co-champions)
National championships: One FCS Title (1987)
Playoff appearances: None
Last season missing bowl game: 2024
Heisman winners: None

The Schedule:

August 28: St. Francis (PA) - 6 p.m.
September 6: at Alabama - 6:45 p.m.
September 13: BYE
September 20: at UTEP
September 27: Arkansas State
October 4: at Northwestern
October 11: at Coastal Carolina
October 18: Troy
October 25: at Southern Miss
November 1: Old Dominion
November 8: BYE
November 15: South Alabama
November 22: at Texas State
November 29: at Louisiana

This is the second story in BamaCentral's summer preview series of all 12 regular season opponents for Alabama football in 2025. Ensuing stories will be published throughout June and early July.

2025 Alabama Football Opponent Preview, Game 1: Florida State