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Scarbinsky: 2025 CFP is Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer vs. the Nick Saban coaching tree

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Scarbinsky: 2025 CFP is Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer vs. the Nick Saban coaching tree


Did you see it? Did you feel it? Did you understand what just happened in that moment last Saturday morning on College GameDay?

Nick Saban didn’t go viral. He got real. He didn’t toss out a gratuitous cuss word to make the rodeo clown next to him giggle. He let his guard down, put aside the coachspeak and spoke from the heart.

Saban, on the set in College Station before the Miami-Texas A&M playoff game, started to ask a question of Kalen DeBoer, who was back in Tuscaloosa after the stirring comeback victory at Oklahoma the night before. The GOAT veered off-script and off-brand for just a moment.

“God, I’m proud of ya,” Saban said, “and I’m proud of the team.”

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DeBoer, on a split screen, didn’t change his expression, but you had to wonder if something fundamental had changed between the coach who stepped down in T-town and the coach who stepped up to take his place.

Before Oklahoma, Saban had questioned Alabama’s toughness because the Tide got bullied by Georgia in the SEC Championship Game, but toughness can show itself in different ways beyond a punishing running game. By withstanding the atmosphere, energy and incipient avalanche against the Sooners, DeBoer’s second Alabama team displayed an inner strength few understood it possessed.

Saban, whose teams routinely struggled to meet the moment in Auburn’s raucous house, seemed to understand the significance of what his successor had just accomplished. DeBoer, before getting to Saban’s question about what’s next, simply responded, “Appreciate that, coach.”

Do you understand the river running through the 2025 College Football Playoff? Do you appreciate that Saban’s influence on the sport has never been on more vivid display?

Of the eight teams remaining in the chase for the national championship, five of them are coached by former Saban assistants at Alabama. Unless Ryan Day and Ohio State or Joey McGuire and Texas Tech disrupt the storyline, DeBoer and the Crimson Tide may have to go through three Saban proteges to add his own statue to the Walk of Champions.

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Up next: Indiana and former Alabama wide receivers coach Curt Cignetti in the quarterfinals on New Year’s Day in the Rose Bowl. Win there, and DeBoer could face Oregon and former Alabama graduate assistant Dan Lanning in the Jan. 9 semifinals in the Peach Bowl.

Win there, and DeBoer could meet Georgia and former Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart or Ole Miss and former Alabama defensive coordinator Pete Golding or Miami and former Alabama offensive line coach Mario Cristobal in the Jan. 19 National Championship Game in Miami.

In a symbolic way, DeBoer has been competing with Saban’s shadow every single day since accepting the challenge to follow him. For the rest of this postseason, DeBoer may have to tangle with three branches of the Saban coaching tree.

Fun fact: DeBoer is 7-2 against Team Saban. He’s 2-1 against Smart, 3-0 against Lanning, 2-0 against Steve Sarkisian and 0-1 against Cristobal. DeBoer and Fresno State lost to Cristobal and Oregon 31-24 in 2021.

Cignetti is the most intriguing character in this Saban family Christmas play. While Smart is the son of Saban generally acknowledged as most like his coaching father, Cignetti didn’t fall far from the tree, either. He shares Saban’s disdain for mediocre people and dumb questions. The Indiana coach has a sharp edge to his wit, his tongue and his approach to attacking opponents.

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He and DeBoer have never squared off as head coaches, but their resumes have a shared history. Each has coached at the other school. Cignetti was Alabama’s receivers coach and recruiting coordinator from 2007-10, working with the program’s foundational recruit, Julio Jones. He left to start his head coaching journey at Indiana University – of Pennsylvania, a Division II school where his dad, Frank, had been a highly successful head coach.

DeBoer spent the 2019 season as Indiana’s offensive coordinator. The Hoosiers went 8-5, their best season in 26 years, which helped DeBoer land his first FBS head coaching opportunity at Fresno State.

They bring different reputations into the Rose Bowl. DeBoer is the giant killer who’s 4-0 against top-10 teams in true road games as a head coach. Cignetti is the miracle worker who’s 24-2 in two seasons at historically inept Indiana.

This one may tie Saban’s heartstrings in knots. Cignetti helped him pour the foundation of Alabama’s dynasty, and long before that, Cignetti’s father hired Saban as his defensive backs coach at West Virginia. Meanwhile, Alabama is the school that gave Saban the chance to take his career to an elite level. He’s still a paid ambassador, and the field in Bryant-Denny Stadium is named in his honor.

Alabama AD Greg Byrne went outside the Saban family to hire his successor. DeBoer keeps reinforcing the wisdom of that decision. Making Saban proud added to the confirmation. Mowing down one Saban protege after another to win a national title would be the ultimate validation.

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Where to Shop Last-Minute Alabama Shakes Tickets Online

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Where to Shop Last-Minute Alabama Shakes Tickets Online


All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Alabama Shakes have lined up a string of North American and European tour dates for 2026. After releasing a No. 1 hit on Billboard’s Adult Alternative Airplay chart last year with “Another Life,” Brittany Howard and the band are headed back to the live stage for a spring and summer run of concerts. Starting on April 16, the band will hit major cities around the US, including Atlanta, Denver and multiple stops in Florida before setting off for a stint in Europe this July.

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How to Buy Alabama Shakes’ Concert Tickets, At a Glance

After their incredible 2015 album Sound & Color, Alabama Shakes took a hiatus from 2018 to 2024, so that frontwoman/guitarist, Howard, could focus on her solo career. They would later reunite for a show in Tuscaloosa, Ala in December of that year, which led to a large tour in 2025 from July through September. Luckily for fans, the group decided to extend the tour and festival run in 2026. With their last single coming out in 2025, can we expect more music from the group while on tour?

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With their tour kicking off soon and tickets selling fast, we’ve compiled all the best ways to shop Alabama Shakes’ tickets online. Ticketmaster does have some general tickets available, but shifting your focus to several resell sites is a great way sho cheap, last-minute concert tickets as well. See below.

Where to Shop Last-Minute Alabama Shakes’ Tickets Online

With resell sites like StubHub, SeatGeek and Gametime, Alabama Shakes’ fans can shop available concert tickets online and securely. Below, ShopBillboard put together a list of affordable ticket options, including exclusive promo and discount codes. Learn about how you can save on concert tickets for each site below.

How to get tickets to Sabrina Carpenter's Short n' Sweet Tour with StubHub.

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With StubHub, fans can affordable Alabama Shakes’ tickets for as low as $71 in some cities. Shoppers can also take advantage of the site’s filters to find the best tickets and venue seating available. Choose from the number of tickets needed, price and even have estimated fees included in the cost, so there are no hidden surprises. Plus, each purchase is protected by StubHub’s FanProtect, which you can learn more about here.

Alabama Shakes Tour: Shop Cheap Tickets Online, Promo Codes, Discounts

Another great option for shopping last-minute concert tickets is on Vivid Seats. The resell site has Alabama Shakes’ tickets for as low as $61. The site will also help you determine the best offers available by labeling what dates have deals and displaying the cheapest prices available. If you want to save even more, use the code BB2024 at checkout, to save $20 off orders of $200+.

Your purchase will also be covered by the Vivid Seats Buyer Guarantee, which can you read more about here.

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Alabama Shakes Tour: Shop Cheap Tickets Online, Promo Codes, Discounts

Seat Geek is another affordable option to find cheap Alabama Shakes’ tickets with options as low as $64. The resale ticketing site uses a ranking system with a scale of 1-10 to show which options are the best deal. Tickets marked a one are considered the worst deal whereas options rated a 10 are considered the best deals. Bonus offer: First purchases are eligible to receive $10 off orders of $250+ when you use the code BILLBOARD10 at checkout.

Alabama Shakes Tour: Shop Cheap Tickets Online, Promo Codes, Discounts

Courtesy of Gametime

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Gametime is offering Alabama Shakes’ tickets online for as cheap as $65 right now. To save on concert tickets, shoppers can score an extra $20 off purchases of $150+ when you enter the code SAVE20 at checkout. If you find other sites offering a cheaper price, Gametime’s Price Guarantee Program will give you 110% of the difference back when you show proof to the resale site.

Alabama Shakes Tour: Shop Cheap Tickets Online, Promo Codes, Discounts

Lastly, Alabama Shakes fans can find cheap tickets on Ticketnetwork starting at $69. To save on concert tickets, shoppers can take advantage of our promo codes that will take $150 off purchases of $500+ when you use the code BILLBOARD150 at checkout or $300 off orders of $1,000+ when you use the promo code BILLBOARD300.

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Alabama Shakes 2026 Tour Dates

Take a look at Alabama Shakes upcoming tour dates below, alongside additional musical guest at each venue.

04/16 – Richmond, VA – Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront ~
04/17 – Asheville, NC – ExploreAsheville.com Arena ~
04/18 – Charleston, SC – High Water Fest
04/22 – Memphis, TN – Grind City Amphitheater +
04/24 – Atlanta, GA – Synovus Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Park +
04/25 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater +
04/26 – St. Augustine, FL – St. Augustine Amphitheatre %
04/28 – Tallahassee, FL – Adderley Amphitheater %
04/29 – Boca Raton, FL – Sunset Cove Amphitheater %
04/30 – Clearwater, FL – The BayCare Sound %
05/02 – New Orleans, LA – New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
05/24 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre #
05/25 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre #
06/13 – Manchester, Tennessee – Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival
07/01 – Leeds, England – Millennium Square
07/02 – Wasing, England – On the Mount at Wasing
07/03 – London, England – Alexandra Palace *
07/05 – Ghent, Belgium – Gent Jazz Festival
07/07 – Lucca, Italy – Summer Festival
07/09 – Lisbon, Portugal – NOS Alive Festival
07/10 – Bilbao, Spain – BBK Live
07/11 – Madrid, Spain – Noches del Botanico
07/25 – Eugene, OR – Autzen Stadium ^
09/19 – Dover, DE – The Woodlands ^

  • ~ with Joy Oladokun
  • with Mon Rovîa
  • % with Lamont Landers
  • with JJ Grey & Mofro
  • with Tyler Ballgame
  • ^ supporting Zach Bryan



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Alabama House passes overtime tax cut, grocery tax holiday in major relief push

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Alabama House passes overtime tax cut, grocery tax holiday in major relief push


The Alabama House of Representatives passed HB527 on Tuesday, delivering an Alabama overtime tax cut of up to $1,000 on qualified overtime pay and adding a 60-day grocery tax holiday, combining for a total fiscal impact of $83.4 million.

HB527, sponsored by State Rep. James Lomax (R-Huntsville), would allow taxpayers to deduct up to $1,000 in overtime pay from their state taxable income each year beginning in 2026. The deduction expires after 2028 unless extended.

The bill’s initial fiscal note was $37.4 million. State Rep. Mike Shaw (R-Hoover) offered an amendment on the floor to attach the 60-day grocery tax holiday, bringing the total fiscal note to $83.4 million.

The bill mirrors President Trump’s “no tax on overtime” policy included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, applying similar relief at the state level.

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“The men and women working overtime shifts to provide for their families are also providing a significant boost to our state’s economy,” Lomax said. “I am proud to carry this legislation in an effort to support and thank them.”

The grocery tax holiday builds on existing legislative action on food costs. In 2023, the Legislature reduced the state grocery tax from 4 percent to 3 percent. During the 2025 session, the House accelerated that effort by cutting it further to 2 percent.

Alabama families are already saving roughly $236 a year from that existing cut, and the temporary two-month suspension of the remaining 2 percent would deliver roughly $40 in additional immediate relief for a typical family of four.

House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville) said the measure reflects a broader legislative push on affordability.

“With fuel prices surging and the price of beef and other essential items at the grocery store nearing all-time highs, it is imperative that state leaders double down on our efforts to lend a helping hand to Alabamians,” Ledbetter said. “Over the course of the last few weeks, I have worked with Governor Ivey and Senate leadership to determine the most expedient and impactful way to provide targeted relief, and we have determined that a 60-day grocery tax holiday presents the best opportunity to lift up every single Alabama family.”

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Since 2022, the Alabama Legislature has delivered more than $1.4 billion in tax cuts to working families and retirees statewide. HB527 now moves to the Senate for consideration.

Tuesday was the 25th legislative day. There are five days remaining in the session.

Sawyer Knowles is a capitol reporter for Yellowhammer News. You may contact him at [email protected].



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Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is hospitalized after a minor procedure, her office says

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Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is hospitalized after a minor procedure, her office says


MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey was hospitalized Tuesday after undergoing what her office described as a minor procedure to remove fluid that was pressing on her lung.

The 81-year-old Republican governor will be monitored at Baptist Medical Center South in Montgomery “in the coming days” out of an abundance of caution, Ivey spokeswoman Gina Maiola said in a statement.

The fluid was discovered after Ivey went to her doctor because she was feeling discomfort in her left side and had recently experienced some shortness of breath.

“While it was not emergent, Governor Ivey wanted to get the procedure done as soon as possible so she can quickly get back to 100% to wrap up the 2026 Regular Session,” Maiola said. The legislative session is in its final days.

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Her office did not specify how long the governor will be in the hospital or recovering.

“We are in touch with Governor Ivey, and she says she is determined to make a very speedy and full recovery.” Maiola said.

Ivey announced in 2019 that she was undergoing radiation for lung cancer. The governor described it as a small localized spot. Her office said in 2020 that scans indicated the treatment was successful and she was free of disease.



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