Sports
Kalen DeBoer showed what Alabama can still be after Nick Saban in win against Georgia
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Kalen DeBoer took the job 261 days ago, but Saturday night felt like the moment he truly became Alabama’s head coach.
He won over the roster during spring practice. The Alabama fan base largely hopped on board over the summer after a furious recruiting run. The only thing left was leading the Alabama machine on a big stage with the entire college football world watching. And he didn’t disappoint.
No. 4 Alabama’s 41-34 win over No. 2 Georgia delivered on its hype and then some. When it was over, DeBoer improved to 108-12 as a head coach, 12-2 against AP-ranked opponents and 6-0 against Steve Sarkisian, Lincoln Riley, Dan Lanning and Kirby Smart. There were questions about Alabama’s potential drop-off after Nick Saban’s retirement, and it would have been easy to think the Georgia series would tip in the Bulldogs’ favor with the best coach in college football leading the way. Instead, it was Alabama’s ninth win over Georgia in 10 meetings.
The first half felt like 2015 in Athens: utter domination. The second half was more like 2017 and 2018, with comebacks and late-game heroics by the quarterback. The end result was familiar: Alabama on top. It was a statement game for players like quarterback Jalen Milroe and freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams, but it was an equally big spot for DeBoer, who delivered the type of marquee win that Alabama was known for under Saban.
“All the hard work that you put in during the dark is going to shine at some point,” said Milroe, who had 491 total yards and four touchdowns. “And it came out and shined today. It was a great opportunity for our football team to put it on display.”
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DeBoer also learned what it’s like to coach in the SEC. And there will be plenty of teaching moments off of that.
Leading 30-7, Alabama faced second-and-5 on the Georgia 40-yard line with 53 seconds left in the first half. To that point, everything was clicking and it felt like the dam was about to break just before halftime. Then Alabama got too cute. A triple reverse pass that Georgia snuffed out turned into an 8-yard loss. A scoring opportunity turned into a punt. You can’t leave points on the board in any situation, but especially against a team like Georgia.
A 28-0 start turned into a 30-7 halftime lead, which became a 34-33 deficit with 2:31 to play. A game that felt insurmountable for Georgia nearly became a historic collapse for Alabama. The offense that scored touchdowns on four consecutive drives to start the game punted, fumbled or turned it over on downs on seven of its next eight drives. In the second half, the offense averaged just 1.2 yards per carry and converted one third down. The defense couldn’t get a stop, particularly on fourth down, to keep Georgia at bay. It was also another bad night for penalties, with 10 totaling 90 yards.
“They should have never been in a situation to be able to come back,” Williams said. “We were supposed to just keep our foot on the gas, but (Georgia) did come back. We knew adversity would hit at some point — we just had to fight back.”
Jalen Milroe passed for 374 yards and ran for 117 yards. (Todd Kirkland / Getty Images)
To DeBoer and Alabama’s credit, they did just that. One play after Georgia took the lead, DeBoer called a deep shot for Milroe and Williams, which ended up being the game-winning touchdown. After Georgia’s go-ahead 67-yard touchdown, there was no hesitation by DeBoer to throw a haymaker right back. That type of confidence reverberates through the team.
“This isn’t just this week; from day one we’ve talked about no regrets,” DeBoer said. “Compete until the very end. We talk a lot about staying positive and keep fighting. Sometimes the ball doesn’t bounce your way — keep fighting.
“A lot of plays have opportunities where if you find a one-on-one matchup, you take it.”
The usually stoic DeBoer showed some competitive fire on Saturday in a few exchanges with the officials, but players pointed to his poise throughout the game and especially during the seesaw moments toward the end. His calm demeanor matched that of the players, and it led to Alabama turning the game on its axis in a matter of seconds after blowing a 28-point lead.
There’s your passion, Bama fans. pic.twitter.com/6OgFLHSHUS
— Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium (@BryantDenny_UA) September 29, 2024
“Coach DeBoer’s big on energy,” linebacker Jihaad Campbell said. “Throughout the whole game, coach DeBoer had poise, I think that really rubbed off on the whole team. Just understanding, ‘Hey we’re good, next-play mentality.’
“It’s Bama, you know, we are the standard. We don’t really overthink things. We have poise. We trust ourselves. We trust one another to go out there and do our job so we can execute and come out with a win.”
A furious Georgia comeback shouldn’t negate the fact that DeBoer’s staff had an excellent game plan. At halftime, Smart noted that Alabama passing out of an empty backfield was “something new” that it executed well. The interception by Domani Jackson was out of a coverage that Alabama hadn’t shown this season, which prompted Georgia’s Carson Beck to panic and make a mistake.
Milroe looked as accurate and comfortable as he ever has. Alabama finished plus-3 in turnover margin and won the time of possession battle. It was a signature win that also drives home that games aren’t over until they’re over, a message that should keep the team focused with a road game at Vanderbilt next Saturday.
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For as great of a win as it was, the honeymoon phase is over, even after a win. It’s been difficult to criticize DeBoer since January, and to his credit the transition has felt seamless from the start. Saturday’s game allows for fair questions about how Georgia adjusted at halftime and made it a game — and what it means for future opponents. Give credit to Georgia as well, as a program operating at an optimal level with an Alabama-like culture and coach.
Still, Alabama proved on Saturday that under DeBoer, it isn’t going anywhere. Saturday was the biggest test to date, and DeBoer passed.
Now he has to pass the next one, and the next one — and so on. That’s what it means to be the coach at Alabama.
“We have to recognize winning in the SEC is a hard task and enjoy the win,” Milroe said. “I think that’s something that we lose focus with at Alabama — the standard of excellence, of course, but enjoying the win. So much poured into this game.
“We’re going to enjoy the win, but it’s not the end of our road. There’s so much more we can do better as we watch the tape. To start SEC play off this way, with a bang, super happy with the guys’ performance. We’re just going to constantly get better, grow and acknowledge that we’re not a finished football team and never get complacent.”
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(Top photo of Jalen Milroe and Germie Bernard: Todd Kirkland / Getty Images)
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In previous years, the Round of 16 was the first knockout stage match, but with an expanded field of 48 teams— it is now the second.
Let’s check out the odds at FanDuel Sportsbook as of July 2 for which countries are favored to make the Round of 16 and emerge from it.
This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.
To Reach Round of 16
Argentina: -2000 (bet $10 to win $10.50 total)
Colombia: -550 (bet $10 to win $11.82 total)
Portugal: -340 (bet $10 to win $12.94 total)
Switzerland: -235 (bet $10 to win $14.26 total)
Egypt: -148 (bet $10 to win $16.76 total)
Australia: +122 (bet $10 to win $22.20 total)
Algeria: +186 (bet $10 to win $28.60 total)
Croatia: +260 (bet $10 to win $36 total)
Ghana: +380 (bet $10 to win $48 total)
Cape Verde: +1160 (bet $10 to win $126 total)
Now let’s check out the odds at FanDuel Sportsbook as of July 2 for the matchups already in place.
SATURDAY, JULY 4
Canada vs. Morocco
To Advance: MAR -300, CAN +225
Moneyline: MAR -130, Draw +240, CAN +420
Paraguay vs. France
To Advance: FRA -1800, PRY +1140
Moneyline: FRA -600, Draw +600, PRY +1800
SUNDAY, JULY 5
Brazil vs. Norway
To Advance: BRA -245, NOR +196
Moneyline: BRA -120, Draw +260, NOR +340
Mexico vs. England
To Advance: ENG -134, MEX +110
Moneyline: ENG +145, Draw +210, MEX +200
MONDAY, JULY 6
USA vs. Belgium
To Advance: USA -110, BEL -110
Moneyline: USA +165, Draw +230, BEL +170
Sports
Thousand Oaks native Claire Liu finally reaches Wimbledon’s third round, will face Coco Gauff
LONDON — Claire Liu packed her bags and checked out of her London hotel room on Wednesday morning before heading to the All England Club.
It was more pragmatism than pessimism — a reality of a qualifier navigating her Wimbledon journey one day at a time.
But as her boyfriend reminded her while organizing her luggage: “Just because you’re packing doesn’t mean you’re leaving,” Liu recalled with a laugh.
He was right.
The Thousand Oaks native went on to win her second-round match against 51st-ranked Zeynep Sonmez of Turkey 7-5, 6-3, advancing to the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time in her professional career. She had tried 29 previous times at majors, including qualifying rounds, since 2015.
“I was just super relieved to get through that,” said Liu, noting she had blown a set and a break lead in the French Open’s second round last month.
For Liu, who turned 26 in May, returning to the manicured lawns of SW19 brings her tennis journey full circle. Nine years ago, she captured the 2017 Wimbledon girls’ singles title — the first American to do so since Chanda Rubin in 1992 — and was the No. 1 junior in the world. She still holds fond memories of that heady achievement, including chatting with her idol, Roger Federer, at the Wimbledon Champions Ball.
Yet, the transition from teenage phenom to professional mainstay has been anything but a linear ascent. When asked if she expected to be in the third round of a major this late in her career given her junior success, Liu was candid.
“Younger me would have believed it more than now,” she said.
That shift in perspective comes after weathering some brutal setbacks.
Liu climbed as high as No. 52 in early 2023 but then endured a wrist injury and took a months-long mental health hiatus in 2024 that eventually saw her ranking plummet outside the top 400 last year.
Currently sitting at No. 146, she’s been rebuilding her standing by playing a mix of WTA 125 events and ITF tournaments before returning to the main WTA Tour, with 2026 stops in far-flung places from Bahrain to Boca Raton and plenty of places in between.
“My goals haven’t changed, but I think the stress of how I got there really took a toll on me,” said Liu.
To navigate the darkness, Liu leaned heavily into both sports psychology and traditional therapy, including EMDR, a technique that helps people process traumatic experiences. She also started a Substack newsletter called “Finding Claire-ity,” where she openly chronicles her life and struggles on the tour.
The Southern California native, who has trained at the USTA facility in Carson since she was 9 years old and resides in Redondo Beach, also split with her longtime coach last season, a difficult decision, and hired Clemens Wagner.
The switch following the U.S. Open last year is clicking.
“I saw in her someone who fought a lot of battles inside herself,” says Austrian-born Wagner, who has a background in tennis analytics.
Together, they have focused on keeping an “aggressive undertone” on the grass, emphasizing coming to the net and squeezing the most out of her game.
Wagner notes that the 5-foot-7 player’s game isn’t the flashiest, but describes her as a “silent killer” who excels at “redirecting pace, standing close to the baseline, constantly putting pressure on her opponents.”
The reboot is starting to pay significant dividends.
Liu put together her best stretch in years this spring, winning a lower-tier title in Trnava, Slovakia, her first professional title since 2024, and then qualifying for the French Open.
Having again successfully navigated three rounds of qualifying to reach the main draw here, Liu has now won five consecutive matches at Wimbledon. Not surprisingly, she currently has no sponsors, just equipment support from Head Sport and Asics Corp., making her Wimbledon run particularly lucrative. By reaching the third round, Liu achieved her highest career payday: around $250,000. A victory Friday would boost that to nearly $400,000.
First, she faces her biggest test yet: a third-round contest against two-time major champion Coco Gauff on No. 1 Court, which perhaps fittingly is the same show court where Liu won the girls’ title almost a decade ago.
Gauff, 22, noted that she and Liu haven’t crossed paths much since Liu is older, but expects a serious battle. Gauff won both of their previous meetings on hard courts.
“I feel like anytime you’re playing a qualifier, it’s always tough because they have three matches already,” the seventh-seeded American said.
Liu, who didn’t even know she was playing Gauff until a reporter told her after her match, is purposefully keeping her focus narrow.
“I will just take today to be happy for winning, and then tomorrow I’ll think about it,” Liu said. “Obviously she’s one of the best players in the world right now, so that’ll be a good experience.”
Veteran Jessica Pegula, 32, the top-ranked American who also toiled away on the sport’s lower tier before becoming a top-10 mainstay, appreciates Liu’s resolve.
“It’s always nice to see girls that are figuring it out slowly but surely,” the No. 4 seed said. “I think I can relate to that.”
Liu’s accommodations? Fortunately, her mother was able to rebook the same hotel after the match, which eased some of the logistical issues for her unexpectedly extended stay in London.
“It definitely makes me stay in the moment, like, day by day,” Liu smiled of her lodging limbo.
On Wednesday morning, Liu packed her bags expecting she might leave Wimbledon. Instead, she emptied them one more time, with the biggest match of her career still waiting.
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Folarin Balogun’s teammates came to his defense after the USA World Cup star was given a red card during the team’s 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday night.
Balogun received the red card after he stepped on defender Tarik Muharemovic’s right ankle. Brazilian referee Raphael Claus only gave Balogun the card after a VAR review. The red card meant Balogun will not be able to play in the team’s Round of 16 match against Belgium.
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United States’ Folarin Balogun, right, stands by after being issued a red card by Referee Raphael Claus, of Brazil, as United States’ Weston McKennie (8) looks on during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between the United States and Bosnia in Santa Clara, Calif., near San Francisco, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
A FIFA official told The Athletic a team cannot appeal against the red card or the suspension. The official pointed the outlet to a portion of the organization’s rules and regulations, which states, “A sending-off automatically incurs suspension from the subsequent match. The FIFA judicial bodies may impose additional match suspensions and other disciplinary measures.”
Balogun’s teammate, Weston McKennie, called the lack of an appeal process “bogus” and disagreed with the referee’s decision to issue the red card.
Bosnia’s Sead Kolasinac (5) talks to United States’ Folarin Balogun after Balogun was sent off, as Christian Pulisic (10) watches during the World Cup round of 32 match between the United States and Bosnia in Santa Clara, Calif., Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (Julio Cortez / AP)
“Obviously the ref made a decision that he made, but I think it’s questionable,” McKennie said. “I think there’s been many other plays like that throughout the tournament on other players that a card wasn’t given at all. It’s disappointing.”
U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino said Balogun’s act “was never intentional.”
“It’s never a red card. Never. … If the intention is to damage the opponent, OK, I understand. But that never was. It was a normal action in football that you are fighting for the ball and your feet land,” he said.
Balogun is the third player to score in a World Cup knockout match and be sent off. He follows Brazil’s Ronaldinho in 2002’s quarterfinal match against England and France’s Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 World Cup final against Italy.
Referee Raphael Claus of Brazil shows a red card to United States’ Folarin Balogun, right, during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between the United States and Bosnia in Santa Clara, Calif., near San Francisco, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
It’s the fifth red card handed to an American in the squad’s World Cup history.
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Eric Wynalda received one against Czechoslovakia in 1990, Fernando Clavijo got one against Brazil in 1994 and Pablo Mastroeni and Eddie Pope each received one against Italy in 2006.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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