Forty names, games, teams and minutiae making news in college football, where the Pac-12 power play has not gone entirely according to plan. First Quarter: Twelve Angry Men. Second Quarter: Group of 5 Realignment Struggle. Third Quarter: Unbeaten Challenges.
Now it gets real for Kalen DeBoer (31). Now he really has to start trying to measure up to the incomparable legacy of Nick Saban, when the No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide (32) host the No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs (33) in the biggest game of the season to date.
Saban set the Alabama bar impossibly high in an array of areas, most importantly winning six national championships between 2009–20. But not far down the list from that is his ownership of Georgia. He went 8–2 as coach of the Crimson Tide against the Bulldogs, and even more significantly was 5–1 against Kirby Smart (34).
Smart has assumed the mantle of the game’s greatest active coach. But that would have happened earlier if not for a repeated inability to beat his mentor and former boss, Saban.
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Put it this way: Kelee Ringo (35) is the only thing separating Georgia from a complete nightmare existence where Alabama is involved. The defensive back’s pick-six of Bryce Young late in the 2021 College Football Playoff national championship game drove a stake through Bama, cementing a Georgia national championship and Smart’s only victory over Saban.
The Bulldogs needed that desperately. Before and after that cathartic moment, there were the following red-and-black tales of woe:
Georgia’s record from 2017 to the present is an overpowering 90–10. Exactly half of those losses were inflicted by Nick Saban (36). Which means nobody was happier to hear Saban’s retirement announcement than Smart.
And it means that DeBoer has quite the task to live up to. When beating Georgia is an expectation, not a wishful dream scenario, you’ve got a hard job.
Line: Georgia by 2, per DraftKings, the first time Alabama has been a home underdog since 2007—Saban’s first season.
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Key stat: Since Carson Beck (37) lost a fumble that led to a Bama field goal in an SEC title game decided by three points, Georgia has not turned the ball over again. The Bulldogs were spotless in the Orange Bowl rout of the Florida State Seminoles last season, and they are one of three teams yet to commit a turnover this season. They haven’t lost a game in which they didn’t commit a turnover since that 2018 loss to … Alabama. (Though the fake punt was a de facto turnover.)
Dash pick: Georgia 23, Alabama 20. The hunch here is that Smart prevails upon offensive coordinator Mike Bobo to let Beck cook a bit more earlier in the game than he has so far, with positive results. The other hunch is that Smart doesn’t suffer a fainting spell without Saban on the other sideline.
Curt Cignetti (38), Indiana Hoosiers. The last time the Hoosiers looked like this was … never? They’re 4–0, which has happened a handful of times in school history, but they’ve never scored this many points (202, or 50.5 per game) in their first four games. The first-year coach arrived from the James Madison Dukes talking noise—a bold strategy at Indiana—and to date his team has backed him up. The Hoosiers haven’t played anyone good yet, but at this juncture Cignetti is the Hire of the Year in college football.
Hugh Freeze (39), Auburn Tigers. Oh, it’s getting ugly early on The Plains. Freeze threw his players under the bus after a loss to the Arkansas Razorbacks dropped the Tigers to 2–2 and ran their turnover total to a nation-leading 14: “We’ve got to find a guy that won’t throw it to the other team and we’ve got to find running backs that hold on to it,” he said. “… The scheme is what most everybody in the country is running, some sort of. But you’ve got to have a good quarterback in whatever system you’re going to choose.”
That prompted a bitter social-media broadside from one of Freeze’s best quarterbacks, Bo Wallace, who played for him at Mississippi a decade ago. He savaged Freeze for what he says is a history of throwing his players under the bus after losses. When one of your best former players is going after you like that publicly, that’s a bad sign.
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Additional performers include Chuck Leavell, Act of Congress, Roman Street, Will McFarlane and the Muscle Shoals All-Stars, Anthony Crawford and Savana Lee, the Montevallo Community Band and numerous other artists representing Alabama’s diverse musical traditions.
Beyond the music, visitors will find historical reenactments, military encampments, battle demonstrations and the popular America’s Stories presentation series, where historians and costumed interpreters bring pivotal moments from American history to life.
The festival will also showcase Alabama’s culinary heritage through America’s Kitchen, featuring live cooking demonstrations and competitions from chefs across the state, including Columbiana native Jonathan Harrison.
Families can expect a full lineup of children’s activities, hands-on educational experiences, games, crafts, puppet shows and performances by Perondi’s All-Star Stunt Dogs.
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One unique addition to the July 4 schedule will be a screening of “Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero” at 6:30 p.m. inside the West Wing Theatre. The animated film tells the true story of America’s most decorated war dog and is designed as a family-friendly tribute to service, courage and patriotism.
Organizers say Sweet Home 250 will also place special emphasis on Alabama’s role in the nation’s story.
In addition to exploring America’s founding, the event will highlight Alabama’s contributions to 250 years of American history through music, art, education and cultural programming.
“The Semiquincentennial gives us a rare opportunity to pause and consider the remarkable journey of our country,” Steed said. “We can honor the courage of those who came before us while also thinking about the kind of nation we want to continue building together.”
The celebration will culminate with a fireworks display over Independence Hall on the evening of July 4, providing a fitting finale to Alabama’s largest America 250 event.
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For organizers, however, the festival’s lasting impact will extend beyond concerts, exhibits and fireworks.
“We hope people leave inspired,” Miller said. “We want families talking on the drive home about what they saw, what they learned and what it means to be part of this ongoing American story.”
As America approaches its 250th birthday, Sweet Home 250 offers Alabamians an opportunity not only to celebrate the nation’s past but also to reflect on the principles that continue to shape its future.
“America’s story is still being written,” Miller said. “Every generation adds its own chapter. Sweet Home 250 is a chance for all of us to celebrate the chapters that came before us and consider what we will contribute to the next ones.”
The Philadelphia 76ers selected Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr. with the 22nd overall pick of the 2026 NBA draft Tuesday night.
Philon is the first pick of the Mike Gansey era after he replaced Daryl Morey as the team’s president of basketball operations.
Who is Labaron Philon Jr.?
Philon, 20, led the Crimson Tide in scoring last season, averaging 22.0 points on nearly 40% shooting on 3-pointers. He was the focal point of one of the nation’s most potent offenses, as Alabama led the country in points per game in the 2025-26 season. The Crimson Tide (No. 16) finished the season with a 25-10 record and went 13-5 against conference opponents.
Philon, who helped lead Alabama to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament, earned Third-Team All-American and First-Team All-SEC honors in his sophomore season.
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In 33 games last season for Alabama, Philon scored 725 total points, which is ranked third-most by a player in a single season in program history.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver shakes hands with Labaron Philon Jr. after he is drafted twenty-second overall by the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2026 in New York City.
Arturo Holmes / Getty Images
Philon was the 34th-ranked basketball recruit in the country entering his freshman season at Alabama, according to 247sports. The four-star guard initially committed to playing at Auburn, but decommitted. He then signed a letter of intent to play at Kansas, but didn’t play there, either. He then committed to the Crimson Tide in April 2024.
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Philon impressed as a freshman at Alabama and averaged 10.6 points in 37 games. He declared for the 2025 NBA draft but then withdrew and returned for his sophomore season, where he saw his scoring average jump more than 10 points.
Philon is a Mobile, Alabama, native and played at Baker High School in Mobile County, where he scored 2,334 points in three seasons. He was named the Class 7A Player of the Year twice.
As a junior, he averaged 35 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists and was named Alabama Mr. Basketball, which is given to the best high school boys’ basketball player in the state. Philon transferred to Link Academy, a boarding school in Missouri, for his senior year of high school.
Philon now joins a backcourt headlined by Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe heading into the 2026-27 season. Quentin Grimes could return to Philadelphia next season and add even more depth, but he’s an unrestricted free agent.
The pick the Sixers used to pick Philon was acquired in the deal that sent Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder at the trade deadline.
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Labaron Philon Jr. scouting report
CBS Sports had Philon ranked as the 14th-best prospect in the 2026 NBA draft.
Here are his strengths and weaknesses, according to CBS Sports:
Strengths
On-ball creator who made an extreme leap as a sophomore, ranking in the 99th percentile in isolations (was 24th percentile as a freshman) and 94th as a pick-and-roll handler (was 32nd percentile as a freshman). Combines smooth attack with sudden change of speed and direction, dexterity, and finishing craft in the lane.
Shot-maker who can make tough shots off both the catch (36% on contested catch-and-shoot 3-pointers), dribble (38% from deep), and has extreme gravity when he’s spacing the floor (46% on unguarded catch-and-shoot 3-pointers).
Shown pliability to thrive in different roles over the years and is a similarly versatile creator, because he’s a scoring threat at multiple levels and also an accurate, and somewhat creative, passer with both hands off the dribble.
Weaknesses
Inconsistent defensive approach. Showed more engagement and potential as a freshman, but couldn’t maintain that as a sophomore when taking on a bigger offensive role.
Lacks overwhelming physicality or highest level explosiveness, and didn’t add any notable muscle mass between his freshman and sophomore seasons (175 pounds at 2025 combine and 176 at 2026 combine).
Unclear how well his creation scales to the NBA level when he will have less usage and volume coupled by more physicality in opposing defenders.
Alabama football hosted a hometown kid for an official visit last weekend when it got Jeremiah Beverley on campus for an official visit.
Beverley attends Hillcrest High School in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and ESPN currently has him rated as a four-star recruit. He is considering Alabama, Cincinnati, Wake Forest and others.
The Crimson Tide offered Beverley earlier this month and got him on campus for an official visit last weekend. The Alabama target told Touchdown Alabama he used the visit to learn what the Tide has planned for him if he commits.
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“I’m truly happy that I went on that official visit,” Beverley said. “Blessed for that. All I was talking about was the next step, what I got to do? So, just knowing what they have planned for me, knowing what they have set for me.”
At 6-foot-2 and 235 pounds, Beverley makes plays for Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa as a defensive end. Alabama has plans to use him similarly at the next level.
“They’re going to have me at wolf mostly,” Beverley said. “I know coach (Kane) Wommack and coach (Christian) Robinson, I think they see me at other positions, but I know it is guaranteed they’re going to see me at Wolf and me working my way up on special teams, and they expect that out of me.”
Beverley is expected to announce a commitment decision on Friday.
Watch Jeremiah Beverley’s Highlights Below:
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Justin Smith is the Managing Editor and Lead Writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine with over 10 years of writing experience & expertise. Smith has consistently delivered high quality, extensively researched information on the University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide football team that fans can trust. Smith is official credentialed media with the University of Alabama under Touchdown Alabama Magazine. He is also the Director of Recruiting for Touchdown Enterprises, specializing in scouting and analyzing high school recruits around the nation, specifically focusing on recruits within the state of Alabama.
