Sports
Kalen DeBoer showed what Alabama can still be after Nick Saban in win against Georgia
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Kalen DeBoer took the job 261 days ago, but Saturday night felt like the moment he truly became Alabama’s head coach.
He won over the roster during spring practice. The Alabama fan base largely hopped on board over the summer after a furious recruiting run. The only thing left was leading the Alabama machine on a big stage with the entire college football world watching. And he didn’t disappoint.
No. 4 Alabama’s 41-34 win over No. 2 Georgia delivered on its hype and then some. When it was over, DeBoer improved to 108-12 as a head coach, 12-2 against AP-ranked opponents and 6-0 against Steve Sarkisian, Lincoln Riley, Dan Lanning and Kirby Smart. There were questions about Alabama’s potential drop-off after Nick Saban’s retirement, and it would have been easy to think the Georgia series would tip in the Bulldogs’ favor with the best coach in college football leading the way. Instead, it was Alabama’s ninth win over Georgia in 10 meetings.
The first half felt like 2015 in Athens: utter domination. The second half was more like 2017 and 2018, with comebacks and late-game heroics by the quarterback. The end result was familiar: Alabama on top. It was a statement game for players like quarterback Jalen Milroe and freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams, but it was an equally big spot for DeBoer, who delivered the type of marquee win that Alabama was known for under Saban.
“All the hard work that you put in during the dark is going to shine at some point,” said Milroe, who had 491 total yards and four touchdowns. “And it came out and shined today. It was a great opportunity for our football team to put it on display.”
GO DEEPER
Alabama survives Georgia’s comeback in frantic finish to top-5 clash
DeBoer also learned what it’s like to coach in the SEC. And there will be plenty of teaching moments off of that.
Leading 30-7, Alabama faced second-and-5 on the Georgia 40-yard line with 53 seconds left in the first half. To that point, everything was clicking and it felt like the dam was about to break just before halftime. Then Alabama got too cute. A triple reverse pass that Georgia snuffed out turned into an 8-yard loss. A scoring opportunity turned into a punt. You can’t leave points on the board in any situation, but especially against a team like Georgia.
A 28-0 start turned into a 30-7 halftime lead, which became a 34-33 deficit with 2:31 to play. A game that felt insurmountable for Georgia nearly became a historic collapse for Alabama. The offense that scored touchdowns on four consecutive drives to start the game punted, fumbled or turned it over on downs on seven of its next eight drives. In the second half, the offense averaged just 1.2 yards per carry and converted one third down. The defense couldn’t get a stop, particularly on fourth down, to keep Georgia at bay. It was also another bad night for penalties, with 10 totaling 90 yards.
“They should have never been in a situation to be able to come back,” Williams said. “We were supposed to just keep our foot on the gas, but (Georgia) did come back. We knew adversity would hit at some point — we just had to fight back.”
Jalen Milroe passed for 374 yards and ran for 117 yards. (Todd Kirkland / Getty Images)
To DeBoer and Alabama’s credit, they did just that. One play after Georgia took the lead, DeBoer called a deep shot for Milroe and Williams, which ended up being the game-winning touchdown. After Georgia’s go-ahead 67-yard touchdown, there was no hesitation by DeBoer to throw a haymaker right back. That type of confidence reverberates through the team.
“This isn’t just this week; from day one we’ve talked about no regrets,” DeBoer said. “Compete until the very end. We talk a lot about staying positive and keep fighting. Sometimes the ball doesn’t bounce your way — keep fighting.
“A lot of plays have opportunities where if you find a one-on-one matchup, you take it.”
The usually stoic DeBoer showed some competitive fire on Saturday in a few exchanges with the officials, but players pointed to his poise throughout the game and especially during the seesaw moments toward the end. His calm demeanor matched that of the players, and it led to Alabama turning the game on its axis in a matter of seconds after blowing a 28-point lead.
There’s your passion, Bama fans. pic.twitter.com/6OgFLHSHUS
— Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium (@BryantDenny_UA) September 29, 2024
“Coach DeBoer’s big on energy,” linebacker Jihaad Campbell said. “Throughout the whole game, coach DeBoer had poise, I think that really rubbed off on the whole team. Just understanding, ‘Hey we’re good, next-play mentality.’
“It’s Bama, you know, we are the standard. We don’t really overthink things. We have poise. We trust ourselves. We trust one another to go out there and do our job so we can execute and come out with a win.”
A furious Georgia comeback shouldn’t negate the fact that DeBoer’s staff had an excellent game plan. At halftime, Smart noted that Alabama passing out of an empty backfield was “something new” that it executed well. The interception by Domani Jackson was out of a coverage that Alabama hadn’t shown this season, which prompted Georgia’s Carson Beck to panic and make a mistake.
Milroe looked as accurate and comfortable as he ever has. Alabama finished plus-3 in turnover margin and won the time of possession battle. It was a signature win that also drives home that games aren’t over until they’re over, a message that should keep the team focused with a road game at Vanderbilt next Saturday.
GO DEEPER
Vannini: Alabama-Georgia didn’t have stakes because of the CFP? Think again
For as great of a win as it was, the honeymoon phase is over, even after a win. It’s been difficult to criticize DeBoer since January, and to his credit the transition has felt seamless from the start. Saturday’s game allows for fair questions about how Georgia adjusted at halftime and made it a game — and what it means for future opponents. Give credit to Georgia as well, as a program operating at an optimal level with an Alabama-like culture and coach.
Still, Alabama proved on Saturday that under DeBoer, it isn’t going anywhere. Saturday was the biggest test to date, and DeBoer passed.
Now he has to pass the next one, and the next one — and so on. That’s what it means to be the coach at Alabama.
“We have to recognize winning in the SEC is a hard task and enjoy the win,” Milroe said. “I think that’s something that we lose focus with at Alabama — the standard of excellence, of course, but enjoying the win. So much poured into this game.
“We’re going to enjoy the win, but it’s not the end of our road. There’s so much more we can do better as we watch the tape. To start SEC play off this way, with a bang, super happy with the guys’ performance. We’re just going to constantly get better, grow and acknowledge that we’re not a finished football team and never get complacent.”
GO DEEPER
How should Georgia feel about that loss to Alabama? Conflicted
(Top photo of Jalen Milroe and Germie Bernard: Todd Kirkland / Getty Images)
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Croatia thought their FIFA World Cup hopes were still alive when they scored the game-tying goal just before the end of stoppage time in the second half.
But a VAR review said Mario Pasalic was offside, and it was Portugal moving on instead.
Gonçalo Ramos’ goal just minutes earlier — a beautiful header into the back of the net in the 94th minute — was the decider in this 2-1 victory for Portugal. And it was only the second time in Portuguese World Cup history the nation needed to come from behind to win, underscoring its resilience on the sport’s biggest stage.
Luka Modric of Croatia and teammates react after the 1-2 loss during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match between Portugal and Croatia at Toronto Stadium on July 2, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario. (Patrick Smith – FIFA)
It was a controversial ending, though, and one where Croatia tried to argue the ball never hit the head of Igor Matanovic, which made Pasalic offside during VAR review.
It’s also worth noting that a new chip within the ball shows when it is touched, giving more concrete evidence to the referee’s final decision in such a crucial time of the match. This was the 10th goal overruled by VAR thus far in the World Cup.
GABRIEL MARTINELLI’S 96TH-MINUTE GOAL RESCUES BRAZIL FROM JAPAN UPSET IN WORLD CUP ROUND OF 32
So, with the goal annulled, Croatia’s time at the tournament has ended. As a result, Croatian legend Luka Modrić is finishing his fifth World Cup, which will likely be the 40-year-old midfielder’s final one.
But another older legend on the pitch will move on, as Cristiano Ronaldo made some World Cup history during this match.
When No. 7 stepped foot on the pitch and the ball was kicked, he became the oldest player to participate in a knockout stage match at the World Cup at 41 years and 147 days old. He also became the oldest player to score in a knockout stage match when he saw a penalty situation while Portugal was down 1-0 in the match.
Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match between Portugal and Croatia at Toronto Stadium on July 2, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario. (Patrick Smith – FIFA)
Ivan Perisic got the first goal of this game and put Portugal’s back against the wall. But after a foul was committed inside Croatia’s box in the 67th minute, it was time for Ronaldo to get his first career knockout goal, and he didn’t disappoint.
Ronaldo was ecstatic, sprinting toward the corner flag and performing his signature “SIU!” celebration, which the crowd bellowed with the score at 1-1. Ronaldo had also seemed to get that first knockout goal just minutes earlier but he was called offside.
Modrić and Ronaldo, two former teammates on Real Madrid, also made history together, as they were the first two players 40 years or older to play in the same match together.
Luka Modric of Croatia congratulates Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal after the 2-1 win during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match between Portugal and Croatia at Toronto Stadium on July 2, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario. (Buda Mendes/Getty Images)
It was also an emotional moment after the match, as Ronaldo wore the jersey of late Portugal teammate Diogo Jota, who died in a car accident a year ago. A team photo was taken on the pitch, with Ronaldo holding up Jota’s jersey alongside his squad.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Now that the job is done in the Round of 32 for Portugal, they face a big challenge against a key rival in the Round of 16.
Spain, who dominated Austria with a 3-0 finish earlier on Thursday, awaits Portugal at Dallas Stadium on July 6 at 3 p.m. ET.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Roki Sasaki’s abysmal appearance faded away in the Dodgers’ 12-7 win over the San Diego Padres on Thursday night, but only after the National League West leaders rose from a catatonic first inning.
The Dodgers roared back from a 6-0 deficit as Andy Pages skirted a tying double down the left-field line, and Mookie Betts and Max Muncy each drove in runs to give them the lead for good in a four-run fourth inning. All of which sent the sold-out Dodger Stadium crowd into jubilant celebrations, some jumping, others breaking out World Cup chants.
“Thankfully, it played out the way I didn’t expect,” manager Dave Roberts said of the team’s ability to turn the game around, “or the way it started.”
By the time the game ended, Sasaki’s three-inning start seemed like a murky nightmare the Dodgers awoke from in a sweat. Except the Dodgers weren’t dreaming, and the team hadn’t done much to assuage the concerns with Sasaki.
The problem with Sasaki isn’t his stuff. On his best nights, when the velocity and command combine, Sasaki blows past batters with a triple-digit fastball and cutting off-speed pitches. The problem has been how to tick the radar without making the strike zone look like a Jackson Pollock painting — and recently, it has.
Sasaki’s June swoon, impervious to the calendar change, continued into Thursday’s series opener against the Padres, in which the right-hander gave up three home runs among seven hits before Roberts called it quits going into the fourth inning.
“They were on everything,” Roberts said. “You could see it.”
One possible concern? Tipping pitches. While Roberts and catcher Dalton Rushing said the team would need to do more research into Sasaki’s start, both left the door open to this answer.
“That would be a big explanation as to how they felt like they were on every pitch,” Rushing said.
As San Diego chugged through its lineup, Sasaki struggled to keep up. With his first pitch, he gave up a double to Fernando Tatis Jr., who scored on Manny Machado’s home run that left center fielder Pages staring at the ball’s path as it plopped down on the other side of the blue outfield fence.
The inning was only a preview of the Padres’ power. Each of the nine San Diego batters got his chance against Sasaki in the second, and the team quickly dug the Dodgers into a six-run hole. He surrendered two home runs in the second inning. Jackson Merrill blasted a ball to left-center field leading off, and, two outs later, Jake Cronenworth drove in two runs with a shot to right-center.
Sasaki said through interpreter Kensuke Okubo that he needed to work on his command, but he felt like his fastball was good.
Roki Sasaki has his head down after giving up a solo homer to Jackson Merrill in the second inning.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
“I don’t think my stuff was bad today,” Sasaki said. “Overall, it wasn’t great but a lot of things evolved.”
Part of Sasaki’s issue lies with his approach. Roberts said he wants the second-year pitcher to be aggressive, to play the cat-and-mouse game required to beat batters in the box. But when given the opportunity, Sasaki has shrunken in recent outings, struggling with his command and his ability to pitch deep into games.
“We had a great May, so let’s just get back to competing and making pitches,” Roberts said.
When reliever Will Klein walked out to the mound in the fourth to the aggressive, rambunctious clamor of the Dropkick Murphys’ “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” and collected two scoreless, one-hit innings, the relief was immediate: The Dodgers took the lead.
The lineup already was revving, as Rushing homered in the second inning while Sasaki was still in the game, and both Kyle Tucker and Muncy drove in runs off starter Randy Vasquez in the third, cutting the deficit to two. The Dodgers broke through against the Padres’ bullpen to score six runs in the fourth and fifth innings.
“The bullpen was fantastic tonight, and then the offense came up big,” Roberts said.
A late catch by Pages helped close out the game after he gloved a ball despite ramming into the padding of the center field wall. A combined effort by Paul Gervase and Tanner Scott shut down San Diego’s ninth-inning momentum after it pushed across a run.
“Turned back around, was able to find the ball and make a really good catch right there,” Tucker said of Pages. “That was a huge out.”
The Dodgers (57-31) beat their division rivals for the fifth time in seven games to open a 13-game lead over both San Diego and Arizona. The Padres, meanwhile, have lost six straight and given up 66 runs over the last six days, the most in such a span in franchise history.
But San Diego’s flaws don’t negate the Dodgers’ as they burned through six relievers in their win. So, while the Dodgers crawled out of the hole with a season-high 17 hits, the steep cost heightens the pressure on the rest of the rotation the rest of the series.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
In previous years, the Round of 16 was the first knockout stage match, but with an expanded field of 48 teams— it is now the second.
Let’s check out the odds at FanDuel Sportsbook as of July 2 for which countries are favored to make the Round of 16 and emerge from it.
This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.
To Reach Round of 16
Argentina: -2000 (bet $10 to win $10.50 total)
Colombia: -550 (bet $10 to win $11.82 total)
Portugal: -340 (bet $10 to win $12.94 total)
Switzerland: -235 (bet $10 to win $14.26 total)
Egypt: -148 (bet $10 to win $16.76 total)
Australia: +122 (bet $10 to win $22.20 total)
Algeria: +186 (bet $10 to win $28.60 total)
Croatia: +260 (bet $10 to win $36 total)
Ghana: +380 (bet $10 to win $48 total)
Cape Verde: +1160 (bet $10 to win $126 total)
Now let’s check out the odds at FanDuel Sportsbook as of July 2 for the matchups already in place.
SATURDAY, JULY 4
Canada vs. Morocco
To Advance: MAR -300, CAN +225
Moneyline: MAR -130, Draw +240, CAN +420
Paraguay vs. France
To Advance: FRA -1800, PRY +1140
Moneyline: FRA -600, Draw +600, PRY +1800
SUNDAY, JULY 5
Brazil vs. Norway
To Advance: BRA -245, NOR +196
Moneyline: BRA -120, Draw +260, NOR +340
Mexico vs. England
To Advance: ENG -134, MEX +110
Moneyline: ENG +145, Draw +210, MEX +200
MONDAY, JULY 6
USA vs. Belgium
To Advance: USA -110, BEL -110
Moneyline: USA +165, Draw +230, BEL +170
-
Health6 minutes agoBig Medicare change slashes weight-loss drug costs for eligible seniors
-
Sports8 minutes agoVAR denies Croatia’s game-tying goal as Cristiano Ronaldo leads Portugal to Round of 16
-
Technology13 minutes agoNew sodium-ion battery could reshape grid storage
-
Business21 minutes agoHome insurer surcharges for wildfires is legal, judge rules
-
Entertainment23 minutes agoCalifornia designates Bruce Lee Day, first such honor for a Chinese American
-
Lifestyle28 minutes agoAhead of America’s 250th birthday, a photographer finds unity in tarnished state quarters
-
Politics36 minutes agoFacing setbacks and resistance, Trump presses bid to reshape elections on multiple fronts
-
Sports44 minutes ago
Dodgers overcome Roki Sasaki’s poor performance to rout Padres
