BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The No. 8 Alabama basketball program got back on track on Wednesday defeating the No. 25 Illinois Fighting Illini 100-87. The Crimson Tide program is still in the process of getting to know its personnel as Alabama welcomed eight new scholarship players for the 2024-25 season.

The Crimson Tide faithful knew it had a lot to be excited about with the talented players returning and a highly rated recruiting class that included two McDonalds All-Americans in Derrion Reid and Aiden Sherrell, however, the biggest surprise may be one of the team’s best players in freshman guard LaBaron Philon.

The freshman guard from Baker High School by way of Link Academy in Missouri logged his fourth college game with double digit scoring as he tied for third on the team in points against Illinois with 16. Additionally he chipped in nine assists with seven rebounds, two steals and a block.

“Philon showed why he’s a pro and moving up everybody’s draft board. That’s a bad boy right there,” Illinois head coach Brad Underwood said.”

Has the Alabama product surprised Oats in his ability to assimilate to the college game so quickly?

“Go back to last spring when he opened his recruitment up and we took him. Yes, I’m surprised from then, but if you’d have asked me after the summer after watching what he did in June, July, August. He came in an established himself as one of the best guards in the program right out of the gate in the month of June.” Oats said.

“I think he came in and competed. He had the right mindset coming in. When he opened up his recruitment he made the point, ‘If I’m not going to play much, because Kansas took a lot of transfer guards, that’s where he’d signed. ‘If i’m not going to play much I’d rather be home in Alabama at Alabama, if I’m not going to play much’. I just said ‘Look, just come in and work hard and we’ll see what you can earn’. So he kind of just came in expecting nothing, had to earn everything. When you feel like you’ve got to earn everything, that’s when I feel like you starting playing your best. That’s why we don’t ever promise anybody minutes, starting spots, really anything around here. I think you make everybody come in and earn it. All of the sudden you get guys like Labaron that blossom”

Oats said in his Tuesday press conference he’s already hearing from NBA scouts about his freshman sensation. Philon is third on the team in scoring through five games and added a hard hat award for his efforts against the Fighting Illini. He credited preparation and a calm mindset for his quick start tot the current year.

“Really just being in the moment. As a young guy you probably get nervous or a lot of butterflies. I just try to stay calm in every moment and confident. Once you get in the gym, once you get on the court it’s all confidence then.”

On Tuesday’s ESPN CFP Rankings Show, ESPN college football analyst Joey Galloway shocked the entire cast when he suggested that Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti should sit out starting quarterback Kurtis Rourke for the Hoosiers’ biggest game of the season Saturday against Ohio State. Just a day later, Galloway got a chance to explain his rationale for this opinion, and he doubled down on the comment.

Galloway’s suggestion for Indiana to bench Rourke for the game, which he said was largely made while considering the injury to Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis last year, drew instant criticism from the remainder of the cast, with Booger McFarland and Greg McElroy immediately pushing back against him.

On Wednesday, Galloway got a chance to defend his take when he joined Rece Davis on the College GameDay Podcast. Davis started off the podcast episode by affirming his respect and friendship with Galloway before wholeheartedly disagreeing with his opinion.

“Joey, I’m having you on for a number of reasons. One, I have high regard for your talent. I consider us friends, I hope you feel the same way. You do such a tremendous job. You are astute in the ways of the (CFP) committee. You understand the complexities. You understand that it’s not a monolithic body. They have to come out with one answer, but there are differing opinions in the room.

“But the other reason you are on here is you said some things on the show last night that… Knowing you as I do, I almost felt like you were lobbing a smoke bomb into the midst of the crowd just to stir things up. Almost being facetious to make a point.

“Because what you said… You correct me if I’m wrong. If you were Indiana and the playoff predictor says that you have a 96 percent chance of making the playoff even if you lose to Ohio State. And the one thing you couldn’t have happen would be lose your quarterback, that you would sit Kurtis Rourke against Ohio State.

“I can’t wrap my head around this at all… As in you actually believing this is something they should do. Why would you say this is something Indiana should do?”

Galloway then replied, doubling down on his take that Indiana should sit Rourke because he believes that Indiana would be in the CFP even despite a loss to Ohio State, but wouldn’t if Rourke goes down with an injury.

“Let me give you a little history, Rece,” said Galloway. “Because I have evolved. I was the guy that would argue when guys would sit out their bowl games. I was the guy that was like, I can’t believe they would do that.
“I’ve evolved now after watching what happened to Florida State last year with Jordan Travis. A team that was absolutely about to be in the playoff. There was no doubt they were in. Their quarterback gets hurt and now they are out of the playoff.

“I’m being 100 percent serious. If I am Indiana, I am considering not playing Kurtis Rourke. Now, I don’t have to make that decision. So it’s much easier from behind a desk to say ‘Don’t do it.’ I still feel that if you do play him, I would put him in a glass bottle and roll him out there.”

Galloway then went on to pose Davis a hypothetical question on whether he would rather beat Ohio State or make it into the College Football Playoff.

Davis replied like the majority of college football fans would, saying that a win over Ohio State all but ensures that Indiana would be in the playoff regardless of what happens the rest of the season.

“Beating Ohio State,” said Davis. “Because you go to the playoff if you do that.  I respect your right to say this and I understand where you are coming from. But a couple of things as it pertains to this particular playoff and this particular team.

“Nobody in the history of the sport has lost more games than Indiana. Indiana is in a position right now to win the Big Ten. And if you put your quarterback on the shelf, you are saying you don’t really belong. We’re trying to sneak in the back door. And there is no way that Curt Cignetti is doing that, nor should he.”

Davis really hit the nail on the head in his reply to Galloway’s hypothetical question.

By benching Rourke, you are essentially saying that you feel like you are safe to make the CFP regardless of putting your best effort forward for the remainder of the season, which is obviously a terrible look to the committee.

Not only that, but you can’t assume that some freak injury is going to happen. That could happen at any given time in practice to any player.

Galloway doesn’t seem to realize the kind of statement a potential win over Ohio State would mean for Indiana. Not only to the CFP Committee, but to the remainder of the contending teams in college football.

Regardless, Galloway is sticking to his guns despite all of the criticism online and the pushback from Davis here. And that’s at least admirable, albeit quite unpopular.

[ESPN College Football on YouTube]

We have reached Week 13 in the college football season, which means the pressure intensifies and the need for wins is amplified. 

This week there are several featured attractions around the Big 12 Conference. Those includes BYU looking to rebound at red-hot Arizona State while Kansas tries to knock off a third straight ranked opponent when they welcome Colorado to Kansas City.

Arizona and TCU kick things off early Saturday afternoon with BYU-Arizona State, Colorado-Kansas, Texas Tech-Oklahoma State and UCF-West Virginia starting 30 minutes later. 

The night window includes Baylor at Houston, Iowa State at Utah and Cincinnati at Kansas State.

The mid-afternoon window of games will give those interested in how the conference turns out some key answers. BYU (9-1, 6-1) and Colorado (8-2, 6-1) have it pretty simple: win the next two games and you are in for the title game in December with a berth in the College Football Playoff on the line.

The Cougars, though, are coming off a disappointing loss at home to Kansas. Now, they have to play quite possibly the hottest team in the conference in Arizona State (8-2, 5-2), who has climbed all the way back to contention. 

Led by Cam Skattebo and Sam Leavitt, the Sun Devils have won three in a row and five of is around a road loss to Cincinnati. They close with in-state rival Arizona next week. 

Colorado will try to do what Iowa State and BYU couldn’t the last two weeks in solving Jayden Daniels and Kansas (4-5, 3-4), who are fighting for bowl eligibility themselves. Heisman Trophy frontrunner Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders have won four straight for head coach Deion Sanders. 

* Matt Campbell talks up the Utah defense

* Cyclones right back into contention in wild, wild Big 12

*Three stars in Iowa State’s win over Cincinnati including Stevo Klotz

*Complete game recap of Iowa State’s win over Cincinnati

* Scouting the opponent: Get to know QB Brendan Sorsby

* Latest college football playoff rankings

* What Cincinnati coach Scott Satterfield had to say about Cyclones