Alabama

Alabama, Texas unmasked? Our biggest college football overreactions from Week 8

Published

1 year ago

October 21, 2024

Alabama, Texas unmasked? Our biggest college football overreactions from Week 8

Say what you will about the current state of collegiate athletics in the United States of America. But it’s indisputable that there are few other sporting endeavors that generate the same level of emotions, be they positive or negative, from fans.

That was on clear display over the most recent college football weekend, which featured everything from jubilant field rushes to angry debris tossing. Overreactions are therefore inevitable given such passion. We’re here once again to sort through a few involving the biggest-name programs, and hopefully provide a modicum of big-picture perspective.

Here are the top five overreactions from Week 8.

Alabama’s playoff chances are cooked

It’s true that the Crimson Tide’s SEC championship hopes are likely gone with a second league loss. There might, however, still be a path to the expanded 12-team playoff.

Alabama’s last three games in November are quite winnable. One is a tune-up against Championship Subdivision member Mercer, and the final two league contests are against Oklahoma and Auburn, teams in an even greater state of disarray at this writing.

It’s the pair of games over the next three weekends that will tell the tale for Alabama – a home date with Missouri next Saturday and a Nov. 9 trip to LSU. Should the Tide win both, they’ll have a fairly clear route to 10-2 with the win against Georgia also in the bank, a resume that would almost certainly be deemed playoff worthy. A split of those two and a 9-3 finish would leave matters in a much more ambiguous realm.

Whether Alabama could actually win the title should it be included in the at-large pool is a discussion for another day, but for now we must wait and see where things are in a few weeks. We understand that patience is not an abundant quality for many fan bases, but don’t write the Tide off just yet.

Texas is back – to mediocrity.

It didn’t take long for the college football universe to move from anointing the Longhorns as title favorites to wondering aloud if they’re not ready for this new conference after all. As with many such discussions, the truth probably lies somewhere between those extremes.

As has been pointed out, the foundation upon which the Longhorns’ No. 1 ranking had been constructed wasn’t as sturdy as we might have believed given the ongoing struggles of Oklahoma and Michigan (more on the Wolverines below). It is equally true, however, that Texas is hardly the first team to be humbled by an encounter with a motivated Georgia squad. Remember how post mortems for Clemson were being written after Week 1?

In short, we’ll wait and see how Texas responds to its first taste of adversity, starting next week with a visit to a suddenly frisky Vanderbilt.

MISERY INDEX: Oklahoma tops most miserable fanbase after Week 8

HIGHS AND LOWS: Georgia, Alabama headline Week 8 winners and losers

Indiana is going to win the Big Ten

Most people probably didn’t believe Curt Cignetti when he made that bold pronouncement upon accepting the head coaching gig in Bloomington. But lo and behold the Hoosiers have steamrolled everything in their path en route to a 7-0 start that now has everyone’s attention.

There’s just one teensy weensy problem though. The penultimate week of the season involves a trip to Ohio State. We are in no way saying a win in Columbus isn’t possible. But if the Hoosiers do come up short there, they would lose a head-to-head tiebreaker with the Buckeyes for a spot in the conference title game, assuming both teams win the rest of their games. There is no Penn State or Oregon on Indiana’s schedule, which is a plus in that all their other contests are winnable but a minus in that there is no opportunity to offset a potential loss to the Buckeyes.

Now with all that said, the Hoosiers do very much have a strong at-large case for the playoff should they make it to the finish line at 11-1. That might seem overly ambitious for a program that has enjoyed limited gridiron success in its history, but we shouldn’t be surprised now if it comes to pass.

Michigan could miss a bowl

On the opposite end of the Big Ten’s expectations meter we find the Wolverines, the defending national champions in name only now flailing to find any kind of offensive identity.

Aside from a home date with Northwestern, Michigan’s November slate is a veritable murderers’ row in the new-look conference. The Wolverines will be heavy underdogs against Oregon, Indiana and Ohio State, even with the Ducks and Buckeyes coming to Ann Arbor. This makes next week’s rivalry game against Michigan State a virtual must-win if the Wolverines hope to reach the six-victory threshold for bowl eligibility. Of course the Spartans aren’t likely to be terribly sympathetic having their own challenging second-half schedule ahead of them. But Michigan State has made progress under coach Jonathan Smith in recent weeks, and the Spartans will come into the Big House with confidence after showing they could solve a tough defense like Iowa’s. It won’t top the must-watch list for next week, but it’s a game to keep an eye on, especially if you’re the organizer of a bowl game with a Big Ten tie-in.

The Cougar Conundrum

30 for 30 voice: What if I told you there’s a team currently without FBS conference affiliation with an excellent chance to go 11-1 – and it’s not Notre Dame? Sure, the Fighting Irish could get there as well. But there’s another non-affiliated team that could provide the CFP with an interesting test case.

Washington State, of the once-and-future Pac-12, has made it to 6-1 with its lone blemish coming against Boise State. That would be the same Broncos’ squad that came within a field goal of the current No. 1 team. In addition to a hard-fought Apple Cup win against former league foe Washington, the Cougars also have another Power Five victory against Texas Tech in their column.

But now comes the bad news for the Cougars. That Texas Tech result lost some value over the weekend when the Red Raiders were thumped at home by Baylor for their first Big 12 loss. None of Washington State’s remaining opponents figure to add much to its schedule strength calculation. It would help the Cougars’ cause if Boise State made the playoff field, but that might require help from Notre Dame in the form of knocking both Navy and Army from the ranks of the undefeated. Those results would in turn enhance Fighting Irish’s credentials as an at-large candidate, at the expense of the Cougars and others.

As things stand, Washington State would need a whole lot of breaks to go its way to earn consideration. But complete chaos always seems to be right around the corner in this sport, so fans on the Palouse should stay tuned.

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Alabama

Alabama NAACP Releases 2026 Selma Jubilee Weekend Schedule

Published

11 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Alabama NAACP Releases 2026 Selma Jubilee Weekend Schedule

The Alabama State Conference of the NAACP has announced its official schedule for the 2026 NAACP-sponsored Selma Jubilee Bridge Crossing Weekend, set for March 6–8 in Montgomery and Selma.

Held under the theme “A Time for Standing,” the annual commemoration honors the Foot Soldiers of the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery marches and recognizes the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., John Lewis and Rev. Jesse Jackson for their roles in advancing civil rights and voting access.

The three-day event will bring together national, state and local leaders, along with youth and college chapters, faith partners and community members for activities focused on reflection, education and civic engagement.

Scheduled events include a civic discussion titled “The New Civic Path” on March 6 at the Montgomery Interpretive Center at Alabama State University, followed by a Jubilee Gala that evening at Embassy Suites in Montgomery. On March 7, the Birmingham Metro Branch will host a bus trip to Selma, while a statewide civic engagement training will take place in Montgomery.

SEE ALSO: Bridge Crossing Jubilee to honor Rev. Jesse Jackson’s legacy in Selma
SEE ALSO: 16th Street Baptist Church: Keeping a Legacy Alive 63 Years Later

On March 8, participants will take part in the Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee Parade, voter activation efforts, worship services at Brown Chapel AME Church and Tabernacle Baptist Church, and the traditional bridge crossing at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

Organizers say the weekend will emphasize continued civic participation and community engagement across Alabama.

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March 6 — Alabama NAACP Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee Gala 5:30PM Embassy Suites by Hilton, 300 Tallapoosa St, Montgomery, AL 36104

March 7 — NAACP Birmingham Metro Branch Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee Bus Trip 8AM–5PM Broad Street and Water Avenue in Selma Alabama

March 7 — Alabama State NAACP Statewide Civic Engagement Training 8–4:15PM Homewood Suites, 7800 EastChase Pkwy, Montgomery, AL 36117

March 8 — Alabama State NAACP in the Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee Parade 8AM–10AM Begins at 1722 Broad St and concludes at the National Voting Rights Museum

March 8 — Alabama NAACP Statewide Bridge Crossing Jubilee Bus Trip 8AM–5PM Alabama State University, Untenese and Mobile Branch and University of Alabama, Oakwood University, Broad Street and Water Avenue, Selma

March 8 — Alabama NAACP Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee Participation in Worship Services 10AM–2PM Brown Chapel AME Church and Tabernacle Baptist Church, Selma

March 8 — Alabama NAACP Youth and College Civic Engagement Voter Activation 8AM–2PM Broad Street and Water Ave, Selma

March 8 — Alabama NAACP Statewide Bridge Crossing 11:15PM – Line up Alabama NAACP Tent on Waters Ave or at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge, Selma

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Alabama

3 Alabama players who helped their draft stock at 2026 NFL combine

Published

23 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

3 Alabama players who helped their draft stock at 2026 NFL combine

Each player had a pivotal role on the Crimson Tide in 2025.

Alabama had a multitude of former players who performed at an elite level at the NFL combine this past weekend.

Former Alabama star quarterback Ty Simpson was among those who put his talents on full display in Indianapolis, as Simpson continues to emerge as a top quarterback prospect available in April’s draft.

Numerous Crimson Tide stars on both sides of the football were able to have an excellent showing at the combine as well, with each playmaker a vital component to the Tide’s success in 2025.

Here are three Alabama players who helped their draft stock rise at the NFL combine.

Ty Simpson, Quarterback

Simpson is widely regarded as the best quarterback prospect available outside of Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza. The talented redshirt junior put on an absolute show at the NFL combine, as Simpson delivered multiple perfect throws and put his talents on full display throughout Saturday’s events.

The former Alabama star is a candidate to potentially shine day one in his campaign in the NFL, as Simpson’s draft stock continues to rise prior to April.

Jam Miller, Running Back

Miller is an extremely fast and athletic running back, despite struggling in the Tide’s backfield last season. The star running back recorded an impressive 4.43u 40-yard dash time, as Miller could very easily shine in the NFL next season with consistent playing time.

Miller was nothing short of elite throughout his entire performance at the combine in Indianapolis, as the former Tide running back continues to rise in a multitude of draft rankings around the football world.

Kadyn Proctor, Offensive Tackle

Proctor played a crucial role on Alabama’s offensive line last season. The star lineman reportedly slimmed down prior to the NFL combine, as Proctor displayed elite speed and athleticism throughout Sunday’s combine in Indianapolis.

Proctor is widely expected to be a mid-to-late first round selection in April, as the talented lineman’s efforts during the combine could quickly begin to work in Proctor’s favor during next month’s draft.

The 2026 NFL draft will take place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania starting on April 23, as each Crimson Tide star will look to shine throughout their rookie campaign in the NFL.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion.

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Alabama

Husband, 19, fatally shot wife, 24, himself at Alabama hospital moments after welcoming their first child

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Husband, 19, fatally shot wife, 24, himself at Alabama hospital moments after welcoming their first child

A husband fatally shot his wife before turning the gun on himself at an Alabama hospital just moments after they welcomed their first child on Sunday.

Kynath Terry Jr., 19, gunned down 24-year-old Precious Johnson before fatally shooting himself inside the Baptist Health Brookwood Hospital around 9:30 p.m. Sunday night, WTVM 13 reported.

Johnson delivered a healthy baby just before she was murdered. It’s not immediately clear if the baby was present during the shooting, but police said that Terry and Johnson were the only ones injured.

Terry’s mother told the outlet that the couple were having some marital issues leading up to Johnson’s due date, but nothing that made her fear her son would become violent.

She told the outlet that Terry completed Army National Guard training before tying the knot with Johnson.

She noted that Johnson didn’t want Terry’s side of the family at the hospital for her child’s birth, but it’s unclear if anyone from the mother-to-be’s own family was there.

The hospital was plunged into a lockdown “out of an abundance of caution” while police investigated reports of a shooting. It wasn’t lifted until hours later when they determined there was “no active threat to patients, team members or the public,” the outlet reported.

The Homewood Police Department described the tragedy as “an apparent murder-suicide and is domestic in nature.”

Danne Howard, the president of the Alabama Hospital Association, told the outlet that the chilling attack “was an isolated incident” unlike anything she’d encountered during her three decades working in the state.

Howard said, in the wake of the tragedy, the Baptist Health Brookwood Hospital would undergo a security overhaul implementing “lessons learned” from a mandated after-action report.

Just three months ago, in a town six miles outside of Homewood, a beloved sports reporter was fatally shot by her husband before taking his own life. Their 3-year-old son, who was unharmed, led his grandfather to his parents’ bodies.

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