This is an opinion column.

This was a day about exorcising demons. About righting wrongs.

About handling business.

Both Alabama and Auburn fanbases were like that dog who saw their owner rolling up a newspaper (remember those?) walking into their home stadiums today. They flinched a little.

The Crimson Tide faithful remembered the last time this group won a game-of-the-year moment only to go MIA for the next three weeks.

Occupants of Jordan-Hare Stadium recall the last November visit from a Group-of-Five team with a pulse.

Well, two weeks before their paths intersect, Alabama and Auburn can enjoy a week of mutual satisfaction.

By a combined score of 100-21, the two in-state SEC schools punished their overmatched guests like you’d expect for programs of their stature.

With no Diego Pavia to haunt Auburn, the Tigers (4-6) kept their slim hope of bowl eligibility into the final stretch needing to sweep Texas A&M and the Crimson Tide. The 48-14 pounding of Louisiana-Monroe was impressive for its efficiency and consistency — two objectives that’ve haunted this team all season.

Where the Tigers went 2-for-13 on third downs in the 17-7 loss to Vanderbilt two weeks ago, this group went 12-for-17 against ULM.

Perhaps even more impressive was the penalty column on the stat sheet. This is an Auburn team that entered ranked 73rd nationally in yardage lost per game to flags. Auburn finished Saturday without being penalized a single time. That hasn’t happened since at least 1996, according to the Auburn Athletics media relations crew.

You saw Cam Coleman look like the 5-star recruit they signed and Payton Thorne throw like a quarterback fit for the SEC. Coleman, the freshman from Phenix City, caught eight passes for 100 yards. He entered the day with two total touchdowns before hauling in three against the overwhelmed opponent.

That included a third-quarter magic act, snagging a touchdown pass with one hand to reward another home sell-out crowd. It’s a group that witnessed three straight frustrating losses in another maddening season of mediocrity.

This isn’t a program that should peacock too much for backhanding a Sun Belt school, but any momentum is welcomed at this point.

Even the last G5 win for Auburn on this field was ugly. The 45-19 final score of the Week 3 win over New Mexico masks the fact the Lobos outgained Auburn into the fourth quarter when the lead was just 12 before adding two late touchdowns.

Auburn on this day finished with a 507-218 yardage edge over a ULM team that opened the season 5-1 but lost its fourth straight Saturday. The Tigers went 5-for-5 scoring in the red zone ranked 123rd nationally in that statistical measure before Saturday.

The hosts scored on eight of the 11 non-garbage time possessions and turned it over just once.

A backup quarterback even got action in a celebratory, non-punitive coaching move.

Alabama, meanwhile, used four passers in the clinical 52-7 beating of FCS No. 9 Mercer. This was the definition of handling business as Alabama scored on seven of nine possessions, took three turnovers and got practically everyone involved.

Fourth-string quarterback Austin Mack threw a fourth-quarter touchdown pass to freshman receiver Rico Scott to make it a 45-point game. Scott was one of 13 Alabama players who caught a pass. Nobody had more than Germie Bernard’s four. His 81 yards were the most as one of four who had at least 30 receiving yards.

Jalen Milroe called it a day after completing 11 of 16 passes for 186 yards and 43 rushing yards on six carries. He was one of nine who got at least one of the Tide’s 42 carries on a balanced day that included 35 passing attempts.

Not that anyone thought Mercer presented the same threat as Vanderbilt did in early October, but Alabama flexed every muscle possible in dismissing Mercer.

Back in September, Alabama looked like a mess for large chunks of a win over South Florida. The 42-16 final score didn’t tell the story of a game Alabama led just 21-16 midway through the fourth quarter against a team that’s now 4-5.

No hiccups this time.

It was exactly what you’d expect from this program but nothing can be taken for granted this season. Danger lurks in every corner. Just ask Notre Dame, a playoff lock who didn’t take an average MAC team in Northern Illinois seriously.

Auburn knows plenty about playing down to teams who don’t come with a name brand.

Not Saturday.

The Tigers held serve and picked apart ULM to catch a tailwind going into a challenging final stretch.

Next obstacle: Win consecutive games for the first time since last November.

Do that and add a third straight win on Thanksgiving weekend and bowl eligibility would come with the ultimate spoiled season for its biggest rival.

Those are different demons for another day.

But for a change, everyone walked away from Saturday with a smile.

Michael Casagrande is a reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook.