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Alabama Football’s toughest stretch of 2024

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Alabama Football’s toughest stretch of 2024


Alabama will face a brutal 2024 schedule in the first season of the Kalen DeBoer era. The ultra-competitive SEC just got even tougher with the additions of Texas and Oklahoma, and the Crimson Tide will still go on the road to play a Big Ten opponent in Wisconsin.

That game in Madison will be part of a challenging September stretch in which Alabama will play the Badgers as well as the Georgia Bulldogs, who may be the preseason no. 1 team in the country. It will help that Bama gets Georgia in Tuscaloosa, and that these two games will be separated by an off week. 

The Tide will also have a tricky path to navigate as they close the season. Though the Iron Bowl is rarely an issue in Tuscaloosa, Auburn could be improved in year two under Hugh Freeze. Additionally, Alabama will travel to Oklahoma the week prior, making this a tough two-game stint. 

These two groupings in September and November respectively could prove to be tough obstacles for Bama. Alabama’s most challenging stretch of the season, however, will be a month-long gauntlet right in the middle of the season. 

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It will start with the Third Saturday in October, which will see the Tide look to restore its reign in Neyland Stadium. Bama righted the ship in this rivalry in Bryant-Denny last season, but now it returns to Knoxville for the first time since losing to the Vols in 2022. 

Alabama then hosts Missouri, who is considered by some to be a top-10 team heading into 2024. Can the Tigers repeat the success they had last season? If so, this will be a very tough game even at home coming off of a physical rivalry bout. 

Bama kicks off November with a much-needed bye week before heading to Baton Rouge to play in one of the most raucous environments in college football. The Tide generally fared well in Death Valley under Coach Saban, but fell in overtime in its last trip. Coach DeBoer and company will need to bring their best stuff to notch this road win. 

In this four-week stretch, Alabama will play three preseason top-15 teams, at least according to ESPN’s post-spring rankings. Tennessee and LSU could be the Tide’s two toughest road trips of the season, and they will be sandwiched around a home game against a top-10 caliber team. 

While it won’t be easy for Alabama to get the sweep in this stretch, Bama’s taxing schedule could prove to be worth it in the long run. As we enter the 12-team playoff era, the Tennessee-Missouri-LSU gauntlet will likely resemble the mountains Bama will have to summit to win national titles going forward.

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The positions Alabama football will continue to recruit in the 2027 recruiting class

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The positions Alabama football will continue to recruit in the 2027 recruiting class




Alabama football’s 2027 recruiting class holds commitments from 13 2027 recruits with summer official visits behind them.

The Crimson Tide holds commitments from two quarterbacks, two running backs, two tight ends, one wide receiver, one offensive lineman, two edges, one defensive lineman, one defensive back and a kicker.

With the Tide expected to add a few more players to this class, here is a look at three positions Alabama will likely continue to recruit 2027 prospects at:

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Wide Receiver

Osani Gayles is currently the only wide receiver verbally committed to the Crimson Tide. Alabama would love to grab a commitment from Monshun Sales later this month, but the Tide is not considered to be the favorite to land the five-star less than a week out from his Friday decision. Alabama recently offered Jalijah Rutledge out of Moody High School. Rutledge is a 2027 wide receiver, and he is committed to App State. Before Rutledge announced his offer, Alabama made a strong push for Cedrick Simmons, who eventually committed to Auburn. The Tide wants to add at least one more wideout to this class to pair with Gayles.

Linebacker

Alabama does not have an inside linebacker commit, but the Tide did make a significant push for several off-the-ball linebackers before they committed to other programs. It would not be a surprise if Alabama makes a push for an inside linebacker committed elsewhere or offers a prospect who puts some good film together and flashes potential to start their senior season. Alabama’s push for a prospect at this position in the 2027 class could be very fluid moving forward.

Safety

Alabama also does not hold a commitment from a safety prospect. The Tide’s only defensive back commit is Darrius White, and he is projected to play cornerback at the next level. The Tide did not go after a long list of safeties in this class, but it did show a lot of interest in Junior Tu’upo out of Thompson High School in Alabama. A continued push for Tu’upo is likely, along with the possibility of the Tide evaluating a safety prospect who impresses them to kick off their senior season.


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Cullman’s Alabama Strawberry Festival adds another statewide award

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Cullman’s Alabama Strawberry Festival adds another statewide award


The Alabama Strawberry Festival has been named Alabama’s Best Music Festival in Alabama Magazine’s 2026 Best of Bama Awards, the latest statewide recognition for one of Cullman’s signature events.

The Best of Bama Awards celebrate top attractions, events, restaurants and destinations across the state.

Held each April in downtown Cullman, the festival has grown into one of Alabama’s premier destination events, combining nationally known entertainment with local agriculture, family attractions, artisan vendors and food.

“This recognition belongs to our entire community,” said Nathan Anderson, executive director of Cullman Parks, Recreation & Sports Tourism, in a statement. He said the festival has become far more than a weekend event, calling it an economic driver, a tourism asset and a source of community pride. Anderson noted the festival drew nearly 70,000 guests from 35 states this year, which he said shows people are coming to experience Cullman itself, not just a concert.

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Cullman Mayor Woody Jacobs said the recognition reflects years of deliberate investment in building experiences that support the community while drawing outside visitors, calling the festival one of the signature events not just for Cullman, but for the entire state.

Harmony Heard, executive director of Cullman Area Tourism, said the festival continues to strengthen Cullman’s reputation as one of Alabama’s top travel destinations, noting that tens of thousands of out-of-state visitors translate into impact across local hotels, restaurants, retail shops and attractions.

Festival Manager Daniel Wyatt credited the recognition to the work put in year-round by the team behind the event, from booking entertainment to improving the guest experience and coordinating vendors.

The award adds to a strong year for Cullman’s event calendar. Cullman Christkindlmarkt was named the Alabama Tourism Department’s 2026 Event of the Year earlier this summer, meaning two of the city’s flagship festivals have now received statewide recognition in 2026.

The next Alabama Strawberry Festival is set for late April 2027 at Depot Park in historic downtown Cullman.

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Courtesy of 256 Today



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Alabama has Talent returns with local connection

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Alabama has Talent returns with local connection


Alabama has Talent will return Aug. 1 to the Mount Vernon Performing Arts Center in Tallassee, where organizers hope to once again showcase performers from across the state while bringing communities together through the arts.

“There’s so much talent out there and a lot of it just needs an opportunity to be discovered,” organizer Veronica Harris said. “In a world where we seem more and more disconnected, doing things that promote community is a way for us to come together and connect.”

The second annual competition includes separate divisions for children under 16 and adults, with grand prizes of $500 and $1,000. Entry is free for contestants and family-friendly acts of all kinds are welcome. Registration remains open through July 20.

Among those helping spread the word locally is Greenville artist and Muse Alabama Executive Director Jill Marlar. After attending last year’s inaugural competition, Marlar contacted Harris and has since encouraged several of her own students to participate in this year’s youth division.

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“It was top-notch talent and all different ages,” Marlar said. “To sit there in a place I grew up, in a full theater, and see that just really gave me chills.” She said meeting Harris and seeing the event firsthand inspired her to become involved and introduce her students to the competition.



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