Alabama
Football High Live: Scores, updates from Alabama’s state semifinal games
There are few Cinderella stories remaining in the AHSAA 2025 high school football playoffs.
Class 5A Scottsboro is the only unranked team remaining in the race to get to Birmingham’s Protective Stadium next week. The Wildcats host Moody tonight.
Semifinal predictions
Mobile on deck for Super 7
Black Friday features 13 unbeaten teams and three rematches as the field narrows to the final 14 teams. Thompson and Opelika are already in the finals in Class 7A. Who joins them tonight in the other classes?
Check back frequently for highlights from across the state. At the end of the night, the complete scorelist and Super 7 pairings will be available.
Here we go. …
8:38 PM, Devils doing it: Maplesville pushes its lead over Leroy to 24-6 with 10:05 to play in the third period on a 3-yard Nehemiah McCray TD run. The Red Devils and Bears are both 13-0 in 1A this season. … Muscle Shoals’ kicker Jorge Garcia kicked a 45-yard field goal with 8:46 left in the third period to cut Clay-Chalkville’s lead to 22-13. … Jackson leads St. Michael 23-15 at the half.
8:31 PM, All for naught: Tucker Tomlinson jumped on a fumbled punt return to put St. Michael in business at Jackson’s 14-yard line, but the Aggies held when the Cardinals go for it on fourth-and-10. Jackson leads 23-15 with 2:21 left in the half. … Mars Hill leads Piedmont 35-16 at the half. … Bayside leads Southside-Selma 21-8 with 8:37 left in the half. … From Opelika-Auburn News, Lanett has forced 4 turnovers and allowed Reeltown 86 yards in the first half. Lanett is up 21-0. … Addison cuts Wadley’s lead to 14-8 in the third period.
8:14 PM, No. 1 narrows No. 2’s lead: St. Michael’s Noah Moss rambled in for a short TD and Gunner Rivers hit Braedyn Walton for a 2-point PAT to trim Jackson’s lead to 23-15 with 8 minutes left in the first half. … Saraland has lost 3 fumbles, but still leads Benjamin Russell 14-7 at the half.
8:05 PM, Saraland scramble: The second-ranked Class 6A Spartans lead No. 4 Benjamin Russell 14-7 on a 10-yard scramble by Jamison Roberts. The defense set up the score with an INT. … Clay-Chalkville goes in at halftime up 22-10 over Muscle Shoals thanks to a TD pass with 13 seconds remaining. … Coosa Christian is creeping up, now trailing Pisgah 22-20. … Maplesville leads Leroy 17-6 at the half. … Plainview’s Brody Hodges knots the score with Anniston at 14 on a 1-yard run with 3:08 left in the half at Rainsville. … Moody leads Scottsboro 21-10 with 3:28 left in the half as Aidden White hauls in a long TD pass.
7:55 PM, Frye and more Frye: Clay-Chalkville quarterback Aaron Frye puts the visitors up 15-10 over Muscle Shoals with 5:40 left in the half. Frye scored on a draw dead up the middle from 5 yards out for the TD and then walked in around left end for the 2-point conversion after a huge clear out block. … Pisgah leads Coosa Christian 22-13 and Lanett is up 14-0 over Reeltown. … Jackson leads St. Michael 23-7 with 52 seconds left in the first quarter. … Piedmont scores and makes a 2-point PAT, but trails Mars Hill Bible 35-16 with 2:27 left in the half. … Maplesville extends its lead over Leroy to 17-6 on a 9-yard run by Nehemiah McCray with 37 seconds left in the half.
7:47 PM, Back and forth in 1A: No. 2 Maplesville is back on top over No. 3 Leroy 10-6 after a 3-yard run by Jedaiah Works with 3:47 left before the half. … Moody leads Scottsboro 14-7 at the end of the first period. … Wadley has increased its lead over Addison to 14-0 in the second quarter. … Anniston leads Plainview 14-7 with 10:11 left in the half on Damon Pope’s 9-yard run.
7:42 PM, Stalemate, so far: No. 3 Vigor and No. 1 Williamson are tied at 14 with 10:59 left in the half in one 5A semifinal. Sammy Dunn hit Zy Wilson for a 38-yard TD pass and Dylan Jackson on an 18-yarder for the Wolves. Williamson’s Jamarcus Lett scored on a 1-yard run, Todrick Withers had a 3-yard scoring run and an Ellis McGaskin 2-point run tied it up. … Leroy leads Maplesville 6-4 with 6:09 left in the first half after a Jace Sellers 16-yard pass to Tanner Rivers.
7:33 PM, Trojans horse: Quarterback Kade Clemmons raced 43 yards around the left side to put Muscle Shoals up 10-7 over Clay-Chalkville with 1:43 left in the first period. … Anniston takes an 8-7 lead over Plainview on a 6-yard run by Jamorris Young and a 2-point conversion pass from Damon Pope to Kaleb Moore with 5:44 left in the first. … Wadley leads Addison 8-0 after one period. … Mars Hill is rolling over Piedmont at 21-0 in the first quarter.
7:28 PM, Points and more points: Landon Duckworth hit Red Chapman with a 48-yard touchdown pass and EJ Crowell ran for a 2-point conversion to give Jackson an 8-0 lead over St. Michael. … Moody’s Jake Lowery throws to Aubrey Walker for an 18-yard score to tie the game with Scottsboro at 7 with 6:54 left in the first quarter. … Noah Cain runs 4 yards for a Bayside Academy TD with 4:22 left in the first to put the Admirals up 13-0 over Southside-Selma. … Lanett leads Reeltown 7-0 and Pisgah is up 14-0 over Coosa Christian.
7:22 PM, Safety first. And second: Maplesville leads Leroy 4-0 at the end of the first quarter after a punt snap sailed out of the end zone and then the swarming Red Devils tackled a Leroy receiver in the end zone. … Colton Harding finds Conner Vaden for a 40-yard touchdown to put Scottsboro up 7-0 over Moody with 9:58 left in the first quarter. … Jorge Garcia booted a 25-yard field goal to narrow Clay-Chalkville’s lead over Muscle Shoals to 7-3 with 6:44 left in the first. The Cougars stiffened after Jashad Samples returned Clay-Chalkville’s kickoff after its TD 75 yards.
7:11 PM, Plainview, Clay-Chalkville on the board: Owen Hope races 55 yards to put 4A No. 5 Plainview up 7-0 over No. 4 Anniston in Rainsville. In Muscle Shoals, Clay-Chalkville took the opening kickoff and worked its way to the end zone with 8:50 left in the first period. Aaron Frye hit Josh Woods for an 8-yard TD on third-and-goal from the 8-yard line. It’s 7-0, Cougars over the Trojans.
6 PM, Moving on up: Auburn commit Jaquez Wilkes continues to move up in the Best in Bama, AL.com’s list of the top recruits in the state regardless of classification. Alabama commit EJ Crowell is still No. 1 entering tonight’s game at St. Michael. See who else made a move this week on AL.com.
5 PM, Breaking down the finals: 13 unbeaten teams, 3 rematches and 1 unranked Cinderella story. Get a breakdown of all 12 state semifinal games on AL.com before they start.
AHSAA SEMIFINALS
CLASS 6A
Benjamin Russell (12-1) at Saraland (12-0)
Clay-Chalkville (13-0) at Muscle Shoals (12-0)
CLASS 5A
Vigor (11-2) at Williamson (13-0)
Moody (11-2) at Scottsboro (9-4)
CLASS 4A
Jackson (11-2) at St. Michael (13-0)
Anniston (13-0) at Plainview (13-0)
CLASS 3A
Southside-Selma (13-0) at Bayside Academy (12-1)
Piedmont (13-0) at Mars Hill Bible (13-0)
CLASS 2A
Reeltown (10-3) at Lanett (11-2)
Coosa Christian (11-2) at Pisgah (11-2)
CLASS 1A
Leroy (13-0) at Maplesville (13-0)
Wadley (12-0) at Addison (12-1)
This post will be updated
The first phase of good news for the Alabama Crimson Tide is happening. While indications are the two best Alabama offensive linemen will move to the NFL, there are eight other (and counting) offensive linemen who not return for the 2026 season. Three are out of eligibility: Jaeden Roberts, Kam Dewberry, and Geno Van DeMark. Five more are portal entries: Micah DeBose, Joe Ionata, Olaus Alinen, Roq Montgomery, and Wilkin Formby.
Why is the attrition good news? There are two reasons. Kalen DeBoer’s offensive lines have needed skill sets in short supply the last two seasons. His offense needs agile, quick-footed offensive linemen. Not many Alabama football fans will disagree, but for those who do, when two late-season games (Georgia and Indiana) are lost by a combined 56 points, a major overhaul is required.
For an offensive line overhaul, the Crimson Tide needed to free up roster slots, to improve talent, and reallocate money. The count of returning offensive linemen (as of late afternoon on Jan. 4) is six: Mike Carroll, Casey Poe, Jackson Lloyd, Mal Waldrep, Red Sanders, and Arkel Anugwon. In addition, the 2026 class added five more: Tyrell Miller (JUCO), Jared Doughty, Chris Booker, Bear Fretwell, and Bryson Cooley
Next for the Alabama Crimson Tide
Alabama could get lucky and have Parker Brailsford decide to play another season of college ball. Assuming that luck will not occur, three or four offensive linemen need to be added through the Portal. At least two of them need to be tabbed as near-locks to start in next fall’s season opener.
So far, the only target known publicly is Texas State center, Brock Riker. New targets are expected to surface soon, some of whom may not be in the portal yet. According to Yahoo Sports, Riker has been targeted by at least nine Power Four programs, with more offers expected soon.
The large number of transfer exits may be an indication that offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic will also move on. Many Alabama football fans are looking forward to DeBoer bringing in a new OL coach.
According to a report from ESPN’s Max Olson, Alabama Crimson Tide outside linebacker Noah Carter is set to enter the NCAA transfer portal following two seasons in Tuscaloosa.
Carter is the first Alabama outside linebacker to enter the transfer portal so far this cycle.
The outside linebacker originally came to Alabama as a member of the Crimson Tide’s 2024 class, and was one of the first big commitments of the Kalen DeBoer era. Then, Carter was rated as the nation’s No. 109 overall prospect, as well as No. 9 edge rusher nationally, out of Centennial High School in Arizona, per the 247Sports Composite rankings.
During his two seasons at Alabama, Carter posted a combined 11 tackles and 0.5 TFL across 14 games played. The outside linebacker appeared in 11 games this past season, posting nine tackles and 0.5 TFL.
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In the aftermath of Alabama’s embarrassing Rose Bowl loss, one of the loudest and most important conversations surrounding the program isn’t just about the offensive line, the play-calling, or the defensive breakdowns. It’s about Ty Simpson, and what comes next for him.
Tom Loy of 247Sports recently added serious fuel to that conversation when he said:
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“If Ty Simpson gets a first-round grade, he’s gone to the NFL. If not, keep an eye on Tennessee and Oregon.”
That’s a big deal. And it’s a conversation worth having.
At this point, there are three realistic paths in front of Simpson: return to Alabama, enter the NFL Draft, or transfer. After the Rose Bowl performance and the questions it raised, nothing feels guaranteed anymore.
The idea of Simpson potentially leaving Alabama is shocking, especially the Oregon part. Tennessee makes some sense. They’ve built a reputation for developing quarterbacks, playing fast, and creating offensive systems that highlight strengths. But Oregon? That hits different. Tennessee is home. Well, at least for Ty. After all, he’s from Martin, Tennessee. And he actually almost chose to go to play for the Volunteers before committing to the Crimson Tide.
The Vols have familiarity, comfort, and a system that could give Simpson the keys immediately.
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That alone makes the possibility unsettling for Alabama fans.
Still, before anyone panics, it’s important to zoom out and look at the bigger picture.
Ty Simpson finished the season completing 305 of 473 passes for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns, and just five interceptions. Statistically, that’s a strong season. It shows efficiency, decision-making, and growth, even amidst inconsistency. But the Rose Bowl exposed something numbers don’t always tell, the need for experience, command, and comfort under pressure.
That’s where an interesting comparison comes into play: Jalen Hurts.
Like Simpson, Hurts once faced uncertainty at Alabama.
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Like Simpson, he had to make a decision about his future when the situation wasn’t crystal clear.
Hurts chose to leave with the blessing of Nick Saban, transferred to Oklahoma, and had a phenomenal season. That single year of experience, tape, and confidence skyrocketed his draft stock and reshaped his NFL future.
Maybe, just maybe, that same path could exist for Ty Simpson.
That doesn’t necessarily mean Alabama has already lost him.
In fact, one could argue the best thing for Simpson might be another year as a starter, whether that’s in Tuscaloosa or elsewhere.
Quarterbacks don’t just need talent; they need reps, adversity, and film that shows growth. One more season of full command, especially behind a stronger offensive line and a more stable system, could change everything.
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As for the NFL, the message from Tom Loy is clear: if Simpson hears “first-round,” he’s gone.
And he should be.
You don’t pass up that opportunity.
But if the grade comes back lower, returning, or transferring, becomes a smart business decision, not an emotional one.
Right now, nothing is decided.
But the fact that Tennessee and Oregon are even being mentioned tells you how real this situation is. The transfer portal has changed the game of college football, and now, and players like Ty Simpson now have leverage, options, and choices.
The Ty Simpson conversation isn’t just about one quarterback.
It’s about where Alabama football is headed, and how quickly things can change.
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