Atlanta, GA
Alabama Snaps 17-Game Atlanta Win Streak: Notebook
ATLANTA — No. 9 Alabama football fell to No. 3 Georgia 28-7 in the SEC Championship on Saturday evening.
The large margin of defeat puts the Crimson Tide’s College Football Playoff hopes in jeopardy, and if the committee isn’t convinced of Alabama’s full-season resumé, Selection Sunday would eliminate UA from a spot in the 12-team field for the second consecutive season.
There were numerous reasons for Alabama’s downfall in the 2025 SEC Championship. Here are three factors that impacted the result.
The Third Down Paradox
This was Alabama’s second meeting with Georgia this year, as the Crimson Tide took the Bulldogs down 24-21 in Athens, Ga., in late September. One of the biggest takeaways from that game was that UA started the game converting all seven of its third-down attempts.
Fast forward to Saturday in Atlanta, Alabama really struggled to find the first-down marker. The Crimson Tide finish 3 of 13 on third-down attempts—a massive difference from the first game. Additionally, Simpson and company also went nearly 23 minutes without a first down at one point in this game.
Converting third downs was one of Simpson’s top keys to success from this past Monday, but the Crimson Tide’s failure in this stat category played a big part in determining the outcome.
“We’re just one or two things away from having a big play,” Simpson said. “I think credit to Georgia’s defense, they did a good job. We just got to make the easy things easy. I felt like to be good on third down, we got to be better on first and second down.”
Key Pregame Loss Impacts Blocked Punt
Alabama football released its initial availability report on Wednesday evening ahead of the SEC Championship game in Atlanta, and there was a surprising name listed.
Crimson Tide BANDIT LT Overton was listed as “out” for Saturday’s game against Georgia due to an illness. Overton plays a role on punt coverage, and his absence led to a blocked punt in the first quarter. Four plays and 21 yards later, Georgia would open the scoring and the Bulldogs had the momentum from then on.
“I can tell you exactly what happened [on the blocked punt],” DeBoer said during the postgame press conference. “We got a new face in the spot. Obviously that’s LT Overton’s position. Just tell you what it is. There’s a check we got to make. You got a new face in that spot. That’s what happened.
“Again, getting guys more reps, getting guys back out there makes a big deal. I don’t fault our guys that were in that spot, doing everything they can. But there’s a check we got to make, one we make all season long. We missed it. They got an extra hat that we couldn’t block.”
Alabama Would Look ‘Considerably Different’ Without Injuries
Alabama came into Saturday a bit banged up, as eight players didn’t suit up. Crimson Tide running back Jam Miller and tight end Josh Cuevas missed this game, and left guard Kam Dewberry was dressed but didn’t see action on the field.
In addition to these three and the aforementioned LT Overton, Alabama had few more players not fully healthy, and DeBoer listed them off.
“You talk about Parker Brailsford, who if you give these guys two weeks to get ready, what the health will look like for these guys, Parker Brailsford, Germ [Bernard], Daniel Hill, I’m not saying what he’s playing through, but two weeks, it will be a different Daniel Hill, okay?
You execute or you have a lack of execution in games because you probably didn’t have everyone out there working together in practice. So Dewberry will be back, 100 percent, I mean, he was at the end of the week. Geno [VanDeMark] would be back. He got taken out of the game there. He’ll be back. I can keep going on down the line.
More reps for our other running backs. Fully expect to have Jam back. Two of our three losses are when Jam doesn’t play. Really not a chance that he felt like he could play today. He’s not that far away. It’s not the one, to me, injury that keeps you out, holds you back. Even a chance to — could be tight, but a chance even Kevin Riley. That might be a little bit tight, just to be real with you.
“There’s a lot of guys. I think that’s what it really comes down to, is playing with their guys. We got into this game today. The execution just wasn’t quite as crisp. There’s usually a reason for that. Again, defensively the same thing. Kelby Collins, LT, Z.B. (Zabien Brown) in the game today dinged up. Dijon a little bit before the game with an evaluation we had where we had to hold off.
“All those guys in two weeks, considerably different football team, the one you would have seen earlier in the season.”
TideBits
- Alabama only lost one game by more than two scores in the entire Nick Saban era over 17 seasons (44-16 loss to Clemson in CFP title). Alabama has lost a game by 21 points in both of Kalen DeBoer’s first two seasons: 2024 Oklahoma (24-3), tonight to Georgia (28-7).
- Alabama had won nine of its last 10 games against Georgia coming into Saturday. This includes the last four in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
- Former Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley was honored before the game as part of the 2025 SEC Legends Class. The 5-time Pro Bowler retired from the NFL on June 19 after 11 years. While at Alabama, Mosley was a two-time BCS National Champion, two-time Consensus All-American and two-time First Team All-SEC member (all in 2012 and 2013). Mosley also earned both the Butkus Award (best linebacker) and the SEC Defensive Player of the Year award in 2013.
- Announced attendance was 77,247
- Alabama Captains: quarterback Ty Simpson, center Parker Brailsford, defensive tackle Tim Keenan III and linebacker Deontae Lawson.
Officials:
- Referee: Daniel Gautreaux
- Umpire: Walt Hill
- Referee: Daniel Gautreaux
- Head Linesman: Carl Giola
- Line Judge: Jeremiah Harris
- Back Judge: Peter Buchanan
- Field Judge: Phillip Davenport
- Side Judge: Victor Sanchez
- Center Judge: Marc Curles
- Replay Official: David Almand
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ATLANTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – General admission tickets to FIFA Fan Festival Atlanta are sold out as temperatures hover in the 90s, with organizers urging attendees to prepare for the heat ahead of a packed Wednesday schedule.
Three matches are scheduled for Wednesday, including a U.S. Men’s National Team match in the evening, as the World Cup continues in the knockout stage. The festival at Centennial Olympic Park has welcomed nearly 400,000 visitors since the start of the tournament.
What fans should know before they go
Organizers are advising fans to wear light, loose clothing and bring hats. Neck fans are permitted, as are plastic water bottles without labels. The park opens at 11 a.m. and closes at 11 p.m. Wednesday.
“We are aware of the heat index and we want to make sure people are comfortable and safe within the park,” said Chincie Mouton, Director of Sports Engagement & Community Impact for the Georgia World Congress Center Authority.
Shaded areas, a splash pad at the Fountain of Rings, and water filling stations are available throughout the park. Some of those water stations are supplied by Third Rock Sanitation Solutions, a family-owned company based in Alpharetta.
“We believe we are absolutely life support here, because water is essential for all of us,” said Mark Slade with Third Rock Sanitation Solutions, based in Alpharetta.
The stations provide chilled, filtered water across the park.
“Without the water, let’s face it, there would be people dehydrated, falling out, there would be several problems. So, being part of that, it’s a really good feeling, heartfelt feeling,” Slade said.
Paramedics on standby
Paramedics and safety crews will be on hand should anyone become overwhelmed by the heat, organizers said.
Jason Walker and his son traveled from England to see England play Congo in Atlanta. The match will be held indoors at Atlanta Stadium. Walker said the outdoor heat was already noticeable upon arrival.
“I’m obviously suffering from it at the moment, it’s extremely hot at the moment,” Walker said.
All five remaining days of the Fan Festival are sold out for free tickets. Some paid tickets remain available. Organizers will stop admitting fans once capacity is reached — a threshold that has been hit during U.S. games being played at the park. Early arrival is encouraged.
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Courtesy of Orion Media
A new restaurant at the Forum Peachtree Corners is aiming to reframe what Persian dining in metro Atlanta can look and taste like. Created by Pooya Naraghi, Golestan leans into tradition, drawing heavily from Naraghi’s upbringing and the kind of cooking typically reserved for family tables.
The Naraghi family is best known for their Midtown Mexican restaurant El Valle, created in partnership with chef Luis Damian, but Pooya says Persian cuisine has always been the long-term goal.
“It’s close to my heart,” he says. “Before opening Golestan, the best Persian food I ever ate was my mother’s,” he says. “We want to bring those authentic, home-cooked flavors and traditions to our guests.”
The 5,000-square-foot space pairs homegrown inspiration with a polished, modern setting. Persian rugs suspended overhead, colorful tilework on the floor, florals abound, and arched doorways nod to traditional design, while an open kitchen puts the focus on the chefs at work. The result is what Naraghi describes as elevated but welcoming.
“We don’t want to modernize it too much; it’s what would you experience in Tehran in the ’70s and ’80s in terms of portions, flavors, and plate composition,” Naghari says.
Chef Victor Gonzalez Rodriguez is in the kitchen, bringing more than 20 years of experience in cooking Persian cuisine. The lamb shank, slow-braised until tender in a turmeric and dried lime broth, is a personal favorite of Naraghi, who grew up eating versions of the dish at home. Starters like mirza ghasemi, a smoky eggplant dip with tomato and garlic, are served with house-made flatbread, herbs, feta, and walnuts, nodding to the communal way Persian meals are often shared. Guests can order individual plates or ask for their food served on a shareable platter of rice dishes, kebabs, and sides. It’s a style intentionally reminiscent of dining in Iran decades ago, with an emphasis on generous portions and balance rather than reinvention.
Courtesy of Orion Media
The beverage program weaves Persian ingredients and influences throughout. Cocktails, developed in collaboration with mixologist Daryush Noorbehesht, highlight flavors such as saffron, pistachio, quince, barberry, and sour cherry. Drinks like Leila’s Lips showcase the menu’s balance of tart and aromatic elements. The wine list leans international, with selections from New Zealand, California, France, and Italy alongside lesser-known Lebanese bottles chosen for their compatibility with Persian flavors like cardamom and black tea. Beer spans both local drafts—including SweetWater and Creature Comforts—and a Persian-inspired label, Back Home Beer, brewed by an Iranian-American using family recipes.
For Naraghi, Peachtree Corners was a strategic choice. He saw a gap in the market and an opportunity to introduce something new to the neighborhood. Ultimately, Naraghi’s ambitions extend beyond one location. The name Golestan means “garden of roses,” and reflects a vision of gathering, hospitality, and growth.
“We want guests to feel as though they’ve been welcomed into someone’s home,” he says.
Courtesy of Orion Media
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Thousands of Atlanta immigrants face deportations
Hundreds of thousands of Haitian immigrants face potential deportation starting July 27 after a Supreme Court ruling allowed the administration to end Temporary Protected Status, according to legal advocates.
ATLANTA – A Supreme Court ruling allowing the end of Temporary Protected Status has sparked widespread fear among tens of thousands of Haitian immigrants living across Georgia.
The major legal decision clears the way for federal authorities to resume deportations next month.
Georgia immigrants face deportation
What we know:
The Supreme Court ruled last week that the Trump administration can end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 1-million immigrants. This decision affects roughly 350,000 Haitian immigrants nationwide, including thousands who legally reside and work in metro Atlanta.
Former Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf called the ruling a dramatic win for the administration and common sense. However, local immigration lawyer Lana Joseph said, “these are people who are well vetted, who work here, raise children, pay taxes.”
Atlanta community fears violence
What they’re saying:
An anonymous Haitian woman living in metro Atlanta expressed profound terror, calling the sudden legal shift an absolute nightmare. She said, “I am worried about the future more because I don’t know what’s going to happen to me,” fearing she could be killed by heavily armed gangs that currently overrun much of Haiti.
Dr. Jean Billy Beaufils, president of the Georgia Haitian Leadership Coalition, strongly condemned the decision, describing any forced return to Haiti as suicide. Joseph added that some facing removal entered the country as infants and know no other home.
Legal protections ending soon
What’s next:
The Trump administration is authorized to begin deportations on July 27 following the expiration of the legal safeguards. Meanwhile, immigration advocates are pressing Congress to intervene and extend protections for vulnerable communities.
Unresolved immigration details
What we don’t know:
Officials have not yet confirmed exactly how many individuals within Georgia will face immediate removal actions starting next month. It also remains unclear whether federal authorities will prioritize specific cases or execute widespread enforcement operations.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from FOX 5 reporter Christopher King, who interviewed affected Haitian community members and legal experts in metro Atlanta, as well as broadcast pool feeds featuring federal policy statements.
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