Alabama
Last chance: Will Alabama basketball’s Mark Sears suit up for Bucks’ Summer League finale?
Alabama basketball fans hoping to see Mark Sears make his NBA Summer League debut with the Milwaukee Bucks are still waiting.
The former Crimson Tide star, who signed a two-way contract with the Bucks after the 2025 NBA Draft, was again absent from the stat sheet on Wednesday during Milwaukee’s loss to the Chicago Bulls, which marked a three-game losing streak for the team.
Instead of suiting up, Sears has only been spotted on the bench in street clothes so far. What’s the reason, and could he finally appear in Friday evening’s game with Milwaukee?
Why hasn’t Mark Sears made his NBA Summer League debut? Is it possible for the former Alabama basketball star?
According to team officials, Sears is currently sidelined with a left calf strain − an injury that has delayed his first taste of NBA action.
Bucks beat writer Eric Nehm of The Athletic confirmed via Milwaukee’s PR staff that the injury was the reason for Sears being held out of the game.
Meanwhile, two of Sears’ former Alabama teammates from the 2024–25 Elite Eight squad, Chris Youngblood and Grant Nelson, have shined for the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Brooklyn Nets, respectively.
As his health continues to be monitored by the Bucks’ training staff, it remains uncertain whether Sears will be available.
Milwaukee’s next and final Summer League game is set for Friday, July 18, when the Bucks take on the Miami Heat at 6 p.m. CT. The broadcast will be available on ESPN+, as well as ESPN3.
Emilee Smarr covers Alabama basketball and Crimson Tide athletics for the Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached via email at esmarr@gannett.com.
Alabama
Alabama vs. Georgia live updates: Start time, TV channel for SEC championship
Is Kalen DeBoer’s record the key to Alabama beating Georgia?
Is Kalen DeBoer’s undefeated record against Georgia the key to Alabama’s SEC title win?
Georgia football will look for revenge when it rematches Alabama in the SEC championship game.
Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart has a 1-7 record against the Crimson Tide, though, including an 0-2 mark against second-year Crimson Tide coach Kalen DeBoer. Smart was 1-5 against former Alabama coach Nick Saban, whom he coached under as a defensive coordinator from 2008-15.
Watch the SEC championship game on Fubo (free trial)
Alabama upset Georgia 24-21 on the road in their last outing on Sept. 27. Both teams also still have plenty to play for in the College Football Playoff race, with Alabama looking to avoid bubble status and Georgia aiming to lock up a first-round bye.
The two teams have developed a rivalry as the two most dominant teams in the SEC in the last decade, with Georgia and Alabama winning 10 of the last 11 SEC championships.
USA TODAY is bringing you live updates, scores and highlights from the game. Follow along:
Alabama vs Georgia score
| TEAM | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | FINAL |
| Georgia | — | — | — | — | — |
| Alabama | — | — | — | — | — |
Alabama vs Georgia live updates
This section will be updated.
Georgia coach Kirby Smart has a 116-20 record in 10 seasons with the Bulldogs, although seven of those losses have come against Alabama, where he was the defensive coordinator from 2008-15.
Smart has a 1-7 record against the Crimson Tide in his career, with his lone win coming in the 2021 national championship game. He’s also 0-2 against Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer.
Alabama tight end Josh Cuevas isn’t expected to play, according to ESPN. He’s listed as questionable on the SEC availability report due to a foot injury.
Cuevas, who has 30 receptions for 341 yards with four touchdowns this season, also didn’t play against Auburn or Eastern Illinois to finish the regular season. He had six receptions for 80 yards and a touchdown against Oklahoma in his last outing.
Here’s a look at the most recent SEC availability report for the SEC championship game:
Georgia
Out:
- WR Colbie Young
- TE Ethan Barbour
- RB Bo Walker
- DB Kyron Jones
- DL Jordan Hall
- OL Drew Bobo
Questionable
Alabama
Out
- DB Kameron Howard
- LB Kelby Collins
- LB Jah-Marien Latham
- DB Dre Kirkpatrick Jr.
- DL LT Overton
- RB Kevin Riley
- OL Mal Waldrep Jr.
- DL Jeremiah Beaman
Questionable
- RB Jam Miller
- OL Kam Dewberry
- TE Josh Cuevas
- TE Danny Lewis Jr.
What time does Alabama vs Georgia start?
- Date: Saturday, Dec. 6
- Time: 4 p.m. ET
- Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
Alabama vs Georgia will kick off at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday, Dec. 6 from Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
What TV channel is Alabama vs Georgia on today?
The SEC championship game between Alabama and Georgia will be broadcast on ABC. Streaming options for the game include Fubo, which carries ABC and offers a free trial to new subscribers.
Alabama vs Georgia predictions, picks, odds
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Friday, Dec. 5.
- Spread: Georgia (-2.5)
- Over/under: 47.5
- Moneyline: Georgia -140 | Alabama +115
Austin Curtright, USA TODAY Sports: Smart wins his second game ever against Alabama as Georgia’s head coach, getting revenge on the Crimson Tide to lock up a top-four seed in the CFP. Alabama falls to bubble status, hoping BYU doesn’t beat Texas Tech in the Big 12 championship game to potentially steal a bid from the Crimson Tide.
Alabama football schedule 2025
Here’s a look at Alabama’s schedule in 2025, including past scores.
- Saturday, Aug. 30: Florida State 31, Alabama 17
- Saturday, Sept. 6: Alabama 73, UL Monroe 0
- Saturday, Sept. 13: Alabama 38, Wisconsin 14
- Saturday, Sept. 20: BYE
- Saturday, Sept. 27: Alabama 24, Georgia 21 *
- Saturday, Oct. 4: Alabama 30, Vanderbilt 14 *
- Saturday, Oct. 11: Alabama 27, Missouri 24 *
- Saturday, Oct. 18: Alabama 37, Tennessee 20 *
- Saturday, Oct. 25: Alabama 29, South Carolina 22 *
- Saturday, Nov. 1: BYE
- Saturday, Nov. 8: Alabama 20, LSU 9 *
- Saturday, Nov. 15: Oklahoma 23, Alabama 21 *
- Saturday, Nov. 22: Alabama 56, Eastern Illinois 0
- Saturday, Nov. 29: Alabama 27, Auburn 20 *
- Saturday, Dec. 6: Alabama vs Georgia | ABC, 4 p.m. ET **
* – denotes SEC game
** – denotes SEC championships game
Georgia football schedule 2025
Here’s a look at Georgia’s schedule in 2025, including past scores.
- Saturday, Aug. 30: Georgia 45, Marshall 7
- Saturday, Sept. 6: Georgia 28, Austin Peay 6
- Saturday, Sept. 13: Georgia 44, Tennessee 41 (OT) *
- Saturday, Sept. 20: BYE
- Saturday, Sept. 27: Alabama 24, Georgia 21 *
- Saturday, Oct. 4: Georgia 35, Kentucky 14 *
- Saturday, Oct. 11: Georgia 20, Auburn 10 *
- Saturday, Oct. 18: Georgia 43, Mississippi 35 *
- Saturday, Oct. 25: BYE
- Saturday, Nov. 1: Georgia 24, Florida 20 *
- Saturday, Nov. 8: Georgia 41, Mississippi State 21 *
- Saturday, Nov. 15: Georgia 35, Texas 10 *
- Saturday, Nov. 22: Georgia 35, Charlotte 3
- Saturday, Nov. 29: Georgia 16, Georgia Tech 9
- Saturday, Dec. 6: Alabama vs Georgia | ABC, 4 p.m. ET **
* – denotes SEC game
** – denotes SEC championships game
Alabama
SEC Championship injury updates: Alabama vs. Georgia Friday availability report revealed
It’s the night before the SEC Championship in Atlanta, with us once again set to see a matchup of Alabama vs. Georgia. And now, ahead of kickoff tomorrow afternoon in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the final availability report of the season is out from the Southeastern Conference for both the Crimson Tide and the Bulldogs.
The SEC posts injury reports three days out from league games, including this as the conference title game. An initial one is released on Wednesdays, with updates to it coming on Thursday and Fridays.
Here is that final update to the report for Alabama and Georgia ahead of the SEC Championship. Both teams playing for a title as well as for their respective spots in the College Football Playoff:
Alabama
Georgia
Alabama made one addition to their designations from Wednesday to Thursday, with Collins now being officially labeled out as well, with two-thirds of their names on the report from last night being already unavailable for the game, for the Tide. Four then remained questionable for ‘Bama, with all of those being among the key names offensively for them like Miller, Cuevas, and Dewberry.
Georgia then also made one addition to their designations, with Branch, one of their top players in the secondary, added as questionable on Thursday to bring it to seven names for the Bulldogs. The other six, though, namely Young, Jones, Hall, and Bobo, were already labeled as out for UGA.
Alabama
SEC Championship game: Alabama vs. Georgia prediction, keys to game
Is Kalen DeBoer’s record the key to Alabama beating Georgia?
Is Kalen DeBoer’s undefeated record against Georgia the key to Alabama’s SEC title win?
Georgia vs. Alabama in Atlanta for the SEC Championship. Not bad.
The big storyline entering Saturday’s game is whether Alabama is in the College Football Playoff regardless of outcome. Alabama is ninth in the latest CFP rankings and previous history says losing in conference title games may not come with a penalty by the committee. However, Alabama would likely fall out of the at-large mix with a lopsided loss.
Alabama won the first meeting 24-21 back in September, the first of four wins in a row against ranked SEC opponents. But the Tide scuffled through November while Georgia answered the bell with wins against Texas and Georgia Tech.
Here’s what you need to know about Saturday’s game and who we think will win:
SEC Championship game: Alabama vs Georgia
- Records: Alabama (10-2), Georgia (11-1)
- Time/TV: Saturday, 4 p.m., ABC
- Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
SEC Championship game predictions
- Georgia 31, Alabama 24: Did Alabama peak too soon? The Crimson Tide got on a roll that started with their win at Georgia in September, but they didn’t look their best in a November loss to Oklahoma and a clunky Iron Bowl win at Auburn. Much like the first matchup, this rematch could come down to the quarterbacks. Ty Simpson won the battle in Round 1. I’ll take Gunner Stockton in the sequel, with an assist from Georgia’s improving defense. — Blake Toppmeyer
- Georgia 23, Alabama 16: If it doesn’t happen now for Kirby Smart and Georgia, if the Dawgs don’t finally, and forcefully eliminate the Alabama problem against a Tide team running on fumes, then what? This isn’t the same elite Georgia of years past on either side of the ball, and the Dawgs could have lost three games this season. They also could be unbeaten, but for a strange fourth down decision/play call in September against You Know Who. The Georgia defense dictates this game. ― Matt Hayes
- Georgia 28, Alabama 14: Alabama hasn’t looked like the best team in the SEC since October, if ever. The Tide were the better team in the matchup in Athens earlier this year. But there’s no way to look at the team that struggled against South Carolina and LSU, lost to Oklahoma and then barely beat Auburn in the Iron Bowl and think it has a real shot at stopping Georgia’s march back to the top the conference. — Paul Myerberg
SEC Championship game betting odds
Odds via BetMGM, as of Dec. 5
- Spread: Georgia (-2.5)
- Over/under: 47.5
- Moneyline: Georgia (-140)
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