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NFL Monday night: Former Alabama prep star helps Falcons stun Eagles

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NFL Monday night: Former Alabama prep star helps Falcons stun Eagles


In his second NFL season, former Gadsden City High School standout Darnell Mooney was a 1,000-yard receiver in 2021. But in the past two seasons combined, Mooney didn’t have 1,000 receiving yards as injuries and spotty quarterback play depressed his production.

That didn’t keep the Atlanta Falcons from signing Mooney to a three-year, $39 million contract in the offseason as a free agent. In his first game for Atlanta, Mooney had one reception for 15 yards in an 18-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 8.

But on Monday night, Mooney’s signing paid off for the Falcons as Atlanta rallied to beat the Philadelphia Eagles 22-21.

Mooney’s first reception of the game was a 41-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Kirk Cousins as the Falcons took a 15-10 lead with 1:21 left in the third quarter.

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After Philadelphia drove 70 yards on 17 plays for a touchdown and, after stopping Atlanta on downs at the Falcons 39-yard line, added a field goal, Atlanta got the football at its 30-yard line trailing by six with 1:39 to play. Mooney had back-to-back receptions of 21 and 26 yards, setting up a 7-yard touchdown pass from Cousins to wide receiver Drake London with 34 seconds to play.

After an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty against London, Younghoe Koo made a 48-yard extra point to give the Falcons a one-point lead.

Atlanta safety Jessie Bates III ended the game when he intercepted Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts at the Falcons 32 with 19 seconds to play.

Mooney had three receptions for 88 yards and one touchdown. He hadn’t had that many receiving yards in a game since Oct. 2, 2022, when he had four receptions for 94 yards in the Chicago Bears’ 20-12 loss to the New York Giants.

Six other players from Alabama high schools and colleges got on the field during the Atlanta-Philadelphia game:

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· Reed Blankenship (West Limestone) started at safety for the Eagles. Blankenship led Philadelphia with 10 tackles.

· Eagles defensive back James Bradberry (Pleasant Grove, Samford) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.

· Landon Dickerson (Alabama) started at left guard for the Eagles.

· Eagles offensive lineman Jack Driscoll (Auburn) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Falcons safety DeMarcco Hellams (Alabama) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.

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· Bryce Huff (St. Paul’s Episcopal) started at defensive end for the Eagles. Huff did not record any stats.

· Jalen Hurts (Alabama) started at quarterback for the Eagles. Hurts completed 23-of-30 passes for 183 yards with one touchdown and one interception and ran 13 times for 85 yards and one touchdown. Hurts threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver DeVonta Smith as Philadelphia took a 7-3 lead with 5:15 left in the first half and scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak as the Eagles went in front 18-15 with 6:47 remaining in the game.

· Falcons running back Jase McClellan (Alabama) was designated as a game-day inactive.

· Falcons linebacker Monty Rice (James Clemens) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Eagles cornerback Eli Ricks (Alabama) was designated as a game-day inactive.

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· DeVonta Smith (Alabama) started at wide receiver for the Eagles. Smith had seven receptions for 76 yards and one touchdown. Smith caught a 7-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jalen Hurts as Philadelphia took a 7-3 lead with 5:15 left in the first half.

· Eagles offensive lineman Tyler Steen (Alabama) did not record any stats.

· Eagles defensive tackle Byron Young (Alabama) was designated as a game-day inactive.

Atlanta (1-1) plays the Kansas City Chiefs at 7:20 p.m. CDT Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Philadelphia (1-1) plays the New Orleans Saints at noon Sunday at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith catches a touchdown pass during an NFL game against the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

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FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.





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Alabama vs. Auburn score prediction by expert football model

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Alabama vs. Auburn score prediction by expert football model


Iron Bowl 2025 is here, as SEC title and playoff hopeful Alabama hits the road looking to avoid a third loss against rival Auburn, hoping to simply become bowl eligible.

Alabama has never been ranked in the top-ten and lost on the road against an unranked Auburn team, and this time around the Tide have a shot at reaching the SEC Championship Game.

Auburn has history on its side in a way, losing by a combined five points in their last two home games against the Crimson Tide, whose playoff hopes are considerably shakier now with two losses.

Looking ahead to this week’s matchup, let’s check out the latest college football predictions from the SP+ computer prediction model.

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The model simulates every NCAA college football game and uses key analytics from both teams and picks winners based on a projected scoring margin per game.

The model predictably likes the Crimson Tide over the Tigers, but in a very close game.

SP+ predicts that Alabama will defeat Auburn by a projected score of 27 to 21 and will win the game by an expected margin of 6.0 points in the process.

The model gives the Crimson Tide a solid 65 percent chance against the Tigers outright.

SP+ is a “tempo- and opponent-adjusted measure of college football efficiency” that attempts to predict game outcomes by measuring “the most sustainable and predictable aspects of football.”

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How good is it this season? So far, the SP+ college football prediction model is 349-336 against the spread with a 50.9 win percentage. Last week, it was 29-31 (48.3%) in its picks against the spread.

The betting markets also favor the Crimson Tide, but by less than a touchdown on the road.

Alabama is a 5.5 point favorite against Auburn, according to the latest game lines posted to FanDuel Sportsbook.

FanDuel lists the total at 46.5 points for the matchup, and set the moneyline odds for Alabama at -220 and for Auburn at +184 to win outright.

Ty Simpson has been the backbone of an efficient Alabama aerial attack, but has seen his efficiency slip in recent weeks heading into what could be an intense road environment.

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Auburn does not have the same skill at quarterback, but have proven successful at running the football, albeit now into the teeth of a much improved Alabama run defense.

College Football HQ predicts: Alabama wins, and covers.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, please call 1-800-GAMBLER.

More college football from SI: Top 25 Rankings | Schedule | Teams

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Alabama high school football predictions: Experts pick the state semifinals

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Alabama high school football predictions: Experts pick the state semifinals


Thompson and Opelika are already in next week’s Super 7 championships at Birmingham’s Protective Stadium.

The other 12 finalists will be decided Friday night in the Class 1A-6A semifinals.

Breaking down the semifinals

Round 4 news, notes, schedule

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Thirteen teams are still undefeated heading into Round 4. The most surprising semifinalist is Scottsboro in Class 5A. The Wildcats are the only unranked team remaining. They host Moody with a chance to reach the finals.

Here is how the AL.com experts pick this week’s semifinal games:

CLASS 6A

Benjamin Russell (12-1) at Saraland (12-0)

Ben Thomas: Saraland 35-28

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Dennis Victory: Saraland 42-28

Randy Kennedy: Saraland 35-33

John Vella: Saraland 36-24

Gerhard Mathangani: Saraland 31-28

Simone Eli: Saraland 34-20

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Thomas Ashworth: Saraland 41-39

Clay-Chalkville (13-0) at Muscle Shoals (12-0)

Ben Thomas: Clay-Chalkville 21-14

Dennis Victory: Clay-Chalkville 31-30

Randy Kennedy: Clay-Chalkville 17-14

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John Vella: Clay-Chalkville 32-30

Gerhard Mathangani: Clay-Chalkville 35-28

Simone Eli: Clay-Chalkville 27-17

Thomas Ashworth: Muscle Shoals 24-23

CLASS 5A

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Vigor (11-2) at Williamson (13-0)

Ben Thomas: Williamson 20-12

Dennis Victory: Williamson 19-18

Randy Kennedy: Williamson 22-21

John Vella: Williamson 27-18

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Gerhard Mathangani: Williamson 24-23

Simone Eli: Vigor 23-17

Thomas Ashworth: Vigor 24-23

Moody (11-2) at Scottsboro (9-4)

Ben Thomas: Moody 42-21

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Dennis Victory: Moody 38-21

Randy Kennedy: Moody 41-24

John Vella: Moody 31-28

Gerhard Mathangani: Moody 38-31

Simone Eli: Moody 30-16

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Thomas Ashworth: Moody 37-28

CLASS 4A

Jackson (11-2) at St. Michael (13-0)

Ben Thomas: Jackson 41-34

Dennis Victory: Jackson 51-50

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Randy Kennedy: Jackson 43-42

John Vella: Jackson 40-33

Gerhard Mathangani: St. Michael 28-27

Simone Eli: St. Michael 38-35

Thomas Ashworth: Jackson 38-37

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Anniston (13-0) at Plainview (13-0)

Ben Thomas: Anniston 28-17

Dennis Victory: Anniston 22-21

Randy Kennedy: Anniston 30-20

John Vella: Plainview 24-16

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Gerhard Mathangani: Plainview 27-24

Simone Eli: Anniston 28-20

Thomas Ashworth: Anniston 34-23

CLASS 3A

Southside-Selma (13-0) at Bayside Academy (12-1)

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Ben Thomas: Bayside Academy 31-23

Dennis Victory: Bayside Academy 24-22

Randy Kennedy: Bayside Academy 31-27

John Vella: Bayside Academy 30-28

Gerhard Mathangani: Bayside Academy 21-17

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Simone Eli: Bayside Academy 24-23

Thomas Ashworth: Bayside Academy 34-31

Piedmont (13-0) at Mars Hill (13-0)

Ben Thomas: Mars Hill 38-30

Dennis Victory: Mars Hill 28-21

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Randy Kennedy: Mars Hill 34-33

John Vella: Mars Hill 36-32

Gerhard Mathangani: Mars Hill 28-27

Simone Eli: Mars Hill 31-28

Thomas Ashworth: Mars Hill 37-35

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CLASS 2A

Reeltown (10-3) at Lanett (11-2)

Ben Thomas: Reeltown 21-16

Dennis Victory: Reeltown 28-27

Randy Kennedy: Reeltown 20-19

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John Vella: Reeltown 27-21

Gerhard Mathangani: Lanett 21-18

Simone Eli: Reeltown 34-27

Thomas Ashworth: Reeltown 31-27

Coosa Christian (11-2) at Pisgah (11-2)

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Ben Thomas: Coosa Christian 33-17

Dennis Victory: Coosa Christian 35-28

Randy Kennedy: Coosa Christian 37-30

John Vella: Coosa Christian 39-28

Gerhard Mathangani: Coosa Christian 27-24

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Simone Eli: Coosa Christian 42-21

Thomas Ashworth: Coosa Christian 20-16

CLASS 1A

Leroy (13-0) at Maplesville (13-0)

Ben Thomas: Maplesville 35-27

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Dennis Victory: Maplesville 28-14

Randy Kennedy: Maplesville 20-10

John Vella: Maplesville 35-24

Gerhard Mathangani: Maplesville 14-7

Simone Eli: Maplesville 21-14

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Thomas Ashworth: Maplesville 24-6

Wadley (12-0) at Addison (12-1)

Ben Thomas: Wadley 41-28

Dennis Victory: Wadley 38-28

Randy Kennedy: Wadley 35-15

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John Vella: Wadley 45-30

Gerhard Mathangani: Wadley 21-18

Simone Eli: Wadley 38-17

Thomas Ashworth: Wadley 38-24

STANDINGS

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Last week, overall

Ben Thomas 16-4, 212-68

Dennis Victory 15-5, 211-69

Randy Kennedy 14-6, 210-70

John Vella 15-5, 207-73

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Gerhard Mathangani 13-7, 202-78

Simone Eli 16-4, 200-80

Thomas Ashworth 17-3, 198-82



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Alabama Crimson Tide Demolish The UNLV Runnin’ Rebels At The Players Era Festival

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Alabama Crimson Tide Demolish The UNLV Runnin’ Rebels At The Players Era Festival


The UNLV Runnin’ Rebels men’s basketball team got crushed on Tuesday night by the No. 8-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide. They lost by a final score of 115 – 76. This one was never really all that competitive. UNLV was down 15 at halftime and then allowed the Crimson Tide to shoot 63.6% from the field and 50% from three in the second half. The Rebs drop to 3 – 4 after the loss, while Alabama climbs to 4 – 2. Rebels’ head coach Josh Pastner spoke with the media about the loss after the game.

“Alabama is really good,” Pastner said. “As limited as we are and as small as we are right now, without our front-court guys, it was going to be an uphill battle from the start. They made some great shots, and we struggled to score. We just don’t have an inside presence right now. Tyrin (Jones) is a freshman playing our five spot, and he’s really a three/four. Doing that against an SEC team, one of the best teams in the country, makes it tough. We need to get healthy. We will put this behind us and get ready for a very good Rutgers team on Thursday.”

Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn was the Rebels’ best player in this game. The junior guard led the team with 25 points, shooting 9 – 19 from the floor and 3 – 8 from beyond the three-point arc. He also chipped in with four rebounds, one assist, and three steals. Behind him in scoring was Issac Williamson, who put in 18 points of his own in the loss to the Crimson Tide.

Tyrin Jones led the team with six assists and had one of the Rebels’ two blocks. Kimani Hamilton was the team’s top rebounder with five, and he also chipped in with 13 points and four assists.

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Alabama had six players in double figures, with junior guard Aden Holloway leading the team with 26 points. He made 9 – 14 from the field, 5 – 6 from three, and went 3 – 3 from the free-throw line. Holloway also chipped in with four rebounds and four assists. Aiden Sherrell led the Crimson Tide with eight rebounds, while Amari Allen led the team with six assists and two blocks.

The Runnin’ Rebels will be back in action on Thanksgiving when they take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.

More UNLV Rebels On SI News



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