Alabama
Goodman: The day Alabama football became an underdog
This is an opinion column.
It’s tough to see the Crimson Tide take it to the teeth again and again and again.
First it was the pummeling at the Rose Bowl and now Texas is taking its turn rearranging Alabama’s battered face.
The image of Alabama football might never be the same again.
Alabama forgot how to run the ball last season. It was embarrassing to watch. The Tide’s top running back rushed for 13 yards on five carries in the 38-3 loss to Indiana. Quarterback Ty Simpson had the longest run for an Alabama back, but he broke a rib and fumbled the football on the play.
Not good. Sad stuff.
The problems with Alabama’s running game were all going to change in the offseason, though. Coach Kalen DeBoer had big plans. He was going to bring in a transfer running back and reignite the flame.
Yeah, about that …
Alabama was set to sign a new running back last week. Hollywood Smothers (great name) was planning to leave N.C. State for Alabama. That Alabama didn’t already have five running backs better than a guy at N.C. State would make Nick Saban toss his Oatmeal Creme Pies, but let’s focus on one new reality at a time.
On Friday, Smothers flipped his commitment to Texas and coach Steve Sarkisian.
Oof.
But the hits didn’t stop there.
Texas also landed former Auburn receiver Cam Coleman on Sunday despite a max-effort push by Alabama that included hiring Coleman’s receivers coach away from the Tigers.
Is it just the money, or is the problem Alabama’s coaches and their broken offense, too? Either way, these are bitter days in Tuscaloosa. Don’t forget that Alabama also lost receiver Isaiah Horton to the transfer portal. On Sunday evening, news broke that Horton was headed to Texas A&M.
A new week is here and so is a different perception of Alabama. The Crimson Tide is officially a college football underdog. Alabama can’t run the ball against Indiana, and it can’t outspend the schools in Texas.
Is Alabama poor?
Oh, wait. I know. If that’s the case, then no doubt future football governor Tommy Tuberville will know how to fix it.
Until then, Alabama football is looking more and more like Ole Miss every day.
Is it enough for Alabama to simply limp into the playoffs these days? Maybe that’s the new measure of success. I’ll take 11 wins and a beat down by Indiana over missing the party altogether.
How does Alabama football get off the ropes and punch back? I don’t have an answer for that, but the beatings continue.
Alabama’s loss to Indiana in the College Football Playoff was the kind of thing that can reshape college football history, but losing all of Alabama’s players to Texas year after year is worse. First it was receiver Isaiah Bond after the Iron Bowl. Bond was the hero of the 2023 Iron Bowl. He’s the player who caught the pass from Jalen Milroe in the back of the end zone.
Bond was going to be an Alabama legend forever. Then he made a “business decision” to leave Alabama for Austin.
We thought it couldn’t get any worse, but that was just the beginning of Alabama’s losses to Texas.
Coleman and Smothers would rather play with Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning, and I can’t really blame them. Who’s going to be Alabama’s quarterback next season? No one knows. It’s either forever backup Austin Mack, or unproven underclassman Keelon Russell.
I was hoping the Tide could maybe lure former Arizona State triggerman Sam Leavitt out of the transfer portal, but that was a pipe dream. Leavitt, the top-rated quarterback in the portal, is expected to choose between Miami and Tennessee.
Some readers thought I was crazy on Saturday when I wrote that Auburn is better positioned for the future than Alabama. Then Sunday happened.
Will Alabama ever win another national championship? Seems ridiculous to even ask the question, but things come and go.
Remember when Yale and Princeton ruled college football? Then it was Notre Dame and Michigan for a time.
What about Alabama? Yeah, the Crimson Tide had a good run, too, but that was before money changed everything.
The running back that Alabama wanted chose Texas. The receiver that Alabama wanted went to Texas, too. Horton, a returning starter at receiver, is off to Texas A&M.
Who’s going to be on Alabama’s offensive line next season? No one knows that either. Everyone left.
Right tackle Wilkin Formby would have been a returning starter, but then he went to … you guessed it … Texas A&M.
Alabama’s offensive line was pretty bad last season, but can it get even worse?
When you’re an underdog like Alabama, it’s best to keep the salaries low and expectations even lower.
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Alabama
Alabama mom sentenced to life for hiring hitman to kill her child’s father over custody dispute
An Alabama woman was sentenced to life in prison Friday after authorities said she hired a hitman to kill her child’s father in a custody dispute.
Jaclyn Skuce, 43, of Madison, was convicted of capital murder after hiring a man to kill the child’s father in order to prevent him from gaining custody or further visitation, the Morgan County District Attorney’s Office said.
The Hartselle Police Department was dispatched on July 24, 2020, to a residence for a welfare check after Anthony Larry Sheppard failed to appear in court for a scheduled custody hearing.
His attorney had asked officers to check on him, investigators said.
Upon arrival, police discovered Sheppard’s storm door shattered and the main door ajar.
Officers later found Sheppard dead with multiple gunshot wounds.
Investigators determined that Skuce hired Logan Delp to kill Sheppard in order to prevent him from gaining custody or further visitation with his child.
Prosecutors said Skuce used social media to hire the hitman, who lived in Hartselle, according to the Hartselle Enquirer. She allegedly offered to pay $30,000.
“There are never any winners in a case like this,” Chief Assistant District Attorney Garrick Vickery said following the verdict.
“This jury was incredibly thorough and took their time to make sure they made the right decision, both for Mr. Sheppard and for the defendant.”
Vickery added, “We are glad that they convicted her for the choice she made to take Mr. Sheppard away from his family.”
Skuce was found guilty of three counts of capital murder: murder for hire, murder of a witness, and murder committed by shooting into an occupied dwelling.
Four other defendants have been charged with capital murder in connection with Sheppard’s death.
Delp was convicted of capital murder in October 2025, the DA’s office said. Another defendant has pleaded guilty, and two others are awaiting trial.
Skuce will be imprisoned without the possibility of parole in the Alabama Department of Corrections.
Alabama
Alabama softball vs Texas today: recap, score and highlights
The SEC Tournament championship trophy is headed to Austin.
The Texas Longhorns erased an early 1-0 deficit and never looked back in a 7-1 victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC’s title game Saturday at John Cropp Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky.
Alabama, ranked third in D1Softball’s top 25 rankings, fell to 49-7. Texas, ranked No. 6, improved to 42-10. The Crimson Tide will learn their NCAA tournament seeding and four-team regional draw in Sunday’s selection show, which begins at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN.
Texas starter Teagan Kavan (22-4) was dominant in a complete-game masterpiece against the Tide, holding Alabama to one run on three hits. Her only blemish was a towering home run by Alexis Pupillo with two out in the first inning.
Texas scored three runs in the fourth inning to open up a 5-1 lead. Katie Stewart lined an RBI single in the fourth and would launch her 25th homer of the season two innings later in the sixth to cap the scoring. Stewart was 3-for-5 at the plate as Texas outhit Alabama, 13-3.
Jocelyn Briski (21-3) suffered just her third loss of the season and was tagged for two runs on six hits in three innings. Vic Moten surrendered five runs (three earned) on five hits in 2 1/3 innings. Kaitlyn Pallozzi recorded the final five outs for Alabama.
Texas, the defending national champion, won its first conference tournament trophy since 2005. Alabama was seeking its seventh SEC Tournament title in program history, and its first since 2021.
The Crimson Tide will have to settle for a top-eight national seed in the NCAA Tournament and hopefully a run to the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.
Following are live updates from Alabama-Texas in the 2026 SEC Tournament championship game on Saturday from Lexington.
Kavan finished off a complete-game masterpiece with 108 pitches. She allowed just three hits against an Alabama lineup that had totaled 21 hits in its first two games at the SEC Tournament.
Kavan finished with 12 strikeouts in seven innings. Texas wins it, 7-1, and is your 2026 SEC Tournament champion.
Pallozzi yielded back-to-back singles with two out but escaped without giving up any damage. All the same, Alabama is down to its last three outs against Texas.
Audrey Vandagriff, Ambrey Taylor and Salen Hawkins are due up for the Tide as Kavan looks to finish off a complete game victory.
Kavan picked up her 10th strikeout when she retired Alexis Pupillo to open the bottom of the sixth. Ana Roman flied to left, and Alisa Sneed made a running catch in left on a hard-hit fly ball from Marlie Giles for a 1-2-3 inning.
Texas leads, 7-1, and is three outs away from an SEC Tournament championship.
Reese Atwood drove in the Longhorns’ seventh run of the afternoon with an RBI sac fly to deep left. Hannah Wells flied out to center for the third out.
Texas now leads it, 7-1. Alabama wil look to get something going off Teagan Kavan in the sixth with Alexis Puplilo, Ana Roman and Marlie Giles due up for the Tide.
That home run felt inevitable. Stewart crushed her 25th homer of the season over the scoreboard in left to extend Texas’ lead to 6-1 in the sixth inning.
Texas is still threatening with runners at the corners and one after. Moten just departed after taking a hard-hit line drive to the stomach. Moten was in some obvious pain as Patrick Murphy and the trainers came out to check on her. Hopefully Moten will be OK and just got the wind knocked out of her a bit.
She leaves after 2 1/3 innings. Kaitlyn Pallozzi (8-0, 1.62 ERA) takes over in the circle for Alabama.
Nothing doing for Alabama in the fifth.
Kristen White used her speed to leg out an infield single to shortstop with one down. Teagan Kavan fell behind 3-1 on Jena Young before getting Alabama’s leadoff hitter to swing at a rise ball for the second out. Brooke Wells grounded into a force at second to end the inning.
Texas holds a 5-1 lead over Alabama after five innings. Kavan has thrown 86 pitches and surrendered three hits.
Alabama pitching gets its first 1-2-3 inning of the afternoon as Vic Moten needed 10 pitches to retire Alisa Sneed, Jaycie Nichols and Ashton Maloney in order.
Can Alabama build on some momentum from the fourth and cut into this Texas lead? Longhorns are up 5-1 heading to the bottom of the fifth. Salen Hawkins, Kristen White and Jena Young are due up for Alabama against Texas’ Teagan Kavan.
So much for cutting into the Longhorns’ lead there. After loading the bases with one out, Teagan Kavan struck out Audrey Vandagriff for a big second out. Ambrey Taylor went down swinging to leave the bases loaded.
Alabama drove Kavan’s pitch count up a bit that inning. The Texas starter is at 72 pitches after four innings, but the Horns still lead the Tide, 5-1, headed to the fifth.
Alabama is starting to make more consistent contact. The Tide caught a break when Brooke Wells reached on a fielding error at first to open the fourth inning. Alexis Pupillo then grounded back to the mound to move pinch runner Kinley Pate to second.
Another ball that took a strange bounce, this time off Jaycie Nichols at third, allowed Ana Roman to reach on a single as Pate moved to third with one down. Marlie Giles drew a walk to load the bases.
Audrey Vandagriff is up with the bases loaded and one down in the fourth against Teagan Kavan.
Walks, hit batters, wild pitches, errors, dropped third strikes. They all plagued Alabama in that fourth inning.
Ashton Maloney used a high hop at second base for a single with one out. With two down, a wild pitch from Moten allowed Maloney to reach second. That proved costly as Moten took Katie Stewart to a full count before the Texas slugger lined a single into left for a 3-1 Longhorns lead. Stewart took second on the throw in.
Martinez drew a four-pitch walk, and Moten hit Leighann Goode with a pitch to load the bases for her third free pass of the inning.
Alabama looked to be out of the inning without further damage, but Audrey Vandagriff appeared to lose a fly ball in the sun. Two runs cross the plate to make it 5-1.
Texas scores three runs on only two hits in the fourth as eight batters came to the plate. Moten threw 39 pitches in the fourth inning. She struck out Hannah Wells for the third out.
Still some chances for Alabama to get back into the game with the heart of the order due up, but with Teagan Kavan dealing, the SEC Tournament championship trophy looks headed to Austin midway through this one.
After three shaky innings from Briski in the circle, Vic Moten takes over for Alabama in the fourth. Briski allowed two runs and six hits. Moten is scheduled to face the 9-1-2 spots in the order for Texas: Jaycie Nichols (1-for-2), Ashton Maloney (0-0) and Kayden Henry (0-2).
Kavan is dealing. She froze Salen Hawkins for a strikeout to open the bottom of the third before doing the same to Kristen White on a drop ball at the knees. Jena Young flied out to center for the third out.
Kavan, the Most Outstanding Player in last year’s Women’s College World Series, has struck out six of the first 10 batters she’s faced and has thrown back-to-back 1-2-3 innings. She’s given up one hit, the home run to Alexis Pupillo.
Texas leads Alabama, 2-1, headed to the fourth inning.
Texas strands two in the third after picking up two more hits.
Leighann Goode singled to right with one down, and Reese Atwood fought back from a 1-2 pitch for a single up the middle. After a lengthy at bat, Hannah Wells popped up in foul territory to Ambrey Taylor. Briski then struck out Alisa Sneed for the third out.
That was a 23-pitch inning for Briski, who doesn’t look comfortable at all in the circle today. She’s already thrown 70 pitches through three innings. Texas has had traffic on the bases in every inning. Salen Hawkins, Kristen White and Jena Young are due up for Alabama in the third.
Marlie Giles struck out swinging on four pitches to open the inning. Audrey Vandagriff, who was 4-for-7 in the tournament entering the day, just missed a double down the left field line before striking out on a rise ball up over the shoulders. Ambrey Taylor grounded to short as Teagan Kavan finished off a 1-2-3 inning.
Vivi Martinez, Leighann Goode and Reese Atwood are due up for Texas in the third. Longhorns lead Alabama, 2-1.
Texas loaded the bases after freshman Jaycie Nichols reached on an infield single to second base with one out. Longhorns coach Mike White used pinch hitter Victoria Hunter to try to capitalize. She reached on a second straight infield single to Jena Young at second as pinch runner Taylor Anderson scored the tying run.
Ambrey Taylor made a terrific stretch at third to field a force out, but Alisa Sneed scored the go-ahead run on a fielder’s choice for a 2-1 Texas lead. Katie Stewart popped up to second base for a big third out.
Texas scores two runs on three hits. That was a 32-pitch inning for Briski in the second. Marlie Giles, Audrey Vandagriff and Taylor are due up for Alabama in the second.
With two down, Alexis Pupillo got a pitch up in the zone and crushed it far out to right for a 1-0 Alabama lead. That’s Pupillo’s 17th home run of the season and her second in three days at the SEC Tournament.
Teagan Kavan threw 19 pitches in the first inning for Texas. Reese Atwood, Hannah Wells and Alisa Sneed are due up in the second inning for the Longhorns.
Take a look at Pupillo’s no-doubt blast.
Katie Stewart won the first battle between SEC Player of the Year and SEC Pitcher of the Year. Stewart hit a sharp single to right off Jocelyn Briski with one out in the first. Stewart advanced to second on a groundout by Vivi Martinez, but Leighann Goode popped up in foul territory to Salen Hawkins for the third out.
Briski retired Kayden Henry on a first-pitch pop up to open the inning, which allowed her to throw 15 pitches in the first. Jena Young, Brooke Wells and Alexis Pupillo are due up for Alabama against Texas starter Teagan Kavan.
Will the Tide keep the bats hot for the third straight day in Lexington?
Kayden Henry, Katie Stewart and Vivi Martinez are due up for Texas against Alabama ace Jocelyn Briski in the first inning. Stewart was named SEC Player of the Year on Friday, while Briski took home SEC Pitcher of the Year honors. Patrick Murphy earned SEC Coach of the Year honors.
The Crimson Tide take the field in their home white jerseys and pants with Crimson pinstripes. Texas is wearing its Burnt Orange jerseys over matching pants.
Chris Nabors is back behind the dish to call the balls and strikes today at John Cropp Stadium. Steve Gould is the third base umpire with Marty Abezetian down at second base. Cam Ellison will be making the decisions at first base.
First pitch for Alabama-Texas is less than 10 minutes away.
For Alabama:
For Texas:
In the circle for the Longhorns today is Teagan Kavan (20-4, 2.72 ERA). Last year’s WCWS Most Outstanding Player, Kavan is making her 27th start of the season, and her third against Alabama.
Kavan held the Crimson Tide to one run on five hits in the opener of the regular-season series back on April 2 in Tuscaloosa. Two days later, she suffered the loss after Alabama tagged her for seven runs on seven hits in 3 1/3 innings.
In the Longhorns’ win over Georgia on Friday, Kavan allowed four runs in 4 2/3 innings. All four Georgia runs came in the fifth inning.
Here’s the 1-9 lineup for coach Mike White’s team.
| CF | 21 Kayden Henry | L | .410 |
| 1B | 20 Katie Stewart | R | .429 |
| SS | 23 Viviana Martinez | L | .381 |
| 2B | 43 Leighann Goode | R | .375 |
| C | 14 Reese Atwood | R | .351 |
| DP | 13 Hannah Wells | R | .302 |
| LF | 9 Alisa Sneed | R | .268 |
| 3B | 24 Jaycie Nichols | R | .330 |
| RF | 7 Ashton Maloney | L | .289 |
Alabama’s ace has been nothing short of magnificent in the circle this year. Her 1.38 ERA ranks second best nationally. Briski’s only real blemish in SEC play came against Texas back on April 2 in the opener of a three-game series in Tuscaloosa. She allowed five runs on six hits in three innings, marking only her second loss of 2026.
Across all three games of the series, Briski surrendered seven runs on 14 hits over 7 2/3 innings.
Murph is going with the same lineup and batting order for the third straight day at the SEC Tournament. That’s hardly a surprise. Alabama produced a combined 16 runs on 21 hits in its two games against Arkansas and Florida.
Jocelyn Briski (21-2, 1.38) is in the circle for the Crimson Tide and is seeking her 22nd win. She went the distance in Thursday’s 8-1 victory over Arkansas, surrendering one unearned run on three hits. Briski struck out seven and walked two.
2B
4 Jena Young
L
.331
1B
15 Brooke Wells
R
.412
DP
31 Alexis Pupillo
L
.404
RF
21 Ana Roman
L
.326
C
34 Marlie Giles
R
.388
LF
12 Audrey Vandagriff
L
.314
3B
36 Ambrey Taylor
R
.340
SS
47 Salen Hawkins
R
.292
CF
3 Kristen White
L
.328
Surely there won’t be any “co-champions” in the SEC Softball Tournament this year. Today’s forecast for Lexington, according to the National Weather Service in Louisville:
“Sunny, with a high near 75. West wind around 7 mph.”
It’s currently sunny and 71 degrees in Lexington with first pitch roughly 90 minutes away. No chance of rain in the forecast either Saturday afternoon or evening, per the National Weather Service.
Where to watch Alabama vs Texas softball today: TV channel, streaming for SEC Tournament championship game
- TV Channel: ESPN
- Livestream: Fubo, ESPN+
Alabama-Texas will broadcast nationally on ESPN in Week 14 of the 2026 NCAA softball season. Beth Mowins, Michele Smith and Jessica Mendoza will call the action from the broadcast booth at John Cropp Stadium. Streaming options for the game include ESPN+ and FUBO, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.
Alabama vs Texas softball start time today
- Date: Saturday, May 9
- Start time: 4 p.m. CT
Stream Alabama vs. Texas
The Alabama-Texas game starts at 4 p.m. CT Saturday from John Cropp Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky.
SEC Softball Tournament 2026: full bracket, final scores
First-round games, Tuesday, May 5
- Game 1: Auburn 6, Missouri 2
- Game 2: Mississippi State 4, Kentucky 3
- Game 3: Ole Miss 2, South Carolina 0
Second-round games, Wednesday, May 6
- Game 4: Auburn 11, Texas A&M 8
- Game 5: Arkansas 3, Mississippi State 0
- Game 6: Ole Miss 4, Tennessee 1
- Game 7: Georgia 7, LSU 3
Quarterfinals, Thursday, May 7
- Game 8: Florida 10, Auburn 9
- Game 9: Alabama 7, Arkansas 1
- Game 10: Texas 6, Ole Miss 0
- Game 11: Georgia 10, Oklahoma 5
Semifinals, Friday, May 8
- Game 12: Alabama 9, Florida 1
- Game 13: Texas 5, Georgia 4
SEC Championship Game, Saturday, May 9
- Game 14: Alabama vs. Texas, 4 p.m., ESPN
Follow us at @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook, for ongoing coverage of Alabama Crimson Tide news, notes and opinions.
Alabama
How to watch, stream Alabama softball vs Texas for SEC championship
For the first time in five years, Alabama is heading to the SEC Softball Tournament championship.
The No. 2-seeded Crimson Tide (49-6) is coming off a 9-1 run-rule win over No. 3 seed Florida (48-10) on Friday, May 8. Alabama first opened tournament play with a 7-1 win over No. 7 Arkansas (42-11) on Thursday.
The Crimson Tide will face No. 4 Texas, which is coming off a walkout 5-4 win over No. 9 Georgia.
Alabama had not reached the SEC Tournament championship game since 2021, when it won its last conference championship.
Here’s what to know about how to follow the Crimson Tide against Texas in the SEC Tournament title game.
When does Alabama softball play vs Texas in SEC Tournament?
- Location: John Cropp Stadium in Lexington, Ky.
- Game time — 4 p.m. CT Saturday, May 9
First pitch in the Alabama softball vs. Texas matchup is set for 4 p.m. CT Saturday, May 9 for the championship title.
What channel is Alabama softball vs Texas in SEC Tournament?
The 2026 SEC Softball Tournament conference championship game will air on ESPN.
How to listen to Alabama softball vs Texas in SEC Tournament
You can tune into each Alabama softball game on Catfish 100.1 FM.
2026 SEC Softball Tournament bracket
Click here to see the full 2026 SEC Softball Tournament bracket.
2026 SEC softball standings, conference records
All conference records are as of entering the SEC Softball Tournament.
- Oklahoma (20-4)
- Alabama (19-5)
- Florida (17-7)
- Texas (16-8)
- Tennessee (16-8)
- Texas A&M (16-8)
- Arkansas (15-9)
- LSU (12-11)
- Georgia (12-12)
- Mississippi State (9-15)
- Missouri (9-15)
- South Carolina (7-17)
- Ole Miss (6-18)
- Auburn (4-19)
- Kentucky (1-23)
Amelia Hurley covers high school and college sports for The Tuscaloosa News and USA TODAY Network. You can find her on X at ameliahurley_ or reach her at ahurley@usatodayco.com.
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