Boomo Bugg Show 092326

[0:00] Now, get ready to roll Shoals, Decatur, Athens, and all of Northwest Alabama and Southern Tennessee. It's time for the Valley's exclusive FM Sports Voice. The Boomo Bugg Show. New exclusive inside track to the tie, Tigers, Tennessee and the rest of the SEC. Now your host, Harold Bugg on 93.9 The Score. Good afternoon and welcome in to the Boomo Bugg Show. I'm Harold Bugg alongside Brett Beaird. Thank you so much for giving us free ride around the Tennessee Valley. Brett Beaird, welcome in where, can you believe this, a quarter of the regular season in the books. Good afternoon, welcome in. And by the way, the Braves looks like they dodged a big injury bite overnight. Good afternoon, welcome in and how are ya?

Happy Wednesday to you. By the way, I think this is the coolest day we've had since early May. Thank you. Thank you, God. Yeah, Ronald Acuna hit a foul ball go off his ankle or foot and I think he's going to be okay. I'll tell you what, I looked at the Alabama Sportswriters' top 10 poll for high school football this morning and was pleasantly surprised. So, Joe's area teams are in the top 10. Florence, Hatton, Dasher, and Heckelberg, congratulations to all four teams. There are two or three that are real close to it, including Lexington. We'll be talking about that a little bit later in the week.

But Coach Brent Dierman joins us right now to recount a big, big, did I say big night in Florence last Saturday? How was it, Barney? I told Andy, hey, Andy, it's big. It's big. It's really big. I think UNA head football coach Brent Dierman would agree with that. Coach, welcome in. How are ya? I'm doing fantastic today on this Wednesday. I get an opportunity to speak with you two guys, so I'm doing really good. Well, man, we are the side show. You talk about the big show. Coach, where do you start trying to break down the game, the emotions, the significance, historic-wise, that happened over the…

We joked yesterday, Coach, could Norman Rockwell have painted a better picture for a historic weekend of the Shoals? I don't know if you could, to be honest with you. I mean, everything was perfect. The emotions, all the energy, the passion to see this university get what they've wanted and what they've dreamed of for so many years. I think 196 years as a school, 78 years as a football program, and man, from tailgate to our lion walk to the game to the fireworks to a big-time win at home, I think it was a picture-perfect day.

Good job by you and the coaching staff to kind of channel those emotions. You cannot, I mean, let's be honest, you can't sit here and control someone's emotions. You got all the flavors in the book there with that team. Some are going to be high, some are going to be low, but the bottom line is, as a coaching staff, you got to sit here and tamp it down because you still got business to take care of. So, good job just trying to keep, especially that first half, don't go out and, as they say, wet the bed, making foolish turnovers because you're too ramped up.

So, good job by you and the staff to keep them kind of the middle, Coach. Yeah, I tell you what, it was hard. I could talk about it now. I didn't talk about it before the game, but I know our players and our staff felt the pressure as well. You know, you can't lose the first game. Everybody in the city, everybody at the university would make comments, and it wasn't negative comments, but having to hear it all week and all season long of, man, it's going to be awesome being in that new stadium.

Can't wait for the first game. You guys got to win that game. Like, there was stress on the players that they had to go out and perform and win that game, and now that that's over with, there's been kind of a sigh of relief. You know, now we can just go out and play ball. So, I'm glad that it was an awesome experience, awesome environment, but it's always going to be that way. I'm glad to get past the first one. Let me ask you about the defensive improvements we talked with you, and as you mentioned, they did not live up to your standards, Coach Bowen's standards.

Obviously, I think they got back on track, forced an early interception, finished the game with four sacks. Avery Howard led UNA with seven tackles. Kay Natkins and Fred Villa with six tackles. That's a little more like it. Yeah, we had a good performance. You know, I bet Coach Bowen would tell you that they got up more than he wanted to, but to come out your second play of the game, you get a tip-pass intercept in the red zone that set our offense up for a score, to play as well as we did, to tackle the football a lot better than we did the week before.

[5:09] Had some TFLs, some sacks. I was impressed with those guys that went against a team that scored 53 points the week before. Had a quarterback that threw for 460 yards the week before. So, it went against a really good offense, and I thought they showed up and played well. Coach, when is the X-Man going to pick up his game? I'll tell you what. Can you find the words to kind of tell the value for the non-UNA fan coming to the table right now about Xavier Johnson's performance to date?

Oh, he was special. I think that any time you get the ball in his hands, he has an opportunity to make huge plays. Early in the game, they tried to put two DBs over the top of him. So, we got to a reverse early in the game that he has a 75-yard touchdown run on. And then we were able to soften some coverages up a little bit more as the game went on and got over the top. And I think he had 80-something yards receiving. So, any time a receiver has 150 yards in all purposes today, he can stretch the field.

He is electric with the ball in his hands. So, we've got to continue as an offensive staff to create ways that gets the ball in his hands. Speaking of special, let me ask you about special teams. You're such a fundamental coach, and I know there's a lot of coach speak sometimes about special teams. They only win two or three games a year. Ian Vachon made the one field goal attempt and the three extra points. Average 44 yards on five punts. Your thoughts on special teams? I thought those guys played okay.

I thought we could have been better at times. But you've got a kicker that did a great job. I think his only opportunity makes his field goal. We're 100% on extra points. Kick off could have been a little bit better. Pinning them back deep. They returned some in that game. And then we've got a true freshman punter that can be special. I mean, I think we had a 44-yard punt average, which is really, really good. Very, very good punt average. But it also is a credit to our guys that are running down the field and getting down there and making those tackles.

So I thought we played well. I'm ready for all three phases to play their A game at the same time. We do that. We're going to be a tough team to stop. I'm guessing, Coach, you wouldn't mind that starting this Saturday against Western Illinois. All they did is even their slate today to 2-2 after knocking off Moorhead State 59-2. It's another offense coming in that's got a lot of wind in their sails. Your thoughts about this weekend's matchup? Yeah, another really good football team. It's tough to tell looking at their record.

They're 2-2. But they've lost to the national runner-up in Illinois State. And they've lost to Wisconsin. So they're two losses against two really good football programs. But they've beat two really bad football programs. So you don't really know truly where they're at. We're going to treat them like they're the Green Bay Packers. I think they're a solid football team. They're very similar to the southeastern Louisiana team we played two weeks ago. So we know we've got to play our best game. We can't come out and have a B-minus game.

We need to show up and show the city of Florence another good game here at home. Let me ask you about their quarterback. You play some good quarterbacks already this year. Kennedy McGill accounted for five touchdowns in that 59-2 win over Moorhead. Threw for 264 yards, four touchdowns. Oh, by the way, he added 81 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground. Was the co-offensive player of the week for the OVC. Another dynamic dual-threat quarterback coming. Yes. They tried to get the ball to him about 15, 16 times just running the football.

He's their leading rusher. Creates problems when you've got quarterback run game. You've got to find an extra hat that gets over to the quarterback run game, which takes a hat out of coverage. So it's a little bit of a headache prepping for. He throws the ball really well. So we've got to sure up how we're going to tackle the QB run with also making sure that they don't hit us with some deep balls off of it. So it's a tough task in front of our defensive staff.

You and I had football coach, Brent Jeremy. Coach, I've always said when I ask about your thoughts in the preseason about this team or that team, I said, look, especially in the modern era, let's get through the first three or four ballgames, see how these guys perform with, as they say, the live bullets flying over their head. In other words, reality. Then you can start forming an opinion about the good, bad, and the ugly. Now that you're at that point in your schedule, what have you learned?

What has been a pleasant surprise and maybe something that you still know that you've got to work on at this point going forward? Yeah, I think just playing sound football for four quarters. We came out the other night and we got a 14-0 lead within the first five, six minutes of the ballgame. And I think we let our foot off the gas pedal a little bit. We go three straight, three and outs on offense. We let them start to move the ball on the defensive side of the ball.

[10:32] I'd like to see a team that has the ability to kind of smell blood in the water and has the ability to strike and put people away early. Now, I'm sure our fans are excited that we kept them around for an exciting third and fourth quarter. But as a head coach, I'd rather put a team away as early as you possibly can. We've talked about five or six players who did well during the game. Who else on either side of the ball, offense or defense or special teams, caught your eye?

You know, I think the D-line has been playing really well as the season has started off here. You're talking about Caden Atkins with our defensive player of the game with inside the program. Avery Howard is another one that has just killed it to start the year off. So a guy on defense has kind of moved around a little bit. Canigel Thomas is a transfer from Kansas State. He came here as a corner. He played a little nickel the first couple games. And then our other nickel, Tay Martin, has been a very, very good player.

So our D staff said, how can we get them both on the field? And Canigel has moved to field safety and has really helped us to be able to stop that tempo air raid passing game. We stopped this past week. So he's a guy that doesn't have a ton of stats. Well, it's tough for our field safety to get a lot of stats unless it's interception. So he's played really well. Coach, we've talked about the X's and the O's and the Jimmy's and Joe's. Let's talk a little bit about your thoughts about the 12th man.

How, when you walked out, I'm sure the chill bumps were there and see the 12th man doing their job, a full house outside of Vegas here in Florence. Your thoughts just about the energy, the importance of that house being full. And, of course, this weekend you're back home, but we'll be in the daytime. Thank goodness, as Brett alluded to it, the temperature's going to feel more like football if the forecasters hit it. But your thoughts just about that crowd and going forward to keep that crowd in the stands.

Yeah, you keep winning games. The easy way to keep people in the butts in the seats is winning football games. I think we've done a good job of kind of community service, having our kids out and about in this community, showing the logo at elementary schools, at food drives, at things like that where we're serving this community. But at the end of the day, the best way to have juice and energy is winning football games. So we've got to take care of our part and continue winning.

And, you know, it's family weekend this weekend, so a lot of people are going to be coming into town to see their kids' dorm room or check on how their children are doing the first five or six weeks in college. So there's going to be a little extra because of that. So really excited about the environment that we have coming up this weekend. Listen, we always enjoy talking with you. Congratulations on the first big win in the new stadium. Listen, good luck against Western Illinois. Let's get another W.

Let's go do that. I'm all for it. Absolutely. Coach Brent Dierman hooking up again. Three o'clock at the brand-new Confines on Bobby Wallace Field Bank Independence Stadium this weekend against WI Western Illinois. Coming up, let's go down south to Baton Rouge and talk, you guessed it, the aftermath of the land game with Ron Higgins on deck. Stay with us. Imagine a bank where you feel at home. Real people living right here in your community are the heart of Bank Independent and everything we do. You have our commitment to bring the people, ideas, and resources together that create a stronger community full of endless potential.

For over 75 years, we've served this place we all call home. Bank Independent. We're invested in you. Member FDIC. This is Miranda Haddock with the Florence Education Foundation. We would like to extend an invitation to our ninth annual Salsa Showdown on Saturday, October 3rd from 2 to 5 p.m. at Singing River Brewery. Restaurants and individuals from around the show will compete to see who has the best salsa and queso. Enjoy live music and a fun-filled day. For tickets and more information, visit our website at FlorenceEducationFoundation.org. I would like to thank our Silver and Gold sponsors, Forsyth & Long, Bank Independent, Chick-fil-A, Cutter Construction, Essity, E.S. Robbins, First Southern Bank, Grigsby Properties, Johnson & Mayhand Vental, Long Lewis Florence, River Bank & Trust, and United Community Bank.

And a special thank you to our title sponsor this year, TNT Fireworks. Bush Light is cold and smooth and waiting for you to get out there. Everyone knows that the classic taste of Bush Light is brewed for the outdoors. So before cracking open your next adventure, grab a case of Bush Light. Because nature is even cooler. With Bush Light in your cooler. Head for the mountains of Bush. Enjoy responsibly. Copyright 2026, Sennheiser Bush, Bush Light Beer, St. Louis, Missouri. Boyle here to help you beat the Bulls with Westwood One Sports.

[15:42] Brewers and the Phillies tonight, I like Milwaukee to bounce back. Phillies scored three in the bottom of the eighth to earn an emotional win last night. Now turn to Aaron Nola, who's been better, but still sports an ERA well over five at home this year. Brewers have the second best record in baseball after a loss, and they're trying to fend off the Dodgers for a home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Logan Henderson's been one of the best pitchers in baseball since the All-Star break. I'll take the Brewers on the money line as a short favorite.

I'm Pat Boyle. Bet's motor and beat the books. Download the BetMGM app today. My name is Whitney Allen, and I'm a widow. My husband, Ryan, died. We never thought we'd ever have to use life insurance, but the unexpected happened. With Ethos, signing up was fast and 100% online. You can get a quote in seconds, apply in minutes, and get same-day coverage. No medical exams, and you can get up to $3 million worth of coverage. I'm grateful we were prepared. Get your free quote at ethos.com slash play.

That's ethos.com slash play. Paid spokesperson. Time spent on application may vary. Online health questions required. The home of the Alabama Crimson Tide for Northwest Alabama. Sports Radio 93.9. The Score. When's the last time payroll was the easy part of your week? With Gusto, it can be. Gusto is the all-in-one platform designed to take the hassle out of managing your team, from payroll and compliance to hiring, onboarding, and more. With Gusto, you can get back two full days each month with all the time you've saved. Go to Gusto.com today and learn why over 500,000 small businesses choose Gusto.

That's G-U-S-T-O.com. Gusto.com. Rich Eisen here. Running a small business means every hire matters. A bad hire costs time and money, but the right one helps your business grow. The challenge? Finding that person without sorting through resumes. That's where LinkedIn Hiring Pro comes in. It screens candidates so you can focus on conversations with qualified talent. With Hiring Pro, you can hire with confidence and build the team you need. Join the 2.7 million small businesses using LinkedIn to hire. Get started by posting your job for free at LinkedIn.com.

Terms and conditions apply. From the University of Alabama, this is Crimson Tide Today. It's a daily update on Bama sports and it's brought to you by Conecuh Sausage, a true Southern flavor since 1947. Order online at KonecuhSausage.com. Hello again, everybody. I'm Roger Hoover. On Tuesday's Crimson Drive, driven by NASCAR, we were joined by Alabama defensive back, Bray Hubbard. Yeah, I mean, looking at the first game, I think we played all around a great game. Week two, once again, we played a really good game. I think, obviously, we wish we could have started faster.

Both sides of the ball are, really, I should say, all three phases. I think there's areas where we could have started faster in the beginning of the game. Just how we've been coming out in the second half has been very, very impressive. And then looking to the Florida State game, you know, started out slow, really slow defensively. Offensively started slow, too, which, you know, we're working on things at the facility and as a team to get that fixed. I'll have more in a moment. Favorite jeans, favorite shirt.

I can make a sausage and I'm firing it up, yeah. Everybody knows how I get my grill on. You can smell that flavor up and down the road. It's a little taste of heaven and everybody knows. It's how I get my grill on. Kanaka sausage, it's just a little taste of heaven. Join us tonight for Hey Coach and the Kalen DeBoer Show presented by Alpha Insurance. Live at 6 p.m. Central from Baumhauer's Victory Grill in Tuscaloosa. You can listen to Hey Coach on our full radio network, the Varsity Network app, as well as watch a video stream on all Alabama Athletics' social media platforms.

Crimson Tide Today is brought to you by Kanaka Sausage. Crimson Tide Today is a production of the Crimson Tide Sports Network from Learfield. Listen to the Crimson Tide Sports Network for Crimson Tide Rewind. Live from Baumhauer's Victory Grill in the Stavie Hills, Monday nights at 6 p.m. Tune in and roll Tide. The Score. Now, back with Boomo Bugg on 93.9 The Score. The Score. Welcome back in. It is an absolute pleasure for us to welcome in the Hall of Famer, Ron Higgins. Fine column is down with the Shreveport Bossier Journal.

Ron, welcome in. How are you? How are you guys doing, man? Man, we're doing all right. Has it sun? I know it's watching today. Wednesday. Has it sun come up yet in Baton Rouge after this weekend? Yeah, I think everybody, I think on both sides, in Oxford and Baton Rouge, you're kind of relieved, the game's over. Yeah. Kind of getting the pass. There was such hype for so long over that thing and to build up over it. And, you know, Ole Miss is glad they won.

[20:42] LSU is not happy that they couldn't complete a comeback. I think they were happy that they came back and made it a game and had their chances to win. And now you move on, you know, LSU is, you know, one chip in the middle of the table for the loss. Can't afford probably more than one more the rest of the year if they want to get in the playoff. You know, you never know if a three-team loss team will get in. But they've got some problems to solve.

None of them have to do with defense. I thought LSU's biggest problem in that game was that they showed Trinidad Chambliss too much perspective in the first half. I thought, you know, Kiffin had talked all week about how great Chambliss was and lazy he was and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And then they go in that game and play a defense that basically is a reflection of Kiffin's feelings. He's too cautious, not aggressive, basically so afraid the Chambliss will take off on a run that they didn't really come after him for the second half when they really made a difference.

Didn't play at all like they did in the first game as far as blitzing and aggressive and stuff. I think they just showed, no doubt, a very good player, too much respect. And once they popped in the second half and got an interception, then when Lacy went out, I mean, it was all, it was all, they just, they just went after him. But then again, the last play of the last drive of the game with Ole Miss score, they reverted to the same, we're going to play 10 yards off receivers type coverage.

And it was puzzling. So LSU's problem, honestly, going forward, I mean, the only problem that game really was the offense wasn't very good, and it still isn't very good. And I think the defense was strictly a matter of game plan, otherwise defense was fine. So LSU's biggest problem right now, it's kind of really funny. I was looking this stuff up just today. You know, LSU, you know, plays A&M this week, and Mark Phil Reid and Sam Levitt are almost the same guy. And I'm talking, it's incredible.

You look at their career stats, their number of starts, almost the same. The number of rushing touchdowns, the same jersey number, and the class of 22, Levitt was 15th best in the nation, Reid was 17th best. They can't hit open receivers. You know, Levitt, you know, missed two touchdown passes the other day, wide open. Reid immediately had a bad game. And so basically, the fate of your staying in the playoff race rests on two quarterbacks who can't hit open receivers, and all they can really do is run.

And Reid has torn LSU up the last two years, so LSU has that going for them, but this LSU defense didn't know that because most of these guys aren't back, and so that might be a good thing. Levitt, on the other hand, far as problem I think is, one, he's still getting used to SEC athleticism. SEC stadiums are packed full every week, and it doesn't help that his offensive line is basically horse-dukey. It doesn't help at all. The LSU's entire line graded out below 60% in the game against Ole Miss with their best lineman, their $4 million lineman, growing out at 53%.

Wow. And he's more comfortable taking off and running, and LSU's offensive line gave him every reason to because they didn't block anybody. But offenses, they've got problems. That's their biggest problem. And, of course, they lost Trey Dezzy Green for an out-of-time, and he was living a safety blanket. And so it's an LSU team, but it's a flawed LSU team. Either they're a temptation, even after loss, but it's a flawed team. It's all under – their defense is tremendous. Their king game's good. Offense is extremely flawed, guys.

Extremely flawed. Wow. Ron, you mentioned the injury to what I think may be the best tight end in the SEC in Trey Dezzy Green. What about Deshaun Spears? Yeah, a season-ending ACL. Blake Baker is a very good defensive coordinator. Ron, where does LSU go with trying to replace Spears? That's a good question. And that's a question that the two guys they put in for him are very average. I mean, he played what they called the star position, which is a combination of linebacker and defensive backer.

[25:52] It's the same position Harold Parker Sr. played last year. And, honestly, Deshaun Secures has played it better. So that's a huge blow. So this one's a baffling one. They could move Todd Benefield there. The Boise State safety was tremendous. They could probably move him there, and then they could shift some stuff around the secondary to cover it up. I don't know what they're going to do there. You know, as far as, you know, replacing Green, they played three guys a lot after him, and none of them are, you know, are 6'7 and athletic.

I mean, you know, you can't replace a guy like that. He's a freak. Yeah, that's another blow for LSU because, again, all their offensive problems in the line that they've blocked that great. A quarterback who misses open receivers and takes off probably too quick a lot of times. But, again, you know, when you know that what you do best is run and your offensive line is awful and can't block anybody very long, you're going to do that. And, honestly, LSU's receivers have not gotten separation. It's an average receiving core, so it's a very average offense and a world-class defense, and LSU has to figure some way to now navigate a schedule.

Honestly, this is what I love about the SEC. I love this. You can look at this season one way at the very start and look at the schedule and say, oh, I mean, okay, they get a breather in October, LSU. Okay, they got, they got, oh, they got Kentucky, and they got Mississippi State, and they got Auburn, and they got Auburn. Oh, no, so after they get through A&M and McNeese, they can come up for some air for, you know, for October until they hit the top off schedule again.

What I love about this league is how quickly it changes. Yep. And how you look at this schedule, you go, God, the State's a 3-0. Their quarterback is unbelievable. Kentucky, you just waxed A&M at home by 10. Yes. You know, and Auburn put up, they lost, what, put up 39? I mean, so you look at stuff like, oh, my God, it just got tougher. And that's what makes this league so fascinating every year is right when you figure it out in the beginning. Okay, it's not going to say status quo.

There's going to be injuries. There's going to be some improvement. There's going to be things you don't expect, and that's the beauty of the league. I mean, that's why it's fascinating every year because you never – don't try to figure stuff out, you know, personally this season. You know, don't try to figure it out. Okay, but what did everybody else do? Okay, yeah, well, it's going to be okay. It's never going to be okay. Maybe we've got a breather in that part. So it's just a tough road for all of you.

And I think, you know, Kiffin knows that he hadn't panicked. But I felt like he didn't coach like himself Saturday. Maybe the emotion of it got him a little bit. And again, I hate their game plan on shambles. I mean, and there's no doubt he's a great quarterback. And I told somebody before a game last week, I said, asked me who's going to win. I said, you know, you can sit there and do what people do, like analyze for five days how it's going to play out.

So sometimes it comes down to who has the best quarterback. It's not rocket science, it's a guy who can make plays. And Corrigan, he made plays. He really did. And he's a h*** of a quarterback. He really is. What's going to happen this weekend? Both fan bases hungry for a win. And to your point, if you don't believe Kentucky's a real deal, ask both Alabama and Texas A&M. What's going to happen, A&M fans coming in with the same mindset, you got to win. You can't let the season get away from you here.

Yeah. It's really going to come down to, again, the quarterbacks. Like, Marshall Reed has torched LSU's first two years. He's played like five and a half quarters against them. Has five touchdown runs. And I think three or four touchdown passes. It's like, after the Kentucky game, Reed was, you know, talking to the press. It's something that LSU doesn't allow Sam Levitt to do after games, which is incredible to me. Because I always think your quarterback should always talk to the media, win or lose after a game.

And Reed was talking about, you know, their throws I didn't make, simple throws. He goes, you know, it's not physical right now. It's mental. You know, I mean, it's not like I need to get my confidence back. I'm thinking, well, Hoss, you're playing against a team that the last couple of years has given you plenty of confidence. But, again, it's a defense where hardly anybody back last year was on that defense. And they're from the touch of them two years ago. So you've got mostly new defensive guys who don't know better.

[30:59] I think Blake Baker has more things he can do with his defense as far as aggressive-wise, which is, again, it's the lament of every LSU fan and people who watch that game wondering, why aren't you giving this guy so much respect? But I think with Reed, they know what they're getting with him. And I think LSU wins the game. And I think they do a really good job on Reed. I think LSU's biggest thing is to not implode offensively. You know, Leavitt hit open receivers. You know, the fact he had two touchdown passes of guys wide open.

He overthrew or threw wide last week could haunt this team all season. But the best way to do it is to go out and play, you know, on A&M team, which has won the last two times against LSU. Last time, last year, they destroyed LSU in the second half, which caused LSU's governor to get a posse together and go fire a killer the next game. So I'm going to say LSU probably by left from a touchdown. I mean, I think it would be a tight game.

I mean, it's rare in this league where you – between two, every match teams, you have blowouts. I mean, like last week, you know, Ole Miss jumped up 24-7 and LSU pulls into a 24-24 tie, has a chance, you know, maybe win the game, but they don't finish the job. So, again, it's a fast-ending league. The way you feel about your schedule changes week through week. That's what I love. So it will happen again this week. All the temperature will change again this week. Absolutely. And your point in November, Alabama, Texas at home, Tennessee, and Knoxville.

It is – these schedules are just unforgiving. Listen, we always enjoy the conversation with the Hall of Famer. Where can we get online and get all your great stuff? You can go to ShreveportBossierGermal.com. You can find me there. It's free. And you can go to Twitter at Ron Higg and on Instagram at SECRon. Ron, you got it all covered, including Ole Miss fans just now getting over their hangover from the weekend from the Grove. Listen, man, have a great and safe week down there, okay? LSU fans, stay hungover.

It's no big deal. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, doesn't matter. Ron, listen, man, have a great week. Thank you, bud. Ron Higgins, ShreveportBossierJournal. Well, I cannot disagree with that, having been like you and I down to a place called Baton Rouge. Let's go to Tuscaloosa. And, Mr. Man, Rodney, you're next. Stay with us. Wouldn't it be great if you could have your insurances for auto, home, business, farm, and RVs in just one agency? That's what the Michael Kno agency is for. We can help protect what is important for you.

Why not simplify your life? Visit Michael Kno or Bill Cochran on Mobile Plaza in downtown Florence. Or call them at 256-767-4237. Nationwide is on your side. Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and Affiliates, Columbus, Ohio. Subject to underwriting guidelines and approval. Hey, Scholes. Fuller Services here. Our Beat the Heat countdown has officially started. Just a few more days until our $1,600 rebate program ends September 30th. You heard me. $1,600 rebate on a fantastic system to keep you comfortable all year long. Don't sweat the record-breaking heat. Call Fuller Heating, Air Conditioning, Electrical, and Plumbing today.

256-381-7195. Alabama HVAC, license 91114. Did you hear? Allstate car insurance now costs even less. So when you bundle with home, you can save even more. Check Allstate first to bundle and save with a new lower auto rate. You're in good hands with Allstate. Not available in every state. Only applicable for new auto insurance business. Rates will vary by several factors, including how you purchase the policy. Potential savings may vary. Allstate North American Insurance Company and Affiliates, Northbrook, Illinois. The Colonel is the king of chicken. That's why he's always had a beef with beef.

But on Wednesdays, he's squashing the beef by frying it. KFC Country Fried Steak is here for only $4.99. Crispy golden outside, tender steak inside. Served with peppery gravy, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, and a biscuit. At last, the Colonel and beef buried the hatchet in gravy. Get the $4.99 Country Fried Steak Wednesdays for a limited time, only at KFC. Prices and participation may vary while supplies last. Not available on third-party ordering platforms. Tax tip and fees extra. We all have those house projects we've been avoiding. And cleaning out gutters is usually last on the list.

But when heavy rain sends water spilling over and soaks the ground around your foundation, you're going to wish you tackled it sooner. Don't wait for something like clogged gutters to turn into bigger, more costly home repairs. Let the pros at LeafFilter handle your gutters for you. With LeafFilter, you get a free gutter inspection and a no-obligation estimate. Their experts can inspect, clean out, and replace your gutters before installing LeafFilter. It works by topping your gutters with surgical-grade stainless steel micromesh that's made to keep common debris out.

[36:24] Plus, every system comes with a lifetime warranty and a no-clog guarantee. Help protect your home today with LeafFilter, America's number one gutter protection system. Right now, you can get up to 35% off when you go to leaffilter.com slash day. That's up to 35% off at leaffilter.com slash day. Restrictions apply. See rep for warranty and promotion details. ESPN Radio for the Shoals. Sports Radio 93.9. The Score. Game day prep means packing the cooler, washing your jersey, and finding the perfect tailgate spot. But there's one more step. Grooming.

Walmart has the Manscaped Lawn Mower lineup, including the Streamlined Lawn Mower Go and the Lawn Mower Ultra. With dual-tone spotlights and up to 100 minutes of runtime. Both feature skin-safe technology and waterproof design for easy cleanup. So next time you're at Walmart loading up for the tailgate, swing by and grab a lawnmower, too. One less thing to think about before kickoff. Progressive, plumbers, today will be a good day. You will be profitable. Your clients will be nice. No one will stand over you and tell you how to fix the thing they actually hired you to fix.

You will also feel at peace after switching to Progressive, America's number one commercial auto insurer. See if you can save in as little as eight minutes at ProgressiveCommercial.com. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates. Number one commercial auto insurer from the NAIC's 2024 national premium data. Progressive presents the Sports Flash on 93-9, the score. The Braves were shut out yesterday to home as they fell to the Cincinnati Reds 4-0. J.R. Ritchie took the loss for the Braves. He drops to 1-4. The Braves couldn't get a run.

They did have seven hits in the loss. Braves are 92-65. Braves and Reds are back at Truist Park tonight. Chris Sale on the bump for Atlanta. He's 14-9 with an ERA just north of 2. Andrew Abbott will start for the Reds. He is 6-11. New week in the NFL gets underway tomorrow night. The Atlanta Falcons will be in Green Bay as they take on the Packers at Lambeau Field. The Falcons are 0-2. Michael Penix is set to make his season debut. The Green Bay Packers are off to a 1-1 start to the season.

Catch Braves baseball right here tonight. Joined in progress after Hey Coach. I'm John Thayer with the Sports Flash presented by Progressive on 93-9, the score. You run the business. We run the routes. Visit usbs.com slash groundadvantage to learn more. If there's one thing you can count on, it's 24-7 protection when you bundle home and auto insurance with Progressive. And if there's two things you can count on, it's your smoke detector battery dying at 3 a.m. Not 3 p.m. on a Saturday when you have nothing going on, but in the middle of the night when you're fast asleep.

Oh, come on! Get 24-7 protection when you bundle home and auto with Progressive. Just one more thing you can count on. Progressive Casualty Insurance company affiliates and third-party insurance not available in all states or situations. What's happening this week in college football? The Lindy's Football Report has the answers. 30 minutes of college football discussion on the biggest matchups of the week. Concise. Engaging. Accurate. With opinions thrown in from some of the most knowledgeable reporters in the business. The Lindy's Football Report. Check it out. The Score. Now, back with Boomo Bugg on 93.9 The Score.

Welcome back in. It is an absolute pleasure for us to open the door and say hello to Mr. Orr. Rodney Orr is the founder and editor of TiterInsider.com. And his book is called Bigger Than Bama. Rodney, welcome in. How are you? I'm well, Harold Britt. How are you guys today? Kind of scratching your heads a little bit, Rodney here. It's hard to believe. We talk, talk, talk. And then, boom, here comes the season. And right now, we're basically, what, a quarter of the way into it.

A lot of Bama fans would say Saturday's weather has been a descriptive of this season. Kind of stormy. There's been some lightning. There's been some thunder. But our mutual friend, Redfish Barger this week, Rodney, may have summed it up best. I don't care how you begin. It's how you end. Your thoughts about this Alabama team to the first three? Well, I mean, I think they've made progress each week. I mean, I think it's pretty evident. Obviously, they made a little jump on the road against Kentucky versus what they did in the opener at East Carolina.

And I thought they took a step in this last game. I mean, the explosion that they had with, what was it, 236 left or 216, I can't remember, in the first half. And scored three touchdowns. It's pretty amazing. Went ahead 26-21 at halftime. And, you know, like I said, they exploded. Second half, the run by Keelan Russell, I thought, was just jaw-dropping. You know, his tools are off the charts. I mean, it's just amazing. And learning. So, yeah. So, you know, again, I think last week I kind of bragged on them for running for 93 yards in the fourth quarter against Kentucky.

[41:56] And they ran for 123 in the fourth quarter against this last game. So, you know, they're making progress if you ask me. Let me ask you this, Rodney. Speaking of running, I saw the good news this week. It looks like that the troops are going to get even stronger with A.K. Deer set to return. We'll talk about it some more in a second. But talking with the running room, Crowell and Hill kind of got banged up a little bit. We've seen some reports. Is what we're hearing the truth that it was basically just a nick and nothing to be worried about if you're an Alabama fan with Crowell and Hill?

Yeah, I mean, I think so. I mean, I think certainly Crowell, I haven't heard much on Hill, actually. I know DeBoer addressed it and, you know, seemed to kind of indicate that it was nothing severe at all. I mean, just a minor thing. So, I mean, they should be fine. Of course, you know, I think you probably work Deer in it slowly, you know, get him some opportunities. Then I think same thing with Noah Rogers at wide receiver. You know, you kind of just work them in and, you know, let them kind of over the course of the next couple of weeks, kind of, you know, start generating more and more opportunities for them.

But I think they should be fine. Rodney, two touchdown plays really resonated with me since I'm old school. Crowell's four-yard touchdown run on student body right. He had three tight ends blocking in front of him, and he literally walked in for a four-yard touchdown. On Treshawn Brown's 20-yard touchdown, Delgati pulled. I saw a clip of this this morning and just devastated defensive tackle. Every one of the offensive linemen had a hat on a hat. In other words, they blocked the guy in front of them. Treshawn Brown goes through the hole untouched for 20 yards.

Those two plays were impressive. You know, first of all, you mentioned student body right. Just a little history here, because I know you and Harold and Brett are remembering this. It's hard to believe. 48 years ago today, 48, Charles White ran student body right in Alabama 29 times for 199 yards. Sure did. That was actually the first game I attended in person from Corpus Christi, Texas. It wasn't easy to get to Legion Field back in those days. So, funny that you used that term on today. But, yes, I think the plays that you mentioned, those tight ends have done a fantastic job of blocking.

You know, so that was a good play, obviously. And then, like you said, that was later in the game with Treshawn Brown had that game finisher. That was a game finisher. It sure was. I mean, you know, nine plays, 90 yards. I thought it was a beauty, you know, just a beautiful drive. A lot of good runs in that drive. The Hill, Coyle, Brown, all of them got involved in the run game there. I think they only had one pass. It was a 10-yard complete, if I'm not mistaken.

But, anyway, all that said, yeah, I mean, that was a great drive. I mean, the way you saw them finish a team, that's the way you want to see it. That's the way you want to draw it up. Ryan Grubb, Alabama offensive coordinator, made some headlines this week. A lot of folks said, now you know why Nick was the voice. No assistance talk. Came out, called out Alabama fans for booing the slow start. Used some language that you probably won't hear in Sunday school class. And then, after that, apologized.

What I think this staff is starting to learn, if they don't already know, is this fan base has the patience fused about as short as your little fingernail. They want you to play from the opening bell to the last bell. Your thoughts, what this staff has learned about the passion of this fan base? I think they're still learning, obviously. You know, I mean, yeah, the one thing you don't know, look at Washington, nobody would have said anything about that. Hey, dude, let's have a latte, man.

Yeah, there would have been nothing said. This is a different place. Yep. And, yeah, you don't really, it's not good to challenge Alabama fans unless you're in a position like Nick Saban. You know, if you're in a position like Nick Saban, maybe. But, you know, again, so, listen, I will say this. I certainly understand the frustration with Grubb because, you know, I understand his position in terms of being frustrated. Because, you know, listen, they've got a lot of new faces. They're starting a quarterback with not much experience.

We knew it was a work in progress. We knew it was going to be. Right? Everybody knew that. And just to kind of see what they did, they had 567 total yards, 247 on the ground. And I'm sure afterwards, you know, thinking about those boos really were frustrating for him. That said, I mean, some of the things you, sometimes you have to, you know, kind of step back and say, okay, that might be better left unsaid. Which it would have been. It would have been better left unsaid.

[47:09] But, you know, with all that, I think that, you know, look, I know Grubbs caught a lot of heat. But I want to say this, and this is what I believe is, given the situation of it, it is a work in progress. When you finally, when your quarterback starts making plays, like Keelan Russell was making, then all of a sudden that makes play calling a lot easier. That's right. But, I mean, the running game, everything starts coming together. So, it almost really doesn't matter what you call when he's playing like that.

Everything's going to work. Well, here's the other part, too. Crimmie, if I'm wrong, they scored 48, 45, and 50. And sometimes you get the impression that some of these offensive coordinators want to come out and slowly just sit here and punch and jab in the opening rounds of the match. And see what the defense is going to do and what they're not going to do. And then once you kind of get a feel for what they're going to do, then you open the can. I don't know if that's what he's trying to do here.

But back to Redfish's part, yeah, you do care how you begin. But more importantly, you better sit here because the other side of the idea is you jump out to a 21-0 lead and you take your foot off the pedal. Yeah. I think the thing is, you know, this is crazy. The last two games, they've been down, what, 17-3? Right, right. Yeah. And then 21-6. Yep. Those are sizable deficits, actually, to start the game. So, one thing we know, they can come back, right? That's a good thing.

That's a great experience that they had. So, later in the season, if they fall in a position where they're behind and have to come back, they sure should have some confidence that they can do so. And I think, too, obviously, the competition as we move along is going to be a little better. But, that said, with that better competition, you don't want to fall behind Georgia or some of these other teams, 21-6, 28-6, whatever it is. So, I do think it's important that you play a, you know, because when, for example, if you're in against an Indiana or, let's just say, Ohio State or Texas or whoever it is, and you fall, you play like you played in the early part of that game, there's a good chance you could be out of the game.

Yeah, very fast. So, I do think it's important that they kind of put on the, step on the gas early. Ronnie, let me ask you about the elephant in the room for the Florida State game, and that is the secondary. And I give Florida State coaches credit. They had a bye week. They utilized that properly. We talked to a couple of the Florida State media, and they said, look, these guys look better throwing the ball this week than we've seen them in two years. They said that they barely used Deuce Robinson the first couple of games.

Croma is the NFL back as Robinson's the first or second round draft pick. Danzi, the receiver, if you give Ashton Daniels time, he's going to hit a receiver. Kane Womack mentioned, you know, we really didn't miss a lot of assignments. We were misaligned a couple of times, and we know how much potential the secondary has. Ronnie, your thoughts on improving for this week against South Carolina? Well, you know, it's going to be interesting because I think Lenore Sellers is a little bit like Ashton Daniels. Daniels, you know, very mobile, athletic, maybe even more so than Daniels.

You know, now he's a solid passer. You're going to have to kind of – I thought, you know, just watching what Alabama did in the second half, especially later in the second half, they did a good job with their front four. Just kind of keeping him – and I noticed that Daniels, his eyes started coming down. Yes. You know, they started – they weren't downfield. They were coming down to the defensive line. And he just had nowhere to go, and they did a really nice job of getting on Tompkins.

Yonse Pierre coming in off the edge. So, I think they did a really nice job, and that's what you're going to have to do, I think, with Sellers. You've got to keep him hemmed up and try to make him stand in there and get enough pressure on him to affect him. And if they can, that'll certainly be a step in the right direction. Like you said, they've got a big receiver of their own, Nicholas Harber, who's 6'5", 240, you know, similar size to Deuce Robinson. And faster, he's a world-class sprinter, and he's got incredible speed.

He made a big play here two years ago. You may remember it. It was a great catch over the side of the end zone. And, yeah, so they've got weapons. Now, defensively, I know Dylan Stewart's been great. You may have a little more update on his injury status. I don't know what it is, but I know he's been limited for some reason. You know, he's a great pass rusher. So, they're pretty good on defense. I mean, they may not be great, but they've got some good numbers offensively.

[52:11] I mean, I think they rush for, you know, again, it's early in the year to start looking at those stats. But they're well over 250 yards, I think, rushing a game. And defensively, they've done a really nice job in terms of the numbers. So, I don't think you can let down your guard. That's the one thing about this team. You know, when I get confident and start thinking, okay, they're in a great shape for this game or that game, frankly, those have been some games they've laid eggs.

Absolutely. So, you know, I think you have to guard against that. If you're a stat nerd, South Carolina defensively and offensively ranks ahead of Alabama nationally as far as the numbers. You can take that for what it's worth. We know it's going to be an emotional game. South Carolina, for some reason, because Alabama fits. You talked about the last two games. But going back, it's going to be an emotional game in some ways. For those who remember, the man who knocked off Nick Saban, Stephen Garcia, he is coming out of surgery, diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer.

His wife's saying he's out of surgery, but he's still battling cancer. So, it's going to be an emotional weekend for a man who put South Carolina on the map against Alabama. Yeah, man, I hate to hear that. I've heard about it. He's been going for a while. But, yeah, who will forget that game for Alabama? Yeah, it was unfortunate. But, you know, that was the day when he threw it up and it really didn't matter where it was. Those guys caught it. I mean, it was crazy.

And, you know, he'll forevermore live on tighterinsider.com as, you know, are we going to get Stephen Garcia today? You know, I mean, that's kind of what they say. You know, the guys play those kind of games against Alabama. I thought that may have been Steve Spurrier's best coaching job. It was absolutely amazing, the job he did that. By the way, Zulu has been getting after a quarterback, Rodney Orr. He's really been improving. Where can we get online and get tighterinsider.tv, interviews for players, coaches, all sports forum 24-7 stuff for a nominal price, and also purchase your book?

Yeah, and don't forget, too, now, South Carolina has a couple of Alabama, former Alabama live-backers. Yeah, Murphy's, too. And Sean Murphy, they've been doing a really good job for them. But it's tighterinsider.com. It's only $48 a year. You can get instant access with your credit card. If you prefer, there is an address there. Send a check. Give you all our premium information. Of course, part of that is, too, our all-sports forum, a lot of discussion there going on. It's really crazy. I mean, like, really crazy on game day.

And the book is Bigger Than Bama, which you can find on Amazon or on RodneyOrr.com. Get all the details there if you're interested. Sounds great, Rodney. Listen, let's hope for lower temperatures, lower humidity, and less lightning and thunder this weekend, all right? I'm with you, Harold. I mean, it's a long delay sitting there in that press box. He grew a beard, right, between the kickoff and the way that may be wrapped up. There you have it. RodneyOrr, Bigger Than Bama, is the book, and tighterinsider.com is the place.

Check him out online anytime. The place is on fire. Calls Oxford, Mississippi. Brett Norsworthy. The inside story next. Stay with us. All right, grab some buds and listen up. Grilling season's here. Now we find out what we're made of. Are we going to fold under pressure and overcook the burgers? Or are we going to nail the carne asada and the brisket and pack the coolers with ice-cold Budweiser and Bud Light? Because that's the difference between winning and losing, between flipping burgers and grilling like a pro.

This summer, grill like a pro with Bud and Bud Light. Stock up today. Anheuser-Busch Budweiser and Bud Light Beer, St. Louis, Missouri. Sunday's just got better at Sam's Florence. Catch all the football action while enjoying our new all-you-can-eat Sunday brunch buffet, Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fill your plate with French toast, shrimp creole, scrambled eggs, and more. All for just $16.95 for adults and $7.95 for kids. And while you're here, add an order of our chicken and waffles. You won't be disappointed. Great food, cold drinks, and football all Sunday long.

Sam's Florence. Make our place your place. Hey guys, Keith at Cypress Creek Indoor Range. Cypress Creek Indoor Range has nationally recognized state-of-the-art facilities right here in the Shoals. We also have the best selection of firearms and all the accessories as the only store to buy direct from the manufacturers. Our staff is second to none and is repeatedly honored as having the best customer service in the area. But most importantly, our customers have led us to the top. So if you're interested in firearms, training, or enjoying the indoor range experience, check out Cypress Creek Indoor Range for the best of all three.

Cypress Creek Indoor Range is located at 5060 Highway 157 in Florence, on the web at cypresscreekrange.com, or on social media. This is Sports Radio 93.9. The Score. If you want to keep up with your growing business, then you've got to hire the right people fast. That's why you've got to use ZipRecruiter. ZipRecruiter is the place for fast. They make the whole hiring process fast. See for yourself. It takes just a minute or two. Head to ZipRecruiter.com slash free to try it for free. But back to how fast ZipRecruiter is.

[57:36] Posting your job? A few clicks. That's all it takes. Finding skilled, experienced people? ZipRecruiter is on it with fast matching technology. Want qualified candidates who are genuinely interested in your job? ZipRecruiter shows them to you right away. That's because people can tell you why they're excited about your job. So they jump to the top of your list. And before you know it, that semi-truck driver, that nurse practitioner, that lead mechanic, or that sales rep who opens the store, those roles are filled fast. It's no wonder four out of five employers who post on ZipRecruiter get a quality candidate on day one.

Just head to ZipRecruiter.com slash free to try it for free. Once again, that's ZipRecruiter.com slash free. The place for fast. ZipRecruiter. Rich Eisen here. Rich Eisen here. A SoFi personal loan is here to help you achieve something once thought impossible. Overcoming high interest credit card debt. Walk the tightrope of your finances with one low fixed rate monthly payment, no fees required, and as soon as the same day funding. That's right. Pull off your own debt defying stunt with a SoFi personal loan. Visit SoFi.com slash trick to learn more.

Loans originated by SoFi Bank N.A. Member FDIC. Terms and conditions apply. NMLS 696891. Polymarket Squads is now live in the app. Squad up. See everyone's football positions and trade if you're friends on a heater. If not, let them hear about it. Download the Polymarket app. New customers, use promo code LINEBACKER. Deposit $10 and get $50 to trade instantly. 18 plus. See Polymarket's terms of service for more information about restrictions and eligibility. The Polymarket app is an independent affiliate of Polymarket U.S. and not CFTC regulated. Trading always involves risk.

Complete loss can occur. The $50 offer is issued as non-withdrawable trading credit for use on the platform. 1819 News. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall is leading a 26-state coalition that has filed an amicus brief within the U.S. Supreme Court regarding an election integrity case. The attorneys general within these 26 states want to see the U.S. Supreme Court restore a state's authority to enforce voter qualifications and proof of citizenship in order to register to vote. They are supporting the case of the Republican National Committee v. Mi Familia Vota.

This case originated in the state of Arizona, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the Arizona law that requires proof of citizenship when registering to vote. The Ninth Circuit Court also limited the Arizona state legislature in its effort to remove non-citizens from the voter rolls. The attorneys general call this an unconstitutional decision and a grievous error that the U.S. Supreme Court must correct. Marshall says that states have sovereignty and an inherent function to set forth and enforce voter qualifications. I'll be back with more Alabama stories after this.

Are you enjoying 1819 News? If so, consider joining 1819 News as a member. As a non-profit news organization, we depend on the support of Alabamians like you. Memberships start out as little as $5 a month, and you'll get access to exclusive content only offered to our members. You'll be supporting independent journalism done by people who cherish Alabama values. Become a member today by visiting 1819news.com and clicking Become a member. That's 1819news.com and click Become a member today. Montgomery native and country music singer Ella Langley has had her latest hit song, Choose in Texas, beat out Mariah Carey when it comes to topping the Billboard Hot 100 charts.

The song has now spent 23 weeks as the number one song. Mariah Carey's Christmas song, All I Want for Christmas is You, was number one on these same Billboard charts for 22 weeks. I'm Andrea Tyson. For more news affecting Alabamians, go to 1819news.com. And while you're there, subscribe to the daily newsletter. Tide fans, join the Crimson Tide Sports Network this fall on Wednesday nights for Hey Coach and the Kalen DeVore Show, presented by Alpha Insurance, live from Baumhauer's Victory Grill in Tuscaloosa. The show starts at 6 p.m., and you don't want to miss it.

Roll Tide. Valley Broadcasting Corporation, WITK-FM, Rogersville, Athens, Decatur, the Shores, Sports Radio 93.9 The Score. Miss the Boomo Bugg Show today? Or Paul Feinbaum? Miss the last Florence Falcons game? You can access the latest episodes and game broadcasts at our website, 939thescore.com. Click on Podcast and then All Podcasts to access the latest Boomo, Feinbaum, Florence broadcast. That's 939thescore.com. 939thescore.com. Evan Canty and Michelle are unsportsmanlike. Jameis Winston has made himself likable to the masses, so we ignore that he's really actually not good at football.

He's an amazing hype man. He's an amazing teammate. He is great, I'm sure, to Jackson Dart. At the number one overall pick, you can't find guys at the quarterback position that are much worse than him. We'll be right back. Now, get ready to roll, Shoals, Decatur, Athens, and all of Northwest Alabama and Southern Tennessee. It's time for the Valley's exclusive FM Sports Voice. The Boomo Bugg Show. Your exclusive inside track to the tie, Tigers, Tennessee, and the rest of the SEC. Now, your host, Harold Bugg on 93.9.

[1:03:30] The score. Welcome back in our truth of the Boomo Bugg Show. I'm Harold Bugg, alongside Brett Beaird. Thank you so much for giving us a free ride around the Tennessee Valley. And, B.B., do you know how smart Brett Norsworthy is, my friend? Brett Norsworthy is very, very, very smart. Well, he drives you home afternoons over on Sports Time 3 to 6 on Sports 56 in Memphis, Tennessee. And he's, instead of paying a kajillion dollars to watch this weekend's historic showdown in Oxford, he actually got paid to do it as pre-game, halftime, and post-game reporter for the Ole Miss football program.

Brett Norsworthy, welcome in. How are you? I'm doing well. There was a point there Saturday night, so I'm thinking, and this is supposed to be fun. It's about to wreck my heart. It turned out well, and no cardiology appointment. Oh, man, Brett. We've seen a lot of football over the years. There's football games, and there's football atmospheres. Where do you start breaking this one down in comparison to your experience in Ole Miss football? Regular season, it was among the best. Nothing for me will top the historic nature of the college football playoff game on campus last December against Tulane, and Ole Miss has a very old standing rivalry with Tulane.

That will always top it for me. That will always be number one. But that one Saturday night, it was right up there with 2023 LSU, down nine with five minutes to play, and came back and won that one. It was up there with 2014 and beating Coach Saban in mighty Alabama at their mightiest, and Lane Kiffin, his offensive coordinator that day. It sure ranks up there really high, and it was a special weekend that lived up to the hype often. In sports now, in media, we can overdo anything, but that lived up to it.

There was a point last weekend, I promise you guys, I was watching the coverage of it, and I swear I thought, if you're not a fan of the SEC and you're not a fan of either Ole Miss or LSU, isn't this a little much how it was covered by Disney, by ESPN, by the ABC platform? Well, they made it work with that big TV rating, and the game lived up to it. And as we all know, we can talk about it all week, but the games have to be played, and that's what you really remember.

You don't remember the hype. You remember the reality. I mentioned this to you last time we talked about Trinidad Chambliss. I was so impressed with him in the postseason last year, and particularly some of the plays he made against Georgia. And I said that I believe he's a Heisman finalist and will be in New York. It's amazing to me, Camario Taylor at Mississippi State may actually be with him. But you can talk about great players, but when the game's on the line, he took Ole Miss, and I give credit to LSU for coming back to time the game, 13 plays, 62 yards.

He was 7 of 9 and finished it off with a 14-yard touchdown run. Great players have great drives and great plays. That's right, Brett. He sure did. He delivered it. He got to the corner and beat Ty Benefield to the corner for the touchdown, and Ty Benefield was the best athlete in the stadium that Saturday night. He's going to make a lot of money, just a great player. But Trinidad got out the back door and beat him to the edge and got in the end zone. And then it was hold on for dear life, and now Ole Miss 3-0 when the game day cameras are there, 2014 against Alabama, 2021 against Texas A&M, and Saturday night.

And if Ole Miss continues to win, I feel like the game day crew will be back against Georgia later in the year. But I do think Trinidad's the leader right now in the Heisman race. It's really early. This would be in the political world. This would be after winning, like, the New Hampshire primary. So I wouldn't start humming h*** to the Chief after winning New Hampshire. Brett, to your point about ESPN cameras coming back, I'm trying to see the over-under, how much they showed on the field and how many cutaways they showed of women in the stands who have allegiance to Ole Miss.

And anyone who knows Ole Miss, all they showed was that was the walk-ons, right, Brent? Yeah, that was the equivalent to the pre-game radio guy. Yep, yep. Compared to the football players. Let's talk about the obvious, the Pete versus Lane show. And, you know, we talked last week. Lane's the kind of guy that he's going to drive up his Ferrari with a pair of Gucci's on and talk about the high life. Pete is like Norm in cheers. He's the guy at the end of the bar you want to have a beer with.

You know the pressure's off both of them now, especially Pete. But your thoughts on what this game meant to Pete Golding. Well, it meant a lot to him, and he was really pleased with the win post-game. And when they brought him to me, he had, I mean, a big magnum dip working and drinking while simultaneously drinking a Dr. Pepper. And in our interview, I said, Coach, both of those would go down every wrong pipe I had for a week. That's very talented when you can work a dip and be drinking a soft drink.

[1:08:56] That's exactly right. Ole Miss, five for five in the red zone. Again, big games on a big stage, and they did so well in the red zone. He won Lacey, and I was watching some of the replay last night. Obviously hurt his shoulder. What's his status for Florida? Yeah, I think it's going to be game time. It's no surgery, but it was imaged Saturday night, re-examined Sunday by a great, great team doctor that I know well. I've not talked to them about it particularly. They would not tell me, and they shouldn't.

That would be a violation of a lot of things. But I think it was an AC joint. But it's the same injury that he suffered late in the Tulane game in the college football playoff. And Kwan's had two plays this year, one opening night against Louisville and one Saturday night against LSU, where three 300-pound men, that's 900 pounds, falling on him at the same time. I mean, he's a little bit shell-shocked from it. He's tough as a boot. But my goodness, anybody can just take so much, and it knocked his breath out opening night against Louisville.

They were really scared he might have a cracked sternum opening night against Louisville because the ball was between him and the turf at the Titan Stadium. But I think it's game time. But you've got this game this week, then open day, then at Vandy, home against Mizzou, and then we go to Austin. You know, I think by then, we want to have Kwan really good and healthy. As you know, if you're over in the IUC Corinth area, Brent Noyesworthy drives you home afternoons on sports time 3 to 6 and sports 56.

Brent just shows you the strength of this conference. You knock off mighty LSU, and now you are, last time I saw you, you may have some updated numbers, at least three, three-and-a-half-point underdog to Florida. It just shows you the strength of this league. Yeah, when do we get to go to Illinois? Or Howard. Yeah, yeah, exactly. Or Iowa. Yeah, Western Kentucky, you know. Yeah, I mean, it's really brutal, Harold. We knew it at eight games. We sure knew it at nine. Even if it becomes just everybody beating everybody.

Right. If it becomes the cannibalism that we all fear, I would still say going to nine games was right, if for no other reason for the fans to give the hard-working people that buy these tickets some value in their tickets. They do not want to see geographical or hyphenated teams. They want to see name brands, and that's what you get nine times a year. You know, this year, Ole Miss is five home games and four on the road. It'll flip next year. It's like for everybody.

And I still wish they would adopt what I want. I want a 10th game against the SEC for everybody, but you don't count that against the league total. But we play, and you can give a little more bang for your buck, and maybe we'll get that when we go to 24, and we're going to 24. Yeah. Brad, I saw Indiana's future non-conference schedule. Please. I'm not kidding you. Their toughest opponent is Austin Peay. I mean, it beats anything I've ever seen. Well, they got Graham Wood Jr. high in there.

Yeah. My gosh. Let me ask you about Tre'Lon Ray, who I can't think caught seven passes for 115 yards, was a cornerback, came back to receiver, and had a tremendous game for the Rebels. Boy, you're hitting right on every subject from Saturday night's postgame. He was our offensive player that I had immediately after the game, and I was so happy for him. Transferred in from West Virginia. Big expectation that if he stays healthy, I mean, who knows? We might not have had what Harrison Wallace became last year, Deshaun Stripling became last year, or Deuce Alexander, what he became last year and back this year.

But he got hurt, and then when he got well, there was just no catches. I mean, it was too many cars to pass for him to get in any serious playing time, so he volunteered to help out in the secondary and did help, and did help in special teams. And then in the offseason, with the consultation of him and his family and Coach Golding and the position coaches, defensive, secondary, and wide receiver, they decided, and he expressed his wish to go back to offense. And he stepped up Saturday night and made every catch.

Made it double-covered. Made it wide open. Made it down the middle. Made it down the sideline. I mean, it was a full route tree. Yeah. Absolutely. The SEC with five top 25 ranked games this weekend. I don't think the Big Ten is doing that on Saturday, Brett. I'll have to go back and check the schedule again. Listen, we always enjoy the conversation with you. Congratulations. You've watched the SEC. We love to talk with you. Where can we get online and listen to your show this afternoon? Sports56whbq.com.

[1:14:03] And historically, as Errol said, on 560 WHBQ. And now, more toward the Memphis area, a big booming FM signal on 1075. Wow. WHBQ, home of Rick, these, and others. Listen, man, take care of yourself, and maybe they'll get to grow all the garbage out of there by this time next month, Brett, do you think? Well, we need to rain because there's not one blade of grass. Oh, Lord, yes. It's bald, I guarantee you. Brett, listen, man, thanks for your time, and have fun this weekend against the Gators.

You bet. Thank you, man. Thank you, bud. Brett Norrisworthy, host of Sports Time 3 to 6 on Sports 56 in Memphis, Tennessee, as Memphis would say. Coming up, what about the Gang of the Plains? Brian Matthews talking to Auburn next. Stay with us. Game day's coming, and your tailgate crew is counting on you. That's why Lost Pizza Company Shoals put together the tailgate playbook, specialty pizzas, wing trays, and subplatters, all built to feed a crowd. It's why we're the go-to pizza place in Florence, Alabama, now bringing that same lineup straight to your tailgate.

Order for pickup or delivery to UNA tailgate only. Call 256-415-8693 or order online at lostpizza.com front slash shoals. From our playbook to your plate. With locations in Tuscumbia, Florence, Muscle Shoals, Russell, Killen, Madison, and Athens, Singing River Dentistry provides the most advanced dental care, including same-day crowns and implants, in a compassionate and friendly atmosphere. They excel in educating their patients and themselves about the benefits of keeping a healthy smile for a lifetime. The care of their patients is the center of their practice. They value their patient's time, trust, and total health.

For more information about their practice or to request an appointment, go to singingriverdentistry.com. At River Restoration, we proudly serve the Shoals area with dependable roofing repair, emergency services, and storm damage solutions. With years of hands-on experience and a commitment to quality, we're the local roofing team homeowners and businesses trust when it matters the most. Whether you're facing leaks, hill damage, or need urgent repairs after a storm, our experts are ready to restore and protect your home with speed and precision. We know how stressful roofing issues can be.

River Restoration. Call Project Manager Bentley Sharp. 256-349-8533. It doesn't matter if you're running grills at the park, playing pickup on a Saturday, or sinking the final putt. When you compete with your friends with Michelob Ultra on the line, competition isn't that friendly. The trash talk, next level, and the stakes. Oh, those are crystal clear. With only 95 calories and superior smooth taste, it's the ultimate trophy. Superior is worth playing for. Michelob Ultra, superior light beer. Enjoy responsibly. Copyright 2025, Anheuser-Busch, Michelob Ultra, light beer, St. Louis, Missouri.

All sports, all the time. Sports Radio 93.9. The score. Since 1952, J.C. Hammond Sons has been keeping the Shoals comfortable year-round. As the oldest family-owned heating and air business in the Shoals area, they've built a reputation for a reliable service you can trust, whether it's for your home or your business. Need installation, repair, or maintenance? The experienced team at J.C. Hammond Sons is ready to help with all your residential and commercial heating and cooling needs. Visit them at 2536 Florence Boulevard or call 256-764-7386 today. J.C. Hammond Sons, serving the Shoals with dependable comfort since 1952.

Alabama license number 12179. I felt a jackhammering pain in my jaw. Like someone sawing my bones. Barbed wire in my shoulder. Like a cattle plot in my hip. Like I put my foot in a blender. Pain is different for everyone. But where pain starts, Jernavix Suzetrogene begins. Jernavix is a non-opioid 50-milligram prescription tablet for adults with moderate to severe acute pain that reduces pain signals before they reach the brain. Before those signals tell the brain to feel like I punched an angry beehive. And pain reduction can finally begin.

Do not take Jernavix with CYP3A inhibitors. Avoid use with grapefruit or liver problems as these may increase side effects. Tell your doctor about all your medicines if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Jernavix may make certain medicines and birth control less effective. Side effects include itching, muscle spasms, rash, and elevated muscle enzymes. To learn more about Jernavix, ask your doctor. Call 1-833-589-PAYM or visit Jernavix.com. Strong communities are built in the places where life happens, where families build their lives, where students build their futures, where businesses create opportunity.

Bloom Energy provides reliable power for the places communities depend on every day. From hospitals and college campuses to stores and factories, clean, quiet power that uses little water right where it's needed so communities can keep moving forward. Bloom Energy, power America relies on. Shohei Ohtani's interpreter was fired today. Ipe Mitsuhara ran up gambling debts to a Southern California bookmaking operation. The inside story of the biggest scandal in modern baseball. He was absolutely bananas, the amount of bets he was making. I've never seen anything like it.

[1:19:24] From 30 for 30 podcasts, this is the betrayal of Shohei Ohtani. Presented by Gusto. New episodes available now. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Dishler Basketball will host Dinner in the Dome on Saturday, October 17th at 7 p.m. in the Dishler Dome with guest speaker, former University of Alabama men's basketball coach, Mark Godfrey. There will be a silent auction from 7 to 7.30, along with a meet and greet with Coach Godfrey and a steak dinner that starts at 7.30. Tickets are $100 and reserved tables are $1,000 with eight tickets included. For more information, call Coach Brian Pounders at 205-246-0644.

That's Dinner in the Dome at Dishler High School on Saturday, October 17th. It's an evening with Alabama softball coach Patrick Murphy and All-American pitcher Jocelyn Briskey benefiting the Howard Gamble Scholarship for the Red Elephant Club. Monday, September 28th at 2807 East Avalon Avenue in Muscle Shoals. There'll be a meet and greet at 5.30, dinner at 6.30 with speaker and Q&A session to follow. Space is limited. Get your tickets early. $25 for coaches and student tickets. $30 for adult tickets. For tickets and more information, call Robert Newton at 256-366-9616.

Coach, you know I heard a little rumor that you were in the locker room giving old Mr. Pep Talk before the game. He said it. Paul Fungon, weekdays at 3 Eastern on the ESPN app and the SEC Network. The Score. Now, back with Boomo Bugg on 93.9 The Score. Welcome back, Kendrick. I appreciate for you riding around the Tennessee Valley and for checking us out wherever you may be checking in on the 93.9 The Score app. With that, we say hello to Brian Matthews. He's checking in as Senior Editor for AuburnSports.com.

Brian, welcome in. Happy commercial on TV with a camel. Happy hump day to you, Brian. How are you? Hump day. Yeah, it's a great deal. Is that not genius? Sorry. We called the Goals out to practice a little while ago when we got lunch. Now I'm headed over to basketball. We're going to talk to Coach Steven Pearl for the start of basketball practice. And then maybe watch them practice and talk to the players. So, busy hump day here in Auburn. That's a genius commercial. Brian, your thoughts now that the dust is settling down.

Let's face it, I don't think any – there's only going to be one win at the end of the year. A lot of teams are going to suffer loss. But this is one of those – you say this – coming into this game, Florida's trying to build back. Auburn's trying to build back. You've got the home field advantage. It's at night. A lot of question marks on both sidelines. Brian, now that the dust has settled, talking about it from an Auburn perspective, what did you learn over the weekend?

I would say that was more than loss for Auburn because I just feel like the way they played was really deflating to anybody who, you know, follows Auburn closely, supports Auburn. That's been a part of the 24 straight sellouts, which that may be coming to an end soon. I don't know. We'll see. It's just, you know, you set some expectations preseason. And even if your expectations aren't too high, you know, mine was 7-5 would be great season. Yeah. People got mad at me about, right? Right. But you think that the defense is going to be good.

Right. The offense could do some things or get better as the season goes on. It could be a pretty salty team. And, you know, the defense was terrible. Right. I mean, they couldn't stop Florida. Yeah. The only time they stopped Florida before the, Florida punt until the fourth quarter, the only time they stopped them before that was a pass that was right in the running back's hands that bounced out and, you know, right to Deshaun Womack. So, yeah, that's not good. And that's happening at home with what, you know, was a good atmosphere.

It wasn't great, I think. The way I replayed kind of took the crowd out of it a little bit there, especially that first quarter offensively. So, yeah, I think some of the reaction is, you know, I don't have a necessary problem with it. I don't think it's an overreaction. I think people are disappointed and upset for a reason. Well, Brian, the bottom line is tell the truth. And that's the way you get better. The hardest person to be honest with is yourself sometimes, but that's where it starts.

But you bring up a point before we move on to some of the other particulars of that game, and that is the fan base. There's not a more loyal fan base out there, I think, than Auburn. I mean, but you go back to the first game at Baylor, there were empties at the dome for this game. Are the fans saying, look, we don't mind laying down some money, but let's face it, money is, it ain't like it used to be. It doesn't flow out of the faucet.

It's tough to come by, but we'll spend it if you earn it. Your thoughts about this fan base, where they are, because are they in some ways at a crossroads to see what are we going to do here going forward? They are on the edge a little bit, and I think across the country, it's a concern with college athletics and how much fans are being nickel and dime. You can go to some other programs that are doing well right now, but how much they've got to dish out to support their team once the playoffs start.

[1:24:42] And you're having to go all the other place and all these neutral fields and all this, you know, it's just a ton of money, travel money and tickets. It's just, it's absolutely get out of hand everywhere. Yeah. So that is a very stressful part of it, along with every AD and coach begging for money for NIL, right? Mm-hmm. Yeah. So that is part of it. And then, you know, you look at Auburn specifically, that Baylor turnout there, you know, part of that was, I think, a protest about Auburn moving the home game to Atlanta.

I think that's a lot of people, and they showed that by not showing up to that game and not buying those tickets. So that was part of that. And, but, you know, I do think, you know, I look at that game against Florida, and there were a lot of tickets, a lot of Florida fans spread out. So you could tell there are more of our fans than usual selling their tickets. And, you know, that's going to get worse if they don't get something going here soon.

Harold and I talk about this a lot in that second-half adjustments. Florida came out and hit Auburn in the mouth, and I still think D.J. Durkin is a very good defensive coordinator. But you made this point in Monday Musings, which is a must-read for Auburn fans. The first three drives of the second half for Florida totaled 219 yards on 22 plays and 21 points. Whatever the adjustments were made at halftime obviously didn't work. Now, Buster Faulkner is a really good offensive coordinator, and he works very well with Philo.

But as you put in there, whatever adjustments were made at halftime didn't work. Yeah, they got worse. There was no response there. And that's very alarming, very disappointing. And I don't really have an explanation. You mentioned Buster Faulkner, D.J. Durkin, is a really good defensive coordinator, or has been. I don't have any reason to believe that has changed. You know, maybe if there's a few more stinkers, maybe I'll change my opinion there. So it's really hard to understand how that happens, right? I think they've got some good personnel, maybe not as good as they need in some areas.

But just all the missed tackles, the missed alignments, the late, you know, getting your defense too late. Just a lot of things looked dysfunctional on that side of the ball for the entire game. It didn't change at halftime. But that's pretty disappointing. Brian Matthews in the huddle with us, senior editor, AuburnSports.com. Brian, there's one thing that we know across the board, nobody's going to feel sorry for you. You've got to get back up and put your big boy britches back on. Let's face it, this is one of those games, and back in their granddaddy's day, you say, well, it's Vanderbilt, we're going to get back on track.

Not so fast, my friend, you know. Ask North Carolina State and Alabama and ask Auburn, right? Your thoughts about this weekend's matchup. Well, I mean, I'll give you a stat. Vanderbilt, I think, has 12 sacks. They're third in the country in sacks. Auburn's giving up 13. They're 100 out of 100 schools in sacks allowed. So, anybody who thinks Auburn's just going to show up and beat Vanderbilt is not really paying attention the last five years of Auburn football. So, this is going to be a battle, a war, and Auburn's going to have to play much better to beat Vanderbilt.

I know some of those sacks came against lesser competition. But, you know, a lot of Florida stats came against lesser competition, and then they rolled all over on both sides of the ball. So, you know, I don't know that's an excuse. Let me ask you a simple question after a loss like this, but it's a very complicated answer. What do you fix first? Oh, boy. All right, number one, and we're going to flip over to the offense. You know, you can go that first quarter. Byron Brown dropped back straight in the pocket seven times, four completions, two sacks, one interception.

He has two design runs, has a rollout. He threw on that 25-yard completion. Number one, you've got to get him moving. You've got to run him more. You've got to run the offense more to him. His offensive line is not good enough. The running backs aren't, you know, they're solid good, but they're not, you know, first-round NFL draft pick good. So, you've got to find ways to open up some holes for them. So, that's number one is to get Byron Brown more involved in the offense.

Defensively, man, they've just got to be tougher, and they've got to play more physical. I don't, I mean, I just, I hate to use the word soft because that really makes coaches mad, but that's what it looked like to me. All those missed tackles, but from the fundamental basics, they've got to get lined up right, and they've got to do it quicker. They were just too late doing that, and I think that caused some of the missed tackles because they weren't in the right place at snap, and, you know, that causes a lot of issues when you're out there.

So, that's the number one thing, I think, defensively, and I also, I don't like the amount of zone they're playing. Maybe they don't feel like they have guys that can man up, but I just, they're not playing zone defense very well in the secondary, especially the cornerbacks. They don't seem to understand how much, you know, where to leverage kids, how much room to give them. It just looks a mess back there to me. Well, that's one of the reasons why we've been talking to you on a weekly basis for 20 years, is you tell it like it is, and believe me, Monday Musings told it like it was.

[1:30:15] Disaster at Jordan Hare. I mean, that's, that's pretty much sums it up, but, but you've got everything covered pre-game, post-game for Vandy. Basketball, I know you have an article about that. Cole Pinkston does a great job for you, too. Where can we get online to get yours, Cole's, and everybody's good stuff? Yeah, and tons of recruiting news, too. A bunch of visitors here the last two weekends, and there'll be plenty more coming here this Saturday for Vanderbilt. So, all that and more, AuburnSports.com. We've got a brand new deal at the start of the day, 60% off that annual subscription.

So, give us a try. You can follow me on social media, on Twitter, such as X at BMATAU. I'm not good with Matt. That sounds like a good deal. Brian, listen, man, thanks so much. Have a great rest of the week, okay? All right, y'all take care. Thank you, bud. Brian Matthews, senior intro over in sports.com. Coming up, he is D-squared. Drew DeArmond on deck on the Boom O'Buck Show. Stay with us. Nothing says legendary like the Atlanta Braves, but here in the Shoals, there's another hometown legend you can taste.

Step up to the plate at Champion's Famous Fried Chicken, where the fried chicken is as unforgettable as a walk-off homer at a Braves game. Load up on those legendary homemade sides. And don't forget a true Delta classic, Champion's Homemade Hot Tamales. Lunch, dinner, or any time you're craving something unforgettable, it's always a winning play at Champion's. 122nd Street in Muscle Shoals. Famous fried chicken, legendary sides, and a meal worth cheering for. Built upon a solid foundation of cast iron and steel, the Kubota L01 Series is part of the number one selling compact tractor lineup in the U.S.

They feature powerful Kubota diesel engines and easy operation. The durable Kubota L01 Series. Talk to your local Kubota dealer today to schedule a demo. Go to KubotaUSA.com for full disclaimer. Visit Brown Equipment Company in Loretto or at brownequipmentcompany.com. I'm still going for it. Even with higher stroke risk from atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat not caused by a heart valve problem. In a clinical study, Eliquis Apixaban reduces stroke risk and has less major bleeding than warfarin. Don't stop prescription Eliquis without asking your doctor. Stroke risk may increase.

Eliquis can cause serious and potentially fatal bleeding. Don't take if you have an artificial heart valve, abnormal bleeding, or antiphospholipid syndrome. While taking, you may bruise more easily or bleed longer. A spinal injection increases blood clot risk, which may cause paralysis. Get medical help right away for unexpected bleeding or bruising, or back pain, tingling, numbness, muscle weakness, or incontinence. Aspirin products, NSAIDs, SSRIs, SNRIs, and blood thinners increase bleeding risk. Tell your doctor about planned medical or dental procedures. Learn more at Eliquis.com or call 1-855-ELIQUIS.

Ask your doctor about the number one cardiologist prescribed blood thinner, Eliquis. The home of the Atlanta Braves, the Florence Falcons, and the Alabama Crescent Tide. Sports Radio 93.9, The Score. There's nothing worse than waking up sick. In this time of year, with the kids back in school surrounded by hundreds of others, yours may bring home a whole new world of viruses and bacteria your family may have no immunity to. No kids, viruses are still everywhere, and one ugly strain just showed up. Now it's 2 a.m., your throat feels like strep, and your fever is spiking.

Urgent care? Get dressed and wait in a room full of sick people. Your doctor? Good luck. Or open your medicine cabinet and smile, because you have a fully stocked medical emergency kit from the wellness company. It's like an urgent care and a drugstore right at home. It contains essential prescription medications in your name for over 30 common conditions. Strep throat, sinus infections, pneumonia, UTI, stomach bugs, and more. Plus, tell a health doctor standing by for questions. I trust my medical emergency kit, and I can save you $45 right now.

Visit urgentcarekit.com slash sports, promo code sports. That's urgentcarekit.com slash sports, promo code sports. Women Life and Feeding America are having their Fight Hunger charity golf tournament to benefit school backpack programs. Monday, October 12th at Blackberry Trail Golf Course in Florence. Calls for the four-man scramble is $400 per team, and breakfast, lunch, and mulligans are included. It's a 9 a.m. shotgun start with prizes for longest drive, closest to pin, hole-in-one, and first through third place teams. Call 256-760-1581 for more information or to register. That's the Women Life and Feeding America Fight Hunger charity golf tournament from Blackberry Trail Golf Course, Monday, October 12th.

Progressive presents the Sports Flash on 93.9, the score. In college football action this week, South Alabama's on the road. They'll travel to Lexington to take on the Kentucky Wildcats. Jaguars and Wildcats are both 2-1. Auburn Tigers are home Saturday afternoon as they host Vanderbilt. Tigers are 2-1. 0-1 in SEC play. Vandy is 3-0. Eighth-ranked Alabama's home on Saturday night. They'll play host to South Carolina under the lights. Crimson Tide, 3-0 on the season. 1-0 in the SEC. South Carolina is 2-1 on the year. 0-1 in the conference.

[1:35:28] Troy's on the road this week. They'll play at Utah State. Troy is 2-1. Utah State is 0-3. North Alabama back home to host Western Illinois. Both teams are 2-2. Catch Braves baseball right here tonight. Joined in progress after Hey Coach. I'm John Thayer with the Sports Flash presented by Progressive on 93.9, the score. Pro football is back. Trade your predictions on Kalshi, America's number one prediction market platform. Indy is currently trading at 28% tops at Kansas City, meaning a $100 trade pays out $350 if they win. Download Kalshi. Use code JUMP to get $25 when you trade $25.

K-A-L-S-H-I. Kalshi. Trade on anything. 18 plus only. Restrictions and eligibility requirements apply. Event contract trading involves risk and may not be suitable for all investors. Kalshi products are not available in all jurisdictions. Prices, values, and available markets may differ from those mentioned. For more information, see Kalshi.com slash regulatory. Progressive presents a guided meditation. Hear the birds sing. A chipmunk nibbling on an acorn. Smell the pine needles gently falling into your living room as the breeze blows through the gaping hole in your roof. Gaze up at that broken tree branch and relax because you bundle your home and auto with Progressive and have the peace of mind of 24-7 protection.

So relaxing. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company affiliates and other insurers not available in all states or situations. This is Roger Huber with the Crimson Tide Sports Network. Join me and Tyler Watts this fall on Monday nights at 6 p.m. for Crimson Tide Rewind. Live from Baumhauer's Victory Grill in Vestavia Hills and on this great station. Tune in and roll tide. The Score. Now, back with Boomo Bugg on 93.9 The Score. Welcome back in time to say hello to Double D. Drew D'Arman, your host of Talking Ball and us with 97.7 FM The Zone.

Drew, welcome in. How are you? I'm good, guys. How are you all? Hey, Boone. Hard to believe, is it not, Drew. We are 25% one quarter of the way through the regular season. What have you learned about Alabama and Auburn to date? Well, I've learned, you know, that I think Alabama's offense continues to evolve. Keelan Russell continues to get more comfortable. Certainly, the offensive line has started to gel. And they did a really nice job after a very slow first quarter of eviscerating Florida State. Now, Florida State's not very good on defense, but they did what they had to do.

They scored 47 points over the final three quarters of action, scored on nine straight drives. Special teams continue to be strong, though. I do think the roughing the kicker could have turned into something else. And, actually, I think it did halt the momentum a little bit. It's one of the few mistakes they've made on special teams. And it was an effort play. You know, if you do block that punt, it truly is over. I think the game was already well on its way to being that. Even though Alabama did respond with a four-down stop, I still think it gave Florida State some momentum.

And then, defensively, they've just got to clean some stuff up in the secondary. Two of the three games, they've given up too many explosive plays. And that's a veteran group. You know, I think the front seven, the run defense was pretty good, even though Uzzman Croma is the real deal. I mean, he'll play in the NFL. Singleton, they're back-up back. They had good running backs. I think I kind of, you know, underestimated a lot of their – the rest of their skill guys offensively besides, you know, Croma.

I knew Deuce Robinson was good, but I think he's a future pro, no question about it. And, honestly, seeing the big QB, you know, Ashton Daniels and then Deuce Robinson, it prepares you for what you're going to see Saturday. Because you know that Lenora Sellers is very capable, and you also know Nick Harber, who's made plays against Alabama both years, is a big, strong, wide receiver that you need to be ready for. So, I do think Alabama's a good football team. I think the defensive front seven and linebackers are really good.

And even though, you know, Caleb Woodson had an off game. But, you know, QB Reese picked him up, I thought, played well. He continued to see good stuff out of Luke Mets. So, and I think also you also have to – you have to sometimes tip your cap to the opponent. Alabama's still got some things to work on. But I think they're on the right track to being a good football team. Auburn, I was extremely surprised at how much they struggled defensively. I just got that game flow wrong.

I thought it would be more of a fist fight and two defenses battling it out. But instead, the offenses both put up numbers, especially Florida's. I've got to give, you know, Buster Falkner a ton of credit. Trout Wine, their offensive line coach, they've really turned that offense around. Milo's been really, really solid. And we knew Jaden Ball. I mean, Jaden Ball, you know, I like Jeremiah Cobb as a player. But to say, going into that game, some people on the Auburn side saying that Jeremiah Cobb was better than Jaden Ball.

[1:40:46] And that was really Brad Law of the Auburn Tiger Radio Network. Great dude, does good work. But he got that one wrong. There is Jaden Ball in no way, shape, or form is in the same class as Jeremiah Cobb. I think they'll both play in the NFL. But Ball, right now, the two best players in the SEC are Trinidad, six miles per hour Ole Miss, and Jaden Ball. And I think those two guys are outstanding Heisman candidates. And that's the reason the Gators got the win.

Credit to Auburn for continuing to fight. But now, you know, after talking to people and really analyzing things, Auburn, you've got to start worrying about their defense a little bit. Because they got shredded by Florida. And Baylor moved the ball up and down the field, but Auburn stood on their head a little bit. But they weren't able to stand on their head on Saturday. And now, to me, this is a must-win game for Auburn. If they hope to reach, like, an eight-win plateau and have a chance to go to a bowl game, a nice bowl game, if you don't beat the Vanderbilt Commodores, you really start looking at that schedule and looking, is this going to be a six-straight losing season problem?

They've got to get this game. And, you know, we've come up with a new ruinary term on the show called doorknob. Well, the NC State coaching staff is a bunch of doorknobs because I've never seen a coaching staff choke away a game the way they did against Vanderbilt. Exactly. The receiver's done a pretty good job. Rico Scott, four catches, 48 yards. He's very physical. Actually, I think Light's blocking the physical contact. Lottie Brooks, I think, is the most underrated player in the SEC. The tight end's been blocking their butt off and caught four passes, one for a touchdown.

And, by the way, you mentioned this Saturday night. Old Zulu is getting after the quarterback. And I know he's going to be looking for South Carolina. And we could mention 30 other players. But those guys caught my eye against FSU. Well, I mean, I think when you look at it, Terrence Green, he's been a big upgrade. You know, Kendrick Bingley Jones, Mr. Social Security himself, he's been an upgrade as a seventh-year guy. You know, Devin Tompkins has definitely lived up to the billing, being a better fit at Alabama than he was at USC.

And you just mentioned Zulu. And so, you know, that cancels out all those losses for Alabama. I think they have definitely upgraded at every spot where they lost someone. I think they really hit it out of the park with this portal class thus far, certainly. And Caleb Woodson is an upgrade even over Deontay Lawson. I know he didn't play very well Saturday. But he's been really good so far. You know, and Kaio Green made an impact last year. But you've got the QB Reese's in the world, Luke Metz.

I just think that the guys that have either developed in the program or that they've brought in via the portal have been upgrades, certainly. It's funny, though, that the two position groups with the most questions defensively have played more consistent than the secondary. The secondary has got to clean up some communication issues because, again, you're going to play better teams than Florida State and even Kentucky. But I think it's obvious after a week, though, that that Kentucky win was a pretty good one, especially on the road with what they did to Texas A&M.

Though I have not been a believer in A&M that they were going to be a playoff team. And I certainly thought they would still have a good football team and still probably will. But Kentucky going over there and handling A&M certainly made that second half and finish all the more impressive at Kentucky. So I do think, though, the key for Alabama on Saturday at South Carolina, they've got to win the turnover battle again. They have to run the football the way they've been running it.

And they have to slow down the running game with Fuller and, of course, the Lenore Sellers. I mean, the Sellers will try to run the football. They need to contain him, and they need to make him make mistakes. He had two big turnovers against, you know, Mississippi State. And if you had told me going in that South Carolina would get up 16 to nothing, I would have thought Carolina would get that home win. They did not. And that just shows you how special Kamario Taylor and this Mississippi State offense is.

And Alabama has got to, you know, get this win over South Carolina because they've got a daunting road trip at 11 a.m. coming up the next week in start role. Drew Jarman, 97.7 FM. Drew, again, we said it earlier, just to reiterate, if you are a stat nerd, South Carolina's offense and defense statistically is ahead of Alabama today. That's all relative to competition. But don't, as you mentioned, don't take them lightly. You mentioned the running game. Your thoughts about where things are coming in. It looks like Alabama, as far as the MASH report, the health report, are getting some key guys back, particularly on offense.

[1:46:03] What are you hearing about Deere, Rodgers, and, of course, from last week, cleaning up with Crowell and Hill? Well, I mean, I think Crowell was taken out as a precaution. You know, he was amazing people with his hurtling ability. We call that in Huntsville, the carry-on Johnson. He used to do that all the time as well. But he's an outstanding athlete. You know, I think he's going to be fine, though. I think Daniel Hill got a little nicked up, but I don't think it's anything serious.

I think both those guys should be able to play on Saturday. And from all indications, they both dressed this past Saturday, Noah Rodgers and A.K. Deere, but they were held out. I think they were going to make their debuts on Saturday. So I'm fascinated to see what kind of touches A.K. Deere gets, what impact he makes. And certainly, Noah Rodgers was making a big impact in the passing game before he got injured in the A-Day game. So he should be a part of the rotation, certainly.

You know, C.D. Morgan had his first college touchdown last week. He's still learning to do what Rico Scott has learned, which is you have to be able to play without the football. You've got to be able to block. And Rico is doing a great job of that. So right now, the top three have solidly been Ryan Coleman-Williams, Lottie Brooks, who's got a really good rapport with, you know, with Keelan Russell and Rico Scott. So we'll see if that's a foursome or whatnot with Noah Rodgers coming up Saturday.

And then I'm sure Derrick Meadows will probably get some snaps as well. But I think the wide receiver core will now be deeper. And they've already gotten really good production out of three of those backs. I think it's going to be a fourth now. And they need to use those guys to wear down the Carolina front. And that linebacker core, which has got two very familiar names, Justin Aronquo, who had 14 tackles last week, and Sean Murphy. Absolutely. Listen, great night last night at Greenbrier. Great conversation.

Great food. Roger Hoover was hit. Had to leave a little bit early to get back home. So was Drew DeArmond talking about the tie to date. By the way, Drew DeArmond, four shows area teams, Florence, Hatton, Destler, and Heckelberg. What have they got in common? They're all undefeated. And now they make a debut in the Alabama Sports Writers Association top ten poll. So congratulations to those guys who did a great job. And to you last night, where can we get online and get the three-hour show and all the good stuff, my friend?

Yeah, we're taking a little bit of a detour on Friday night. We won't be doing Randolph, but we have most of our network teams are on a bye this week, except for the Spartan Senators, who will be taking on the Mae Jemison Jaguars. Mae Jemison, actually, is our Bryant Bank team of the week. They got their first-ever win against Fort Payne this past Friday, winning at Fort Payne in Chris Elmore. We will actually be doing a game of the week. The Columbia Eagles looking to get to 500 under San Diego against Preston Judah's Grissom Tigers.

We'll be over at Bill and Frank on Friday night doing that game. But they can connect with us at 977ESPN.com. You can also, if you don't hear the show, you can get it on our SoundCloud page, ESPN 97.7 The Zone. Or you can watch it live on WCZN-TV or replay it on YouTube. They can certainly catch us there. And they can connect with me at 977 or DrewD977ESPN. As one can imagine, since Saturday, I have had many spirited conversations on X about Ryan Drubb, the offensive coordinator, and fast starts, and all other things related with the SEC and Alabama.

So, always enjoy being on with you guys. Yeah, I'm back at you listening, man. Drew, stay safe out there. And it looks like cooler weather's in. I know you're going to grasp that. So, good luck to you, and thanks so much for your time today. Yeah, it would be nice being in touch with us and hopefully not having a heat stroke. Oh, lower. I hear you, brother. There you have it. Drew Jarman, 97.7 F in the zone. Now, the Bears tonight ahead here on 93.9 The Score. How about a little Hey Coach and Braves action, Brett Beaird?

Hey Coach, followed by the Braves. By the way, Chris Sale pitches tonight, so you think the Braves got a much better chance to win after losing 4-0. But, of course, they're getting ready for the playoffs. We know a little bit more about that. I would guess by Thursday or Friday as far as who they're going to be looking at playing in the first round. And a lot of folks never like negative news, but you do in this case. Acuna's x-rays negative after exiting with that left shin contusion.

Where I'm from, they call it a bruise, BB. But it's 2026. That's going to take care of us for now. On behalf of BB, Greg James Blair, the entire crew here. Peril Buck, thank you so much for your time today. Let's do it again tomorrow on noon to 2 for the Boom on Buck Show. Back here on Sports Radio, 93.9 The Score. Back here on Sports Radio. Back here on Sports Radio, 93.9 The Score. Back here on Sports Radio, 93.9 The Score. Back here on Sports Radio, 93.9 The Score. Back here on Sports Radio, 93.9 The Score.

[1:51:12] Back here on Sports Radio, 93.9 The Score. Back here on Sports Radio, 93.9 The Score.