Boomo Bugg Show 100226 93.9 The Score WYTK - October 2, 2026 https://www.939thescore.com/boomo-bugg-show-100226/ This transcript was generated automatically from the broadcast audio. Names and some words may be misspelt; the audio is the official record. ------------------------------------------------------------ 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 Tide, 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 a free ride around the Tennessee Valley. Brett Beaird, welcome in to Football Heaven Eve and two words, Ray Kerr. Good afternoon, welcome in. How do you spell H-E-R-O? Could it be K-E-R-R? How are you? Happy Football Friday to you and the listeners. I need to apologize to Ray Kerr. I did not think Ray would have a stellar game. Three and one-third innings, Ray. No run ball, but the Braves with the big game, beating the Phillies. And Bill Shanks will recount the Braves' winter tackle win against the Phillies a little bit later. Zach Pounder's previews a huge night of high school football, but Jimmy is here right now with the keys to Alabama beating Mississippi State. Take those keys and drive the bus down Highway 82 on a Saturday morning. Jimmy Stein is co-host of Locked On Bama, part of the Locked On Network with Luke Robinson. Got that podcast cover, Crimson, with Travis Reier on a thing called YouTube. Jimmy, welcome in. Are you having a Ray Kerr Friday? How are you? Man, he was something else last night, wasn't he? Oh, man. I mean, that, I half expected, I mean, Bill Shanks will have a lot more to say than me. I half expected Ray Kerr to get Schwerber and Harper, and then you might see Holmes pitch against the number four hitter. Yeah. Curry would just face three hitters. Yeah, man. Over three innings. It was a huge part of that win. That was fantastic. And the Braves move on, and the Phils head home. Jimmy, obviously, Alabama is heading down Highway 82. They're going to have breakfast on a bus tomorrow morning. Your thoughts about a very interesting weekend for the Alabama Crimson Tide with a literally road game. Yeah, too much, I think, is being made of the decision to drive over from Calusa in the morning. Too much is being made of it. Because Nick Saban did the same thing in 2023, and it's kind of unfortunate. I think we live in a world where DeBoer sets himself up for criticism doing the same exact thing Nick Saban did. And no one, this wasn't an issue in 2023. No one even talked about it. And the fact of the matter is, due to the hotel situation in Starkville and near Starkville, even teams that have played Mississippi State and Starkville over the past few years have elected to stay in Tuscaloosa. Including Auburn, we are, though. Yes. Including Auburn. Including Auburn. Including Auburn. At Alabama's team hotel. Why? Because the hotel over the years has been structured in a way by Alabama to where it's just a perfect setup if you're a football team that's playing a football game in terms of the food and the meeting rooms and everything else. It's just an ideal place to stay. When you've played Mississippi State and Starkville over the years, guys, when you have traveled there, most teams stay in Columbus. And it's not like that's a five-minute drive either. I mean, it's a 20, 25-minute drive from Columbus to Starkville. Sure, Tuscaloosa is 70 miles, but hey, you've got a police escort. They're going to clear the roads. It's going to be one of the fastest 70-mile trips you've ever been on there. They're going to get there quick. But, no, they'll be able to eat breakfast in the Malmore as a team. And it'll just be a slightly longer bus ride than they're used to to the stadium. Absolutely. Jimmy, a lot of pub about the quarterback battles. Camario Taylor has been a revelation in the SEC. Oh, by the way, Keelan Russell has been pretty good, too. Both these teams want to run the ball. I know Alabama, to try to keep Camario Taylor standing on the sidelines, Fluff Boswell is going to have a big key to this, too. But the Alabama offensive line, Will Sanders, I believe, is going to play. Right tackle is a little bit of an issue with JV and James, formerly of Mississippi State. Miller came in and seemed to grade it very well. Jimmy, what's the status of the Alabama offensive line? Yeah, Will Sanders back for sure. I'm sure we're going to see him. The only issue is, you know, what's going to happen at right tackle. My guess is, based on practice this week, I think we're going to see Tyrell Miller at least start the game. I think JV and James may play, and he may be on a pitch count of sorts, but Tyrell Miller was running with the ones Tuesday, Wednesday. I'm not sure about yesterday, but I think we're going to see Miller. They're very high on him. He's a Juco signing first year in the program. I was told by a source inside the program, going all the way back to the spring, that Tyrell Miller was considered the best pure athlete in that room. He just had an inexperience issue. I mean, he didn't play at all in high school, got his experience in Juco, wasn't there very long. He hadn't played a lot of football, but they thought athletically, the way he's built, the raw tools, they thought one day he'd be outstanding. He even thought that he might even have an NFL future. He played really well last week when he subbed in for JV and James after the injury. So I think number 65, Tyrell Miller, I suspect that we'll see him start the game at right tackle, but we'll also see some of James. He's more questionable than doubtful. And JV and James had been playing pretty well. You know JV wants to get on that field and play against his old teammates. And JV had spent the last two seasons in Starkville with the Bulldogs. Jimmy Stein is with Locked On Bama. Jimmy, we can sit here and analyze this thing a month of Sundays, but to me it comes down to this. You've got two quarterbacks. You can take a piece of paper and look at the stats, and that's about that much difference between them as far as the thickness of it all. Pretty similar stats. To me, the bottom line comes down to this. What offensive line can give those kids the time to live up to that potential? The turnover issue, and I've seen improving weather, which is always an X factor, but it's safe to take weather out of it. You can't control that. But whoever can sit here and get the best line protection, protect that pocket, minimize the turnovers, and let's face it, State is a heavily penalized team. I think a huge advantage for Alabama in the game. Most weeks, Alabama's going to have an advantage of quarterback, right? I'm not sure that's going to be the case. That's right. Kamario can match Keelan, but where Alabama does have an advantage, guys, is at the lines of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Alabama's offensive line better than State's offensive line. Alabama's defensive line better than State's defensive line. I really think in the end that's going to settle it, but Kamario is going to have his moments. There's no doubt about that, and he's going to make chunk plays. I think Alabama fans need to start accepting that now, or you'll never accept it. There will be chunk plays that Kamario Taylor makes. He can do it in his sleep, and Alabama's been giving up plays like that. The last couple weeks, they've given up over 400 yards. It'll be interesting to see if they give up over 400 yards again for the third weekend in a row. That may be unsettling, but Kamario Taylor's going to do that to everybody. In the end, however, Alabama's a little better at the line of scrimmage. I do think they'll be able to affect Kamario more than Mississippi State can affect Keelan, and in the end, that's going to win the game for Alabama late. Jimmy, Daniel Hill only had 15 yards on eight carries. Now, I give South Carolina's defensive front seven some credit for that because those guys are pretty good. But Daniel Hill is a native of Mississippi, I'm reading Mississippi. There are quite a few native Mississippi guys on this team. Do you anticipate Daniel Hill having a big role in a win over Mississippi State? Yeah, he's still RB1, despite E.J. Crowell's talent, Treshawn Brown's talent. They're explosive with the ball in their hands. But Daniel Hill remains RB1. Why? He protects Keelan. He protects Keelan. He does a much better job than that, than the younger guys. So I fully expect Daniel Hill to see a lot of him. He's also a weapon when you can throw in the ball. But Daniel Hill grew up a Mississippi State fan. I believe his dad played there. He's got a nephew or some relative of his that's on the team right now. At Mississippi State, he's got numerous ties there. So you know he wants to have a big game. A.K. Deer is from Quitman, Mississippi. We're going to see him more than we saw him last week. But interesting, on the other side of the coin, guys, Fluff Bothwell, the Mississippi State running back. He's from Alabama. You know, he played his freshman year at South Alabama. He's from Oneonta, Alabama, an in-state guy. And you know, these in-state kids that grow up, fans of Alabama or fans of Auburn, they grow up and they want an offer from their favorite team, right? And when it doesn't come and you end up playing for another SEC team, it means a lot to them. So Fluff Bothwell's a heck of a player. He's a really good inside runner. And my experience is these kids that never got Alabama offers that they felt they deserved play with their hair on fire. And they see that crimson out there. So, yeah, I think Daniel Hill and A.K. Deer and some other Mississippi kids on the Alabama roster like Bray Hubbard, you know, it means a little more to them. But Mississippi State's got some Alabama kids, too. The left tackle signed with Alabama. And Nick Saban out of high school, Miles McVay. And, again, Balthwell being from Oneonta, Alabama. So, there's two sides to that story. Johnny, you're big news if you're playing in the SEC. I get to you. Jimmy, let's talk a little bit about the secondary for Alabama, Dijon Lee. Obviously, you don't have to tell him what he's done wrong. He might want to put some tape on his shoes to stand up and be more vertical than horizontal. Your thoughts overall about the secondary, and you've got to believe that Lee has learned his lesson. He's been beat a couple times. But I think, you know, when you play that position, that's going to happen. Whenever I talk about Dijon, I like mentioning Zabian. I think one of the reasons Dijon's given up some plays is because no one's challenging the other corner. Zabian hasn't been challenged by anybody. Offensive coordinators are staying away from him like bubonic plague. No one's going at Zabian. So, there's only one other corner to attack, right? And Dijon has drawn that short straw. Also, think of this. The guys that have beat Dijon, Deuce Robinson from Florida State, might be a first-round pick. Nick Harbour from South Carolina, who beat Dijon last week, he's an even bigger physical freak than even Deuce Robinson is. Now, Mississippi State does it differently. They don't have as many big kids outside, but what they do have is speed. Anthony Evans, their best receiver. He signed with Georgia out of high school. This is a highly recruited kid. He's really found his game in Starkville. He's a speed guy. These size guys have given Dijon issues this last two weeks. Now, Dijon and Zabian and the rest of the Alabama secondary, they have to be able to run with these Mississippi State receivers. It's a fast group. It's an underrated group. Kamario doesn't catch it himself, guys. You know that? I mean, these numbers Kamario's putting up. There's somebody on the other end of those passes. This is a pretty underrated group, but it's an excellent week for Alabama's DBs to start living up to this preseason hype because they're going to get a lot of opportunities. I do think Alabama's likely to give up quite a few yards to Kamario and quite a few chunk plays, but I also think Alabama's secondary will make one or two plays that proves the difference in the game. Absolutely. Jimmy, give us your prediction, your final score for the game, and I know you and Luke Robinson and Travis Reier have been breaking this game down all week long. Where can we get online and get the best podcast on the planet? Locked on, Bama. On YouTube or wherever you get your audio podcasts. I'm on twice a week on Crimson Cover with Travis on Mondays and Wednesdays. Again, on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. I like Alabama to win 45-35. I think it's going to be a lot of scoring. I think Kamario and Keelan are going to live up to all this hype. It will be hyped as, hey, these two kids might be the first two players picked in the 2028 NFL draft. I think they start living up to it tomorrow. There might be some anxious moments for Alabama fans giving up those chunk plays to Kamario, but in the end, Keelan will make those plays too. And the Alabama defense, despite giving up a lot of yards, will also make more plays than the Mississippi State defense. So I like Alabama to cover the number and win by 10. But 45-35, ABC is going to get their money's worth tomorrow. I love those slugfests. Jimmy, listen, man, thanks for your time, Dave. You make it over safe travels to and from, okay? I appreciate it, guys. Thank you, Jimmy. Jimmy Stein is locked on Bama. Coming up, he is a vet in the business called Doug Segrist, and he's next here on the Buma Bug Show. Stay with us. Bush light is cold and smooth. I'm 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. When you're hiring, have you ever felt like you're missing out on meeting truly great candidates for your roles? It seems impossible to find them. But they have to be out there somewhere, right? Well, they're not hard to find when you know where to go. And that place is ZipRecruiter. And right now, you can try ZipRecruiter for free at ziprecruiter.com slash free. ZipRecruiter helps 10 million people with their job search every day. And because these people are actively looking for jobs just like yours, it's easy to find the right person right away. In fact, 4 out of 5 employers who post on ZipRecruiter get a quality candidate within the first day. But if you're not using ZipRecruiter, you're missing out. So see what it's like when the impossible is easy. When you go to ziprecruiter.com slash free right now to try ZipRecruiter for free. Once again, that's ziprecruiter.com slash free. That's ziprecruiter.com slash free. Never miss out on great candidates with ZipRecruiter. Pat Boyle here to help you beat the most. You watch the watch sports. Lions and the Panthers Sunday night in Carolina. I think we get a shootout. Through three weeks, both teams sit in the top 10 in the NFL in total yards. Both are in the top five in total points. On defense, they're both in the bottom five in yards and points per game. Lions secondary continues to be a big problem. And now the Panthers have put both their top two corners, J.C. Horne and Mike Jackson, on IR. The offenses are going to put on a show. Give me the over 50 and a half. I'm Pat Boyle. That's more to read the books. Download the BetMGM app today. My name is Amanda Klutz, and I'm a widow. You enter a different reality when you lose your husband, especially as a parent. Life insurance doesn't fix it. It helps. With Ethos, you can get covered in minutes. No medical exams. Up to $3 million in coverage. And it's all online. Get your free quote at ethos.com slash game. That's ethos.com slash game. Paid spokesperson. Time span on application may vary. Online health questions required. Football season is here, and every great team needs a winning game plan. For your home, that's Pella Windows and Doors. They're not just window and door experts. They're experts at taking care of you and your home. Pella helps find the products that meet your needs, and their experts install them. That means quality products, expert installation, and real pricing. Real simple, really beautiful. 0% financing options are available. Certain restrictions apply. Find your local Pella showroom at Pella.com slash eisen. Make life brighter with Pella Windows and Doors. Shohei Otani'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. From 30 for 30 podcasts, this is The Betrayal of Shohei Otani. Presented by Gusto. New episodes available now. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. This is Sports Radio 93.9 The Score. The Healing Place is having their charity golf tournament this Monday, October 5th at Cypress Lakes and Muscle Shoals. There are morning and afternoon start times, 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. Registration is $500. It includes breakfast, lunch, and mulligans. For more information, call 256-383-7133 or visit thehealingplaceinfo.org. That's the Healing Place charity golf tournament this Monday, October 5th at Cypress Lakes and Muscle Shoals. 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 Vector Security Champions Lane, the best pregame fan fest in college football. For more information, visit championslane.com. Hello again, everybody. I'm Roger Hoover. On Thursday's edition of Crimson Drive, driven by NASCAR, we were joined by Alabama place kicker, Connor Talti. Both of our mindsets was, let's just do all the work we can, do the best we can, and whoever's the better kicker, they'll be kicking. But the thing was, I mean, it was like we were both right here. Like, how do you pick a guy? But I'm grateful the coaches put their trust in me, and I want to honor that every day by my work ethic. And, you know, when I produce on the field. Yeah, and you both have been able to do that. I mean, brag on him for a second. His kickoffs have been automatic. Yeah, I'm the first one to brag about it. They're pretty good. I've never seen someone put one in the stands, so. I'll have more in a moment. Are you ready for game day in Tuscaloosa? Don't miss the ultimate pregame experience this season at Vector Security Champions Lane. Opening four hours before each home game, this fan fest has everything. Located next to the Walk of Champions, you'll enjoy live music with our great concert series. Plus, player autographs, food trucks, giant LED video boards to watch games, and ice-cold beer at Legends Lounge, where there is never a cover charge. Check out ChampionsLane.com each week for the latest updates. Roll Tide. We've got you covered for Alabama football on Saturday against Mississippi State, leading you up to kickoff at 11 a.m. You can listen to the game on our full radio network, the Varsity Network app, as well as watch the video stream on all CTSN social media platforms at UA underscore CTSN for the booth cam, presented by Regions Bank. Crimson Tide Today is brought to you by Vector Security Champions Lane. Crimson Tide Today is a production of the Crimson Tide Sports Network from Learfield. Join us this fall on Wednesday nights for Hey Coach and the Kalen DeBoer 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. The Score. Now, back with Boomo Bugg on 93.9 The Score. Welcome back in. Now, you could call him the Swiss Army Knife. He has been all over the place when it comes to media, writing with the newspaper back in the day, talking on the radio, and making Tom Cruise take a backseat with that mug on TV in Birmingham. That's why you voted one of the 50 legends of Alabama sports writers. Doug Segrest, welcome in. How are you? Mug is right. I think a lot of people get me confused with the zone and America's most wanted. That was who was hanging out with me at the post office, right, Doug? Now we know, man. Hey, it's October, Doug. Are you ready for some serious football? Where does your eye go for this weekend's menu? First of all, very underrated games. You know, it's not LSU, Ole Miss. It's not Alabama, Georgia for another week. But you've got four games where, you know, there's potential upset. I mean, starting with Alabama's trip to Starkville. Auburn has a shot at Tennessee. You know, Florida's coming off two most of the wins. They're going to Missouri. And that is probably the most likely of the ones to me, except for one thing. I don't know if Missouri's ever a heated team with a winning record in our lifetime. We'll double-check that. And then, of course, you've got Kentucky itself, to be honest. I mean, there are just four really under-the-radar games. You know, you're not going to have 13 million people watching. They're just very – they'll still be the top four-rated games in the country this week. It's just very dangerous. And really, it's because of these upstarts. You know, the way Mississippi State's playing. Auburn and Tennessee both have kind of turned a corner. We'll see which one gets left as roadkill. You know, nobody saw Florida coming back as quickly. And then, you know, Kentucky, I didn't mention them. They go on the road to South Carolina and make a break for Shane Beamer at this point. Kentucky's legit. We said it when Alabama beat them. They've only emphasized that. Let me confirm what you just said about Eli Drinkwith. Missouri is 0 for 16. I looked this up twice. It's hard to believe an SEC team with a winning record, Eli Drinkwith is 0 for 16. People laugh about that. That's one of the more amazing stands I've seen this week. No, it's incredible. And, again, they've had a couple double-digit win seasons. Listen, he's a coach, but, you know, they don't get respect, and that's the main reason why. They've got to break through the wall. And maybe they do it this week. You know, Doug, obviously, you've been to Starkville. A lot of folks who've never been there say, that's over in Mississippi. What in the world can happen over there? Pat Dye, the late Pat Dye said it best. That may be the most underrated place in the entire SEC to go and win a game on the road. You've been there. We've been there. You've got two quarterbacks that's going to make a lot of money now, even more money down the road. Doug, what's going to be the difference in this game? It's tight. We know the quarterbacks basically cancel each other, at least on paper, coming in. We'll see how tomorrow develops. Where do you start in making the difference of who comes out a winner in that game in Cal, Bell, Heaven, or the other place if you're a visitor? I really think it's whoever can run the ball more effectively. You know, Mississippi State may actually have better numbers right now, but, you know, they've got really good running back and a lot of that's Taylor. But I favor the Alabama defense. They've been shredded a little in passing game, but they've just been hard-nosed against the run. And, again, I think weather could have a factor. Now, what's hurting Alabama? We talked about how this offensive line is brand new. Now you've got two key injuries up front. Again, they're going to have to make do with less. So it's not an easy solution. But I think the sum of the parts in the Alabama running game are better than what Mississippi State has. Doug, Auburn at Tennessee, Auburn hasn't been in Knoxville in quite a while. Tennessee a 7-8 point favorite. I thought they played pretty well against Texas. I think Auburn has the advantage defensively. Tennessee has 19 sacks on the season, including six against Texas. Auburn is dead last in the SEC in sacks allowed. But, you know, again, who can run the ball here? Here, Tennessee's ran the ball very effectively. Deshaun is very good with that. But Tennessee, to me, with Jim Knowles coming in from Ohio State and Penn State, may be the difference in this game. Your thoughts, Auburn, going to Knoxville? Yeah, you know, everybody talks about the quarterback play and the offenses at Tennessee, but they're good when their defense is good, and this defense is really good. I think, though, this is a great opportunity for Byron Brown. Listen, he's not a pocket passer. You know, create more rollouts, create more RPOs, give him a chance to do what he does best, and keep it ugly. You know, Tennessee just lost an ugly game against Texas, but they were in it to the end, and I think that's the best chance for Auburn. You don't want to throw the ball all over the place and turnovers, pick sixes, et cetera. And, listen, Tennessee's capable of that, too. But I think you just want to make it as ugly as possible and just pull out the upset. And here's the other thing, Doug. We talked about the weather in Starkville. It's actually a better chance of rain in Knoxville. It all depends if that front leads more to the east or the west, so there's a good chance they're going to have to deal with that as well. Doug, it's part of the elephant in the room, and it's human nature when you have what happened at Auburn last year in Florida. About this point in time, fans say, man, we had a chance to get this coach. Look what he's doing, and look what we've got. Let's go ahead and, as they say, keep her powder dry. It's still early. But your thoughts right now of the obvious question as far as the job, John. Sumrall's done, whether they're going at Florida, and that is Gullish and what he's doing at Auburn. Well, right now, Sumrall has the edge. But let's not forget that the problem in Florida was never talent. It just – No one to drive the bus. Yeah, yeah. And, listen, Billy, you talk to Nick Saban acolytes, and I'll tell you, Billy Napier should have been one of the best head coaches out of that group. And he still may, you know, like Lane Schiffen, find himself somewhere else and reestablish himself. But the talent was never the issue at Florida. Just look at the NFL draft. So, I think he inherits a better situation. I still like Gullish a lot. Yeah. But I think at this point, you know, you can't – what's that meme where the guy's with his girlfriend who's looking over his shoulder? Right. You know, it's a hot girl. Yes. You can't do that right now. That was my old high school picture you saw there, Doug. But anyway. But now, I mean, listen, you've got a good coach. I think he's the right coach, and you've just got to go on with it and just keep in mind where these programs are. And I'll give Hugh Freeze credit. You know, the roster Gullish has is a lot better than what Hugh Freeze inherits. Yeah. You know, but it's just these schedules. And listen, it's about to get deadly. It is. It is. A number of things. And I don't think you can say, well, 7-5, you know, was well under expectation. 7-5 may be equivalent to 9-3. That's right. Good point. That's exactly right. The most bizarre line of the week to me was South Carolina, a two-and-a-half point favorite over Kentucky. And you've got two teams here going in opposite directions. Except for two quarters, Kentucky would be undefeated, but Alabama won those two quarters and won the game 45-17. But Will Stein has really got Kentucky going in the right direction. Signing brand. They whipped Texas A&M, pulled away in the second half against South Alabama. I don't know if anybody knows where South Carolina is going, including Shane Beamer. Sellers has got a big name, but he has approved it. Nick Harbor does pretty well against Alabama. How hot is the seat in Columbia for Shane Beamer? It's scorching. But at the same time, look how they moved the ball against Alabama. You know, they couldn't convert in the red zone. Well, really, they're probably in the red zone, but just outside the 20s. But, I mean, they moved the ball at will. And now you're playing, you know, all SEC fans are passionate. But I don't know if there's a more loyal fan base than South Carolina. I mean, they've got $80,000 at Williams price. No matter the circumstances, they're loud, they're hungry. And I think that's why the line looks the way it does, because I just think that is a huge home field advantage that we often discount. Yeah, you're exactly right. And you're correct about the schedule. October's schedules, particularly for Alabama and Auburn, are brutal. And we'll see how they're able to navigate that. Listen, make sure the TV's working, the plumbing in the bathroom's working. You've got plenty of snacks. Are you ready for another stacked weekend in the SEC? I am, and the biggest problem is it's going to be at 3 o'clock where Auburn's playing. Right. Rays open against the Dodgers. Oh, my God. Fricked. Yeah, Ronald and Matt are just going to have to come through while I'm occupied otherwise. Yeah, get those batteries refreshed there and reinforce the Lazy Boy. Doug, Mr. Man, thanks for your time today, and have a great weekend, all right? I'm reinforcing it this afternoon. There you go, buddy. I hear you, Doug Segrist, looking at where this voted one of the 50 legends when it comes to Alabama sportswriters. Coming up, this was this close to being a legendary guest at the Braves that faltered the Mr. Bill Show next. Stay with us. Hungry for something big? Head to Mugshot's Grill and Bar. Our famous dogs and smash burgers are here to stay, and you must try the new Mug's fried chicken sandwich or the Caesar's lemon blackout wrap. It wouldn't be game day without loaded nachos with jalapenos and buckets of cold beer. Also, every Saturday, enjoy $3 mimosas and $5 Bloody Marys from 11 to 3. And remember, Mugshot's is the U&A on the Road watch party place. Happy hour is Monday through Friday, 2 to 6 at Mugshot's Grill and Bar. Great food, cold drinks, and your game day headquarters in historic downtown Florence. 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 am 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. We live in a time of turbulence, inflation, national debt, and contentious midterms. That's where diversification with precious metals comes in. Gold and silver have had a spectacular bull run over the past year, and monetary gold can help you get in now before it's too late. Call 877-NOW-GOLD for your free guide on gold IRAs and to see if you qualify for your entire lifetime of IRA fees to be covered. Call 877-NOW-GOLD for monetary gold. Performance may vary. Always consult your financial and tax professional. Rich Eisen here with some advice. If high-interest credit card debt is grinding you down, it might be time to call an audible with a SoFi personal loan. It consolidates your debt into one low monthly payment with no fees required. And with as soon as the same day funding, you can make the right play fast. Call an audible on your debt today at SoFi.com slash debt play. Loans originated by SoFi Bank N.A. Member FDIC. Terms and conditions apply. NMLS 696891. Fast funds terms apply at SoFi.com slash debt play. 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. 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 am 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. All sports, all the time. Sports Radio 93.9, The Score. 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. Progressive presents the Sports Flash on 93.9, The Score. The Atlanta Braves got home runs from Michael Harris, Ozzie Albies, and Matt Olson yesterday, and the Braves beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-2 to win the NL Wild Card Series matchup two games to one. The Braves are now on to Los Angeles, where they are set to take on the Dodgers tomorrow in game number one of the NLDS. In the NFL last night, the Browns winners over the Steelers, 27-24. Browns now 3-1 Monday night in New Orleans. The Saints will host the Falcons. Both teams are currently 1-2. The chase continues on Sunday on the NASCAR Cup Series in Las Vegas for the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Tune in tonight for high school football as Florence plays host to Athens, pregame at 6 o'clock, kickoff at 7. I'm John Thayer with the Sports Flash presented by Progressive on 93.9, The Score. With Progressive's Name Your Price Tool, you can choose the best coverage option for you. Because you know you. Like, you know you can't cook. You're not one of those people who say that they can, but when people come over for dinner, they find out the hard way, you can't. You can't even microwave popcorn, and that's literally just one button. Plus, measuring and patience are huge parts of cooking, and that's just not you. Only you know you. So get coverage options within your budget with Progressive's Name Your Price Tool. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates. Pricing coverage match limited by state law. Woodman 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. 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. Welcome back in. This is going to be great. He is the man in the state of Georgia, or at least he used to be. He hosts the Bill Shanks Show on 93.1 FM and making it online at thesesuperstations.com and on the tube at 41NBC. Bill Shanks, welcome in. How is the race looking between you and Ray Kerr today as far as king of the peach tree state? How are you? Well, he's got Kerr mode. I've been in Shanks mode for about 56 years. What a story, Bill. We thought of you this week. I mean, here's a kid that nobody even knew his name. And just as quickly as I can, you've got to root for this kind of guy. He grew up in foster care while his dad was in prison. Back in the day, he worked two jobs. One was at a movie theater, the other at a 7-Eleven at the same time, paid his dues at the lower leagues on the bus rides, and last night, basically, when asked, he said, look, after what I've been through, this is nothing. Bill, where do you start breaking down this story? Well, it was unbelievable. And to see him go out there and execute and not be overpowered and not be overwhelmed was something. But the real, the best sign, sight of the entire season is him walking off that mound. He walked off the mound and he was just soaking in every single minute of it. And it was a great, great sign, a turn of someone in the press box sitting next to me. I'm like, that's the scene of 2026 right there. It was just, you know, he was just, he waved to the crowd, which we don't see very many people do anymore, but he waved to the crowd twice. And he smiled and it was genuine and just a heartfelt moment. And he did, he did his job. He did what they needed him to do. And that was a big reason, as Chris Self said, it was a big reason why they won the game last night. Your thoughts about Walt putting his team together. He went with 11 pitchers, which a lot of folks said you might want to do more, and especially went to extra innings in game two and is forced to game three. That's on that side of the coin. But then to do what he did with Chris Self, basically 48 hours after taking the mound and throwing close to 100 pitches, these two got together and said, why don't we do this? And by golly, it worked. Well, they did it. I knew it was going to happen. I knew that it was going to happen. And the reason I know it was going to happen is because we had Brian Snicker on our show yesterday. And I said, do you think Chris Self has gone into Walt's office and said, give me the ball. Yep. And he said, absolutely. He's probably in there right this very minute. And then after the game, Walt Weiss said when he got in yesterday, Chris Self was sitting down in his office already waiting for him. And, you know, that's what, let me tell you, Chris Self is, you know, there have been a lot of people here recently in the last couple, well, this year, and even last year, Chris Self is going to be a Hall of Famer. And I'm like, well, hold on now. I mean, he's not even at 200 wins, you know. I mean, what? And, you know, but then you look at the resume and you start looking at the other things besides just the wins. And then you realize there ain't going to be no 300 game winners anymore. So you've got to kind of redefine what a Hall of Famer is going to be. And it's like, well, h***, he is a Hall of Famer. And you know what? He's one of the best pitchers in the sport today. He showed why last night. And, you know, I'm going to tell you something. After last night's game, the Braves have a chance to win the World Series because of one person. It's Chris Self. That kind of pitcher can propel a team to a championship. It's been done before. Randy Johnson, who is Chris Self's hero, did it for Arizona 25 years ago. And so, I mean, I think the Braves are still a long shot. I think they don't have rotation. It's still what Rick Kerr did. It's going to be tough because they just don't. I mean, you know, Elder and Perez can't pitch in the NLDS, but might pitch in the NLCS. Well, you've got to get past the Dodgers first and you don't have a rotation. So it's still going to be tough. But if they do this, Chris Self's going to be the reason. That's right. Yeah, and the Braves win about three or four weeks in the middle of the season and scored two or fewer runs for him, I think, every start. I know everybody talks about Kerr, and I apologized in the opening segment because I nearly ridiculed the Braves for starting him. But he had a phenomenal performance. To me, the key to the game was Michael Harris, who struck out twice on Wednesday, hitting the three-run homer. It set the tone. It put pressure on the Phillies. I don't think the Phillies were ever the same the rest of the game. No. Part of me thought that the game's over. Yeah. Part of me had the same feeling that I did when Jorge Soler hit the home run in game six of the World Series five years ago. Yeah. It was something about that hit. Yep. And a part of it was maybe the energy that Michael showed as he was rallying the bases. He was just – he couldn't contain himself. And he was just absolutely overjoyed that he had done that and give his team a 3-0 lead because he knew how big it was. I mean, you know in a game that's do or die to get a 3-0 lead in the first inning and make them fight back over and over and over again. That's tough, man. That's just not – there's nothing easy about that. And so, you know, I think it was big. But look, you don't have to apologize for the skepticism about Ray Kerr. People are giving me h*** on Twitter about it. But Ray Kerr's performance does not change the fact that the front office did not do enough to prepare the team for the starting run. That's right. That's right. So, I mean, you know, they got Tyler Malley. He was the best of any of the players traded. That's great. You needed two. You did. You didn't get it. And, you know what, if they don't beat the Dodgers or if they don't beat the team in the next round, it's probably going to be because their starting pitching wasn't good enough. And, you know, I hope that's not the case. But we're going to ask the question, well, why did you get more? So, you know, but they've got to get past the Dodgers first, and it's going to be a challenge. There's no question. And the thing is, six weeks ago, Kerr was at the cross town at Triple A Gwinnett trying to come back from Tommy John's surgery. So, he is one heck of a story. Your thoughts, now they've got to hit, as far as road trips, this is about as far as you can go. They take on the Freddie Dodgers. How do you see that matchup realistically? Well, I mean, this is going to be tough. There's no question. They are a deep team. God knows who they're even going to pitch because they've got so many options. Right. And, you know, they've got people who aren't having played for three months, and they'll be popping up out of nowhere in this situation. It's just going to be tough. There's no question about it. Now, the Braves beat the Dodgers five out of six times in the regular season. That does matter. You can't ignore that. I mean, it's not necessarily a sign of whether they're not going to have any problems with the Dodgers. You know they are. So, you know, look, it's, you know, they've got a chore ahead of them. There's no question. They've got to split in Los Angeles, and they've got to come back out, and they've got to try to do well when they come home and either win it at home or send it back to L.A. and win it out there. I mean, you have to do that if you want to win the series. So, I would love for them to split on the road and see what they can do for sure. Absolutely. Now, there's the rumor that Georgia is playing a Division I opponent next Saturday. I'll check that out. I want you to check on that. And Jared Curtis, who everybody thought was going to Georgia. Now, what happens tomorrow if he throws four or five touchdowns against Georgia? Well, it's just going to make it easier for him to transfer to Georgia coming into December. Right. I mean, you know, that's kind of, I mean, all the Georgia fans are looking at this in the scouting session to see if we really want Jared Curtis or not. He makes the cut. You know, we're able to see him, but it's going to be interesting. It is. And he, you know, I mean, I don't think Kirby's going to hold back on him, whether he gets him in December or not, but he realizes, oh, h***, I'm not going to win in Nashville. So, it's, you know, you don't have to say anything in that regard. Those players know that he was coming to Georgia and backed out and went to Vanderbilt instead. And I get it. He wanted playing time and he got it. He knew Pat Poggi was going to leave. And so, he understands that completely. But my line is, this is football. And if you get hit, don't blame us. And the thing is, you look at the stats, I think Georgia's in pretty capable hands that the stats don't like. Gunners at the top of the list, a lot of categories where it counts. Bill, your thoughts overall about this team? Because realistically, there's no question Georgia's good. The only other thing is they've played a lot of home games. And let's not face it, it's not the toughest competition. That's not the player's fault. That's just the way the cookie crumbles sometimes. Your thoughts overall heading into the obvious question. Next week, on the road against Alabama, who knows what kind of mood they're going to be in after this weekend, State against another set of Bulldogs. Well, I mean, look, Georgia beating Oklahoma by four touchdowns. And people will say, well, John Materi gave it to them. No, he didn't. Georgia made John Materi give it to them with good defense and creating havoc and creating pressure. And, you know, I think Georgia's an elite team. I think Georgia's got a chance to be there at their very end. They're not a perfect team. They're not going to be perfect. They may lose next week. They may lose. One I'm getting more concerned about is the one against the Florida Gators. I don't even want to talk about that. That's good. They've got to stay healthy and continue to play at a high level and do what they've done the first four games of the season. They're going to have a good shot. And, you know, I think they're going to beat the heck out of Vanderbilt tomorrow. I don't think Vanderbilt's as good as they were both Pavia or the other players they've lost. I'm anxious to see that. But I think this is going to continue to be, you know, it's going to continue to be a mark through the SEC just like Sherman did. We're coming. There you go. There you go. Now, look, you know that we have quite a few listeners who listen to our segment and they call your show and give their opinions of Alabama and Georgia. Now, if they'd like to call in and make predictions on the Braves, can they win in five against the Dodgers? Can Georgia somehow eke out a win against Vanderbilt and then get pummeled next Saturday night in Tuscaloosa? Where can they get online and do that? Well, they can listen at thesesuperstations.com. I mean, they know I've been saving this show for about 20 years, so they like to hear where that's, you know, something. At least. Right. And I saved your cable show until y'all two lost it. It was y'all's fault. I mean, my segment was good on that d*** cable show, but y'all... Right. Five years, you're right. Absolutely. I mean, yeah, right down the tubes. I mean, you know, you had Wayne's World and the boom-up box show on cable, and they both went right out the window. Yeah, well... It's thesesuperstations.com, and I'm sure they'll want to talk some Braves baseball this afternoon. We'll be doing it, for sure. All the best. I know you're nervous taking on Vanderbilt this weekend, but all the best to you, Bill, and have a great weekend, all right? Well, I'm not as afraid as someone sitting next to you who's going to be afraid next week, I can tell you that. Dogs and more more dogs. The one, the only, Mr. Bill, Bill Shanks. He's busy there at thesesuperstations.com. KJ is busy getting ready to call the unbeaten Florence High Falcons football game tonight. You're on 93.9 The Score. He's 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. This football season, bring the flavor that wins every time. Champy's world-famous fried chicken. Tailgate like a champ with our legendary fried chicken, award-winning smoked hot wings, and don't forget those Mississippi Delta hot tamales that will light up your taste buds. Feed your whole crew with a Champy's tailgate pack. Packed, stacked, and ready for kickoff. Champy's chicken. East 2nd Street and Muscle Shoals. World-famous for a reason. Let the million-dollar band, including six Muscle Shoals high school grads, get you ready for Champy's chicken and the game. 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 insulation, 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. 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. The home of the Atlanta Braves, the Florence Falcons, and the Alabama Crescent Ties. Sports Radio 93.9. The Score. This is an important notice to all U.S. taxpayers. The IRS is giving away billions of dollars in tax savings through a federal program called the Fresh Start Initiative to aid delinquent taxpayers. This initiative was established for anyone facing financial hardship and unable to pay their back taxes. 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Go to Gusto.com today and see why over 500,000 small businesses call Gusto their MVP. That's G-U-S-T-O dot com, Gusto dot com. Whether it's a crisp fall morning, a full-blown thunderstorm, or you're loading up the car and heading to the game. Whether you're kicking through piles of leaves or trudging through puddles of mud, whether you call it fall or autumn, or you're one of those sweater season people, you're gonna want weather tech for your vehicle. Whether the mess is your fault, your kid's fault, the dog's fault, or just the weather's fault, you're gonna want weather tech. For American-made floor liners and seat protectors that laugh in the face of fall weather, visit weathertech.com today. 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. Time to check it out by checking in to the boys to the high-flying Falcons in Florence High tonight here at 93.9 The Score with Kevin Johnson. But KJ just can't wait that long. After a week off. Kevin, are you resting and ready to go tonight? How are you? I'm doing well. The question is, will the Falcons be rested and ready for the Golden Eagles? You know, I was looking at this. I think this is an easy trivia question. Is there a high school coach in the entire world more familiar with Brawley Stadium than the head coach of the Athens High Golden Eagles? You know, that's a true statement. The only thing that you can say on the counter is you forget. There's a young man, there's a coach, well, not necessarily, but a coach on the other sideline at Florence, Kenny Morrison, who also had three years on that field as well. There you go. He's a high school quarterback. So, you sort of have two quarterbacks that are now two head coaches that are very familiar with that. But it's obviously a great homecoming for Cody Gross, obviously loved in this city, probably did at UNA, and one of the great coaches, one of the great men in coaching. And he'll have his team ready, but so will Kenny Morrison. So, I really look at it to be a great matchup tonight. Kevin, I know the bye week probably hit both teams, and you'll talk about this tonight with your broadcast crew. What are the keys for Florence beating Athens tonight? I think maybe controlling the ball, time of possession. That would be a key, I think, time of possession and making sure that they really take care of the football. I think that's a big thing, too. They haven't had much trouble with it until the Decatur game of winning the turnover bout. So, I think those two things will be key. And more than anything, Kenny Morrison has even said to me this week in a couple of interviews, he said, hey, we just need to relax and play, and don't try to become 10-0 tonight. Just be 6-0 tonight. And that's the key for this Falcon team, just to relax and play. I was going to ask you about that, Kevin, because let's face it, Coach Morrison has got this team in rarefied air as far as programming history, unbeaten at this point. The first time ever. Your thoughts, I mean, everybody's human. Sometimes, in spite of what we say, that can get in your head. Maybe you press it too much. Your thoughts now that we're past the midway mark, as far as we know, they've proven themselves from a tangible standpoint. They've got the talent. Your thoughts about the mindset of this team here in the second half? Well, you know, tonight's a dangerous game. This may be the most dangerous game of the last five, because Athens is just, they score, you know, they average 36 points a game in the region. So, Florence is going to have to score some points against a really good team tonight or shut them down one. It's hard to shut them down. And I think the key for this Falcons team mentally is to beat themselves and don't overlook anyone. But set the standard for yourself, not the standard of who's across the ball from you. You want to get better every week, no matter if you're playing an Athens team or whoever. You want to get better. The key to this team, I think, is Kenny Morrison. Kenny Morrison is the head coach. He has taken a team to an undefeated season at Fayetteville High School. He's won a state championship. And because of that, I think Kenny Morrison understands how to manage a team that's on a run for an undefeated season. So, whether it happens or not, we'll wait and see. But I think Kenny Morrison is the key to this team, the head coach, that has his pulse on this team. Yeah, he's old school. And believe me, there's nothing wrong with old school. Pre-game, kickoff, coaches' breakfast. Tell us about it. Yeah, we're about, what, five hours away from pre-game, 6 o'clock here on 93.9 The Score. 7 o'clock kickoff. Mike Albertson, Jeffrey Jones, John McDaniel, yours truly bringing you the broadcast. I think they're the best crew and high school radio around. I hope everybody enjoys it. And you can listen on the app on 93.9 The Score as well. And tomorrow morning, it's going to be a car wash edition for one hour for Alabama football. We'll have it. We'll run all the coaches through as fast as possible from 8 to 9 at the North Alabama Bona Joint Clinic. A great tradition in the shows area, the coach breakfast at 8 a.m. Sounds great. Listen, man, another great call tonight, KJ. Thanks so much. And let's do it again soon, okay? Thank you, guys. Kevin Johnson getting ready for the call. Well, Florence, Athens later on 93.9 The Score. But first, we're going to kick out the second hour here with Mike Kugin and more straight ahead. Stay with us. 18-19 News. The Trump administration has announced a second round of federal funds that are intended to help with rural health care here in the state of Alabama. The money is coming from the Rural Health Transformation Program and will be distributed to health care providers and institutions that serve rural communities here in the state. Governor Ivey is commending the Trump administration for this latest effort. The governor said that Alabamians deserve access to quality care throughout the state. The first round of funding for Alabama was announced this past August, and that was a total of $144 million in various grants. This latest round will be worth about $55 million. I'll be back with more Alabama stories after this. Are you enjoying 18-19 News? If so, consider joining 18-19 News as a member. As a nonprofit 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. More details are coming out about a train derailment that occurred in Chilton County this past Thursday. Over 25 rail cars left the tracks in this major derailment. It turns out that some of those rail tracks came within inches of a home in Maplesville after they piled up on top of each other. There were no injuries reported or toxic chemicals on board the train. The Abbeville High School football team has been fined and placed on probation by the Alabama High School Athletic Association. The move from the AHSAA comes after the high school allowed an ineligible athlete to play in two different games. The AHSAA told WDHN News that the Abbeville officials self-reported their violation of the student-athlete transfer rule. For more news affecting Alabamians, go to 1819news.com. And while you're there, subscribe to the daily newsletter. Valley Broadcasting Corporation, WITK-FM, Rogersville, Athens, Decatur, The Shores, Sports Radio 93.9, The Score. Evan Canty and Michelle are on Sportsman Life. Is there a chance that Arch dictates terms like Eli did? Do you think Eli has a single regret about dictating those terms? Literally lives where he played and is a god where he played and where he lives. It's one thing, you can't dictate terms like, oh, I want to go to the Chiefs if they have the 32nd pick in the draft. They're not getting there. But if the Giants are in the top ten, could Arch dictate terms? On Sportsman Life. Weekday mornings starting at 6 Eastern. On ESPN Radio and on ESPN2. Evan Canty and Michelle are On Sportsman Life. When you saw what Case Keenum did, getting the ball out of his hands to the playmakers, making the right reads, being able to step up and slide in the pocket, but not run and take off and get out of the pocket, I thought all of those things were teachable moments for Caleb Williams in terms of how you take your game to another level and how you get this team to another level. On Sportsman Life. Weekday mornings starting at 6 Eastern. On ESPN Radio and on ESPN2. 93.9 The Score Weather. Today, a 20% chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms with a high around 90. Tonight, mostly cloudy with a 40% chance of showers overnight and a low near 70. Tomorrow, mostly cloudy with a 50% chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms with a high around 85. Tomorrow night, cloudy with a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms with a high around 70. If you're Sunday, mostly cloudy with a 70% chance of showers and thunderstorms with a high around 80. Your weather from 93.9 The Score. 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 Tide. Tigers, Tennessee, and the rest of the SEC. Now, your host, Harold Bugg on 93.9 The Score. Welcome back in our tour to 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 for Mike Hugen in taking time out of his busy schedule and helping us kick out the second hour here. Mike, a National College football slash basketball analyst in a place called Orlando, Florida. Mike, welcome in. Happy Friday to you. How are you? Doing quite well. We're going to kick this week all pretty heavy tonight, are we not? We've got Virginia Tech involved in the game. Penn State had a brand new rig there on the shores of Lake Michigan in northwestern country. So, Mike, this weekend is going to get started in a hurry with some fireworks. Yeah, I think the Pitt-Virginia Tech game, two unbeaten teams. We're going to find out if either one is – well, we're closer to finding out if either one is for real. And I'm intrigued to see Northwestern's new stadium. I don't know if – if you go on – if you're a social media person, you've seen where Northwestern practices. It is incredible because it's literally on the shores of Lake Michigan. The stadium is supposed to be really nice. It's quite small, but that's fine for Northwestern. But I think they spent around $800, $900 million on it. It is supposed to be extremely nice, interesting game. Penn State coming in off a loss. And then tomorrow's games during the day are quite good. Tomorrow night's games are – you can go shopping or something. I noticed that, yes. Night games are not appealing, no. So, Mike, let's start with tomorrow. In that case, what is the juiciest matchup for Mike Hugan tomorrow? I think the Alabama-Mississippi State game, and not just because I'm on the radio in Alabama here. Kamario Taylor is a fun player to watch. If you don't have a cheering interest in the game, he keeps your eyes. He is fun to watch. He's athletic. He's extremely physically gifted. He is a really nice fit for Levy's offense. And I think I said last week on your show, how much do I like Kamario Taylor? He makes Jeff Levy look like a really good coach. And I don't think Jeff Levy is a really good coach. But Levy is an offense-minded guy. And Taylor, he's sort of like, you know, hey, Kamario, what do you want to do? Just go do it. He runs. He passes. He throws on the run. He can run over people. He can run away from people. It's going to be a gigantic test for Alabama's offense. I think it's Alabama's defense. Excuse me. And I think if I'm a Tide fan, the idea that Ashton Daniels had success against the secondary makes me extremely worried about Kamario Taylor having success against the Alabama secondary. So after all that's been done, Mike, what's the final score going to be there? I think Alabama's going to win. I think it's going to be a four-quarter game. I'm not a believer in the Mississippi State defense. I think Zach Garnett's a good coordinator. I think he sort of swings above his weight level. He does not have a lot of highly talented dudes on that secondary, except for Kelly Jones, who is a really exceptional corner. But I think Alabama can run effectively. And when Alabama can run effectively, it makes Keelan Russell even more dangerous. I think this will be a high-scoring game. But I think Alabama, notwithstanding all the cowbells, is going to win a close one. Mike, Florida and Missouri, and particularly in Columbia, has always been an intriguing game to me. Even going back to Steve Spurrier, he struggled in Columbia. Now, Florida is one of the surprise teams. To me, they're not. But one of the surprise teams in the country. Philo Ball has been working very well with Buster Faulkner. Their defense has been pretty good. They're averaging 260 yards. Austin Simmons has played well for Missouri. We'll see when Ahmaud Hardy comes back. But the stat of the week is Eli Drinkwith is 0 for 16 against teams in the SEC with a winning record. Yeah, teams that finish with a winning record. Yes, yes. This is a dangerous game for Florida. They go on the road to beat Auburn. Dropped off some naysayers there. Then they come home last week and just obliterate Ole Miss. Dropped off more naysayers and move into the top ten. This is a trap game, I think, because Florida is not used to winning. And one thing, if you're 19 and 20 years old, can Florida deal with the success it has had? They have not played well in Columbia, Missouri. Most, I think, all but one of those Florida teams, though, that lost into the season under .500. I think the one team that did win there, or the team that had a winning record that lost there, was like 7-5 and was under .500 in the SEC. So, when Florida has taken good teams to Columbia, it has won. I think this is a good team. I don't think Missouri can stop Jaden Ball. Florida's back-up tailback. Duke Clark is 10th in the league in rushing, which is pretty impressive. This is a really juggernaut of an offense. Defensively, they've got some issues. I think that Jalen Lee is going to have a big game for Mizzou. Simmons was a one-time Florida commitment. He's a Florida kid. He's from Pahokee, which is on the shores of Lake Okeechobee. He has not thrown an interception, but he's also had an interception dropped, I think, in three of their four games. So, Florida, to me, is the better team, and if they handle success like they think they will, I think they win by 10. But at the same time, again, this is the team that hasn't won a lot of late, and handling success is – let's see if they can do that. Yeah, and the noise could be a bigger factor in this new Missouri stadium. It's more enclosed. Mike, who's going to hook it up with us? National College football-slash-basketball analyst. Interesting matchup on Rocky Top. On paper, I think it's easy to say, well, this is Tennessee with a home game. Auburn's struggle. These two coaching staffs know each other better than they know their wives, it seems, because they have spent so much time on each other's sidelines. Your thoughts about that, and to me, one of the more interesting bylines in this is Auburn is dead last, giving up sacks. Tennessee is amongst the best in getting sacks. Tennessee's missing some folks on the O-line. Mike, your thoughts about the showdown on Rocky Top tomorrow? Yeah, Tennessee's offensive line last week was a disaster area. Auburn's offensive line all season has been a disaster area. So, Tennessee's pass rush, if I'm an Auburn fan, it worries me. Auburn's pass rush, if I'm a Tennessee fan, doesn't worry me that much, except how much of a carryover, if any, will there be? I think Tennessee's the better team. Byron Brown needs to have a big game. I also think Cobb needs to have a big game. The Tennessee offense last week was not good. The Tennessee defense kept them in the game. Tennessee was throwing into the end zone on a final play with a chance to win, even though I think they were thoroughly beaten. I think Tennessee wins. I think Tennessee's running game gets back on track. And I think Auburn is on its way to a 6-6-7-5 kind of season at best. I think this game will show that Auburn's offense is lacking in playmakers, frankly. Nobody on the outside really scares me. Their offensive line is below par. I think Byron Brown's solid. I think Jeremiah Cobb is solid. But I think Tennessee's got too much for Auburn. Mike, Iowa is a 2.5-point underdog to Ohio State. And Iowa has, of course, been a little bit of a trainee pick here. I was watching some of the replay of the Ohio State-Illinois game. They gained 468 yards against Ohio State, including 198 rushing. In fact, the Buckeyes have given up 171. I think they simply outscore Iowa in this game. Smith, of course, the Heisman Trophy favorite, will probably have another big day. Would this game be closer than people envision? I'm not sure. Iowa, I've been to games there three times. That is an extremely fun place to go to a game. It's loud. Iowa has a very raucous fan base. The spectators are really basically right up on the field. Iowa's offense, it's totally predicated on the run. They were lucky to win last week against Michigan. Sort of karmic payback for Michigan. Yes. Western Michigan win. Yeah, you look at this game from a long way away. You're like, oh, my God, Ohio State's going to blow the doors yet. Then you sort of get into the granular stuff. Iowa running game is pretty good. And the Ohio State run defense has been exceedingly shaky, which is a bit of a surprise. The game being in Iowa City, I think it will be close into the third quarter. But I will also say this. If Ohio State comes out and gets up 10-0 or 14-0, this game's over. Because if Iowa has to throw to win, they have zero chance. But I think the Iowa defense is always extremely well coached, extremely fundamentally sound. There will be a lot of ugliness in this game because Iowa wants to make it an ugly game. I think they'll be successful to an extent. But, yeah, I can't see them stopping Jeremiah Smith. I can't see them keeping Ohio State under 24 points. And I don't think Iowa can score 24 points. Mike, you remember back in the day when you were in an office where you had an assignment editor and you'd hand out your assignments in a week. You could always tell the guy that got in trouble it would be the one this week that was assigned to the Texas A&M-Arkansas game. Would you agree with that? Oh, yeah. Texas A&M is bad. So bad that I think Arkansas has a legitimate chance to make this a four-quarter game. And Arkansas is horrible. A&M, I don't know what has happened to Mark Shelby yet. I never thought he was elite. But he looks – he's playing as poorly as any quarterback in the SEC. Reuben Owens is good. The offensive line is not good. The receiving core is not very good. Marcel Reed is playing poorly. Defensively, they have breakdowns on a weekly basis. I don't know if Arkansas can take advantage. And generally, I would say Arkansas's defense is like a nice salve to any offensive issues. But I'm not sure even playing Arkansas can help A&M's offense. I think this will be a really bad game. I think it will be like a 20-17 kind of game. I think A&M wins at home. But, goodness, if A&M loses this, yeah, I don't know. The Texas A&M fan base may spontaneously combust if A&M loses. Absolutely. I agree with you. I think the day games are fantastic. The night game, a little shaky. If Miami-Clemson is the premier game at night. I know. I know. I think Miami blows their doors in. I just don't think. I know Clemson's 3-1 and Dabo's playing on his oats again. But, good Lord, they are not a good team. I think Miami's going to score in the 40s. And I think Clemson's going to score in the teens. So, I think this will be extremely ugly. Absolutely. Listen, I always enjoy breaking down games with you. Nobody does it better. Listen, have a great weekend, college football Saturday. At least do this again next Friday. Yep, no problem. Thanks, guys. Thank you, buddy. Have a great weekend, Mike. Mike Kuganen checking in from Orlando. He's ready to check out a lot of high school action right here in our own backyard tonight. The Zaxter next. Stay with us. 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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. The Score. Now, back with Boomo Bugg on 93.9 The Score. Welcome back in. It is Friday. Time for a little football action right next door to us on your favorite high school gridiron. Zach Pounder's got it all covered there as the founder and editor of the Shoals Sports Report. Zach, welcome in. Happy Friday to you. How are you? Doing good. How are y'all? Hey, man. We're doing all right. Obviously, a full plate tonight for Friday. Last week, a light plate, which means a pretty heavy Thursday night slate. Before we talk about the Friday night matchups, let's talk about what caught your fancy on those Thursday night matchups in our neck of the woods. Yeah. Last night, Brooks won at home, and Russell and Russell played for the first time in 2013. And Russell, a bunch of most shows in the middle of the second half. Russell came out hot in the first half, had a half-time lead. But the second half, Russell got out on front, and once they got ahead, it was over basically because if you have a winning tee, it is made to play from ahead. Yep. It is not made to play from behind with. And Russell had a 4-6 on the 40-yard line of most shows with 6-6 in the game. And instead of punting, running around the ball, taking a long kneel down or whatever, Coach Higgins decides to run the ball, and they just run the ball, and they end the lead at 43-35 and end it off that. I was in the lane if you can punt and take all five seconds or whatever with a punt. And I was thinking, anything about running a play, anything about running a play, you know, score one last time and end the game. That had to be an incredible game. Taurus Davis ran for 259 yards and five touchdowns for Russell Bull, and I've seen both of these teams this year. Let me ask you about a game you and I have enjoyed watching the last couple of years. Dessler at West Morgan. As you mentioned last week, Rock the South is practically across the street. I guess that's going to be the halftime entertainment for both of these teams. Dessler lost to Russell Bull. You and I saw that game. Prankle in the last play of the game at 28-27. They have steamrolled everybody else. Monty Jones, Bryson Williams at quarterback, Jeremiah Fletcher, they played really well. West Morgan, it took them two games to get going, but they're rolling now. One of the best games in the shows tonight with Dessler at West Morgan. Yeah, with West Morgan, the two losses were added to the Madison Academy, so schools are building them, basically, numbers. But I'm not going to go to play it up. However, the game in this season has been a streak coming to an end. Dessler's not beating West Morgan in 2022. West Morgan has won three straight racing team in a sheet of, and Dessler's not going at West Morgan in 2012. Wow. And then all the streaks also go to West Morgan in this game. 29 straight racing wins. 21 straight home racing game wins. And they're 35-5 in the region since 2022-1. 32-1 this is 2022. So outside of the year, one of the coach, Phelps at West Morgan, they have steamrolled the region play outside of Denver 2022. Wow. Impressive numbers. Zach Pounder, sticking up with us. Show the sports report. Zach, let's talk about another intriguing matchup not too far from all of us right now. That's over at Brawley. Florence, the unbeaten Falcons, taking on a fellow who knows Brawley Stadium pretty well himself, along with Coach Morrison there at Florence High. Cody Gross and Athens flying in with the Golden Eagles to take on the Falcons tonight. Yeah, Athens is sneaky, but I think losing it all the time last week. May fire Athens up a little bit for two weeks to go. But this game is what Athens needs and Florence needs also. If Florence wins this one, they're going to have a chance to win the region in a couple weeks. And, at the least, clinch a home playoff game within the next two weeks as well. So, for this one, it's going to be sneaky. I think Athens is better than the regular strippers, I think. They've lost the Bob Donalds and Austin both by seven. Austin was a shootout. But I think for Florence, you and this one, you can both be a steamroll to 8-0 at the next week. No, that's okay. Lexington undefeated at 5-0 at Colbert County. Several things about this game. Second year, Lexington coach Brett Mask faces his former team for the first time. Colbert County is going for win number 700 in the history of the program. Zane Kilburn, I'm going to try to go to this game. I look forward to seeing him Sawyer-Howard. This is a huge game for both of these teams. Everybody knows the ties of Brett Mask. Lexington at Colbert County, it should be a good one. Yes, and over 70 of those wins have come from Steve Mask and Brett Mask. But with this one, I think it's going to be one of those Lexington's should win. But don't roll out with Colbert County. This is one of those track news for Lexington, I think. They can push 10-0, in my opinion. But they've got to win this one. If they win this one, the region is almost locked up for Lexington. If they lose this one, it's wide open basically at the top, but they don't feel capable of Colbert County. But I do think Lexington should win this game tonight and keep Colbert County waiting for winning 700. Zach, something, as they say, has got the gift in that when Red Bay invades Hackelberg. Both teams unbeaten in region and overall. Hackelberg 5-0, Red Bay 6-0. What gills tonight at Hackelberg? Red Bay is the largest one in the state. They're basically a two-way seal. They have been one of the smallest two-ways in the state forever. They have more numbers, I believe, than Hackelberg has as far as parties go. But I do think the kind of win that they both had will show us not. Red Bay has snuck past Bill Green and Belmont last week. Even let Shackel hang around more than I think. Shackel should have hung around with Red Bay. Hackelberg, however, has been a steeple of people. Ever since McMan and Kenneth County in week one, they have ran everybody by 20-plus points. I don't know in this game, but I do know this. The winner of this game will have the driver's seat for a recent championship game against Addison in two of their weeks. Mm-hmm. Absolutely. Two more games that I know you're going to have recaps on with the standings and everything else. Hamilton at Priceville. Again, I saw Hamilton at Denver. Mason Holloway is a Christian ship. Houston Tibbs, two very good receivers. Zach Eubanks for Priceville. Hatton at East Lawrence. East Lawrence having one of the best years they've had in six years. Cade Parham, Severius Evans there. That's just two more, along with Rogers at West Limestone, Central at Clements. And one game really flying under the radar is Whitesburg-Christian at Marv's Hill. Whitesburg-Christian has got quarterback Greer Lovell, who has already thrown for 1,300 yards and 20 touchdowns this year. Listen, you preview the games. You recap them. You've got it on Twitter. You will have the recap, the standings. Great stuff. Highly recommend getting on it. Where can we get on Facebook and get ready for tonight's games and then the post-game stories? On Facebook, Shoals Sports Report, our Facebook page. And on Twitter, at lowercase, S-H-O-A-L-S-P-O-R-T-S. You can follow on Twitter. You can turn on post notifications. It will send you your phone whenever we post. Looks like the weather's going to cooperate. Stay safe out there. Let's do it again soon. Okay, Zach? Thank you, y'all too. Thank you, bud. Zach Patterns, he is the founder and editor of the Shoals Sports Report. He's getting ready to see them split the tea in K-Town. Justin Ferguson on deck on the Boomo Bugg Show. Stay with us. Well, you know what happens when the seasons change. The pests come looking for a place to stay. Don't give them an invitation. Southern Pride Pest Control has year-round prevention plans protecting your home from pests, termites, bedbugs, moisture, ants, rodents, and mosquitoes. Proudly serving the Shoals area since 2010, we're here when you need us most. Send those unwanted guests packing. Call 256-383-1890. Southern Pride Pest Control. Locally owned and operated. Protecting what you're proud of. When you have pests, we have solutions. Here's the deal. The government is over $38 trillion in debt, which means the IRS isn't slowing down. And the tax code is complex and unforgiving. So it's not surprising if you're one of the millions of Americans that owe back taxes to the IRS. 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Join the 2.7 million small businesses using LinkedIn to hire. Get started by posting your job for free at linkedin.com slash eisen. Terms and conditions apply. 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. All-aggressive presents the sports flash on 93.9. The score. Alabama's on the road this week. They'll play at Mississippi State. Both teams are 4-0 on the year and 2-0 heading into the matchup in Davis Wade Stadium. 2-0 in SEC play. Auburn Tigers hit the road this week. They'll travel to Knoxville and take on Tennessee. Tigers in the balls. They're both 3-1 on the year. Tennessee is 0-1 in conference play. South Alabama's home this week. They'll host UL Monroe. The Jaguars are 2-2 on the season. UL Monroe is 0-4. It is the conference opener for both teams. North Alabama hits the road this week. They'll play Eastern Kentucky. Lions are 3-2. The game is the conference opener for both teams. Braves winners yesterday. They beat the Phillies 6-2. They'll open up the NLDS tomorrow in L.A. against the Dodgers. Tune in tonight for high school football as Florence plays host to Athens. Pre-game at 6 o'clock. Kickoff at 7. I'm John Thayer with the sports flash presented by Progressive on 93.9. The score. Kohl's has 20% off ball outfits. So stylish, you won't recognize your own family. Your teen's sweater makes them look oddly responsible. Your husband's jeans earn a double take. Your boho dress has you whispering, Who is she to the mirror? Save on standout styles for the new season at Kohl's and Kohl's.com. Careful, you might need name tags. Select styles. 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Got the Auburn Tigers covered there with the Auburn Observer. Justin, welcome in. Happy Friday to you. How are you? I'm doing all right. How are y'all? Good. I'm doing all right. Justin, obviously, this is a trip for the neutral site game against Baylor in Atlanta. This is, by many accounts, I guess, the first true road game of the season. Your thoughts about Auburn coming in to, as they say, a place where they split the T in Knoxville this weekend? Yeah. I mean, it's a huge opportunity for Auburn here. You get this really brutal month of October we've talked about where you get four ranked teams in a row. You know, you beat one of these teams these next few weeks, and you can really, it can be a really big signature win early on for Alex Golesh, and you feel like the, you feel like your first year could be heading in a good direction, and this is your first shot, and this might be one of the most gettable shots, because Tennessee still trying to figure some things out on the offensive end with their new quarterback, Faison Brandon. I've got some offensive line issues, obviously, especially after an injury, a season-ending injury to maybe their best guy earlier this week. And then, you know, obviously, they're coming off of a really tough physical game against Texas, where they felt like they had a shot there at the end, and they weren't able to get it and close it off. So I'll be very interested to see what Auburn does coming up to Knoxville against a team that, you know, coming off that physical game, what can you do to, you know, try to get after them and maybe rouse them a little bit and see if you can, you know, do some things to pull off an upset, you know, in Knoxville tomorrow. That's what I was going to ask you was the Tennessee offensive line, and you alluded to it. Wendell Moy, the left guard, is out for the season. He is one of six players. That's hard to believe Tennessee's lost six players for the season. Umaroff, the other guard, has not played him particularly well. He's questionable himself. I don't anticipate Auburn getting 10 sanks like Texas did, but they can certainly disrupt Brandon, Cody Sigler, Crawford, Mathis, and friends. What can the Auburn defensive front do against the Tennessee offensive line? Yeah, I mean, Auburn doesn't have a Colin Simmons, but they do have a defensive front that played pretty well last week against Vanderbilt. They needed to. They've kind of been held in check, pretty quiet the first few games of the season. Cody Sigler's been playing well all year long. I think you tell me that your guards are struggling and banged up. I'm looking for Sigler to kind of go out there and try to put his stamp on the game. You know, and you're right. Those other guys, Autry, Crawford, Mathis, had, you know, made plays last week. That was good to see. The depth really worked there. I thought you got a better game from Auburn's edge rush. You still need more from that group, but, you know, do a good job there. And I think the big thing about it is that you need your defensive front to win in this game. Bazon Brandon is an elite scrambler already for a young guy. He's also very good against blitzes. When, you know, teams bring extra pressure, he does a good job of getting the ball out of his hands and knowing where to go with it. Texas last week really won by blitzing four or just sending four and keeping him contained and getting after him and really making him kind of struggle for consistency as a freshman. You know, like I said, Auburn didn't have a Colin Simmons. Auburn might have to blitz a little bit more, but you can do some stuff like dropping guys in coverage, disguising it and doing that. If Auburn can get to Bazon Brandon and keep him contained without having to send, you know, five, six, seven guys at a time, you know, you feel like you have an opportunity to hang in there and, you know, really give yourself a chance to win this game. Justin, Frankerson again, the Auburn Observer. Justin, it's no secret, I would imagine, if you are a loyal Auburn fan, you know the question that needs to be answered tomorrow, and that is the numbers game. When it comes to protecting the quarterback, Auburn has not been stellar. Tennessee, on the other hand, loves to get sacks. Where do you start in trying to answer the question, how will that change tomorrow in Auburn's favor? Yeah, I mean, Auburn is coming off of a game last week where they only gave up one sack and a handful of pressures, and that was a really good game for that offensive front. Put some new guys in there, changed some things up. I thought Byron Brown did a really good job of, you know, getting the ball out of his hands quick and managing the pressure, knowing when to scramble, knowing when to take off there. You're going to have to do that even more against a team like Tennessee because they have a very good defensive front. They try a lot of different stuff. You know, you've got a guy, and their defense coordinator is one of the very best in the business. He is. At generating pressure, so you've got to do a really good job of managing it. You know, Tennessee's going to get some negative plays. They're going to get some pressure, but it's how you bounce back from them, and I'm really interested to see how Auburn comes out and tries to attack this Tennessee defense because they have been really good at generating pressure. They've been good on the back end. You know, Auburn's got to be able to get a good ground game going if they can. You know, you can kind of limit some of that, take some of that heat off of Byron Brown, and you get to play kind of more of a consistent game. So it's a real challenge for sure. I thought they did. That offensive line took a step forward last week against Vanderbilt. A Vanderbilt team that blitzes a ton, but Tennessee's a different animal. You don't want it to be like the Florida game a couple weeks ago where, you know, you're just losing a lot of one-on-one catch-ups in the trenches. So you've got to turn that around tomorrow. You know, I hear a lot of coach speak, you know, offense, defense, and you've got to be sound in the kicking game, and then they go off on another topic. Well, if Auburn doesn't block a punt in the first quarter last week from Omar Mampson, Kate Carlson scoops it up and scores, Vandy may have won that game. I keep saying this, special teams is huge, and particularly the more you get into the season, the more important it is. That was real key for Auburn beating Vandy last week. A hundred percent, and I think when you tell me, hey, Auburn's a six-point dog on the road, and what do you need to do to win that game? You need to try to steal something on the best teams if you can. You did it against Vandy last week. They blocked a field goal in that game as well, stopped a fake punt, didn't allow a big return, and then Alex McPherson almost hit one from outer space trying to late field goal in the first half. So, I mean, Auburn's special teams is continuing to kind of pick their game up and do pretty well. You've got to be able to be the cleaner team and the better team on special teams, maybe get an impact player too. Tennessee's punt returner, I mean, they had a touchdown last week off the punt return. Really, it was the whole thing that kept them in the game. So, you've got to be able to continue to stay strong in your special teams because, you know, again, that was a big reason why you were able to beat Vanderbilt last week, and I think if you want to have a chance to get an upset, if you can steal a possession, steal some points, steal some big field positions, something like that, with your special teams game, it really helps you if you're trying to pull off a road upset like this one. Justin, let's talk about the F word, familiarity. You know, Goldish knows Knoxville at the back of his hand, been there, done that. These two staffs know each other. So, your thoughts about, does either side have an advantage in a situation like this? No, I don't think so, and I think both guys, you know, both head coaches have said that this week. It's like, yeah, we all kind of know what the other side does, so there's really no advantage. I mean, there's personnel crossover aplenty, and when you talk about a guy like Chaz Nimrod played at Tennessee, K and Lee played at Auburn last year. Like, it goes deeper than even the coaching staff here. So, I don't think there's any sort of kind of advantage there. I think it's just, you know, two teams that really know what the other side's going to do, and it's kind of rare to get that kind of, you're in the first half of the season, so much in college football where you get year ones and all that, and like, oh, what do you know from week to week? Tennessee and Auburn know each other pretty well, and so, hopefully, that will make for a pretty well-played game tomorrow, because I think these two teams are going to be really well scouted. Let me finish on this. Will Kenneth McManus start at right guard in place of Cole Skinner? Jacob Strand started left in place of Joe Simmons. Will that happen again tomorrow? Yeah, McManus seemed like a guy that I think, you know, deserves to get that shot again tomorrow against Tennessee. He played pretty cleanly against Vanderbilt, didn't give up any pressures, you know, was involved a little bit in some of the running game. When I was able to pop some of those runs late, so, yeah, I think he definitely needs it. Skinner had struggled so much at right guard, especially with protection, that they were able to clean some of that up. The left tackle spot, it's interesting, Strand did start over Joe Simmons. Joe Simmons ended up playing more than twice as many snaps as Strand did in that game. Maybe it was just kind of a wake-up call for Simmons, or maybe, hey, a rotation might help him out a little bit more. So, you know, I would think Auburn's best line right now has both Simmons and McManus in it. You know, they're going to continue to keep these guys on short leashes and rotate them if necessary. But, yeah, I mean, I would say Auburn had its best week on the offensive line last week against Vanderbilt with McManus and with Simmons out there. So, I could see them, you know, sticking to that at least early on against Tennessee. Absolutely. I've said this twice this year. The team, the two teams that get to Atlanta in December, it's going to be the most dealt and effectiveness with the offensive lines. It's going to be the key, and particularly with this one bye in the additional conference game. Great stuff. As always, safe travels to Knoxville if you're going there, which I'm guessing you will be. The email, 6 a.m. Wednesday, the mailbag on Friday, the podcast, pre-game, post-game. Where can we get it? Yep. AuburnObserver.com. Check it out. Seven bucks a month or $70 a year. We email everything out to you. So, a lot of preview stuff for Auburn, Tennessee. Got a little basketball there as well. And we'll be in Knoxville all weekend long. So, check us out. We're going to have a ton of stuff from up there in Newland. Thank you so much for your time, Dave, Justin. Justin Ferguson is going to be with us there with the Auburn Observer. I will say this, BB. I've been privileged to go to a lot of different places on the road in the SEC. And without question, the biggest nightmare, trying to get home after a game in Knoxville. There are some stories that I cannot publish on the radio here. Stuck in traffic in K-Town. I'll let your imagination go with that. And we'll fill in the blanks on who is the latest stupid underdog picks next on the Bumult Bug Show. Stay with us. 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See Polymarket's terms of service for more information about restrictions and eligibility. The Polymarket app is an independent affiliate of Polymarket US, 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. So I've got this right. Flat repairs or replacement if needed. Patients and rebalancing every 5,000 miles, all included with the tire purchase. With paid installation and tax? That's the... Don't make me say it. I was going to say it. You don't say it. You back it up. That's the limited lifetime tire guarantee. Free with every tire purchase. So they're the... Midas. The best around. This is Roger Huber with the Crimson Tide Sports Network. Join me and Tyler Walk 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. And in this world, the headlines read of those whose hearts are filled with freedom. Rob and steal from those who need to right this wrong. With lightning speed goes underdog. Underdog. Brett Beaird. It's that time. And as always, underdog trivia worth 200 points. You know, the underdog was powered by the underdog super energy vitamin peel. Brett Beaird, the question for $200, where did he keep his super energy vitamin peel? Uh, I know it wasn't in his cape. Was it in his belt? Careful. This is a fan of the radio show. It was in his ring, Brett Beaird. Oh, that's right. Wash your mouth out of it. Forgive me. Forgive me. When you're in it, get busy doing some picking. Oh, my Lord have mercy. UNA at Eastern Kentucky. Somehow, Eastern Kentucky is one and a half point favorite. Eastern Kentucky's offense is about as bad as the defense. They ranked last in the UAC in scoring only, scoring 16 points a game. The defense, 101st and third down conversions. This is a bad matchup for Eastern Kentucky. UNA wins his third consecutive game, 28 to 10. There he is right there. I was wondering if he's coming back. Auburn at Tennessee, the volunteer seven and a half point favorite. Who protects the quarterback better? Harold Bugg. We talked about this all week long. Tennessee has 19 sacks on the season. Auburn is dead last. But my key, who runs the ball better? I think Tennessee does with Deshaun Bishop, Dwayne Morris. And the Tennessee defense is just simply better. They've got 34 tackles, four loss. Tennessee, 28. Auburn, 24. Thank you, Rick. Alabama at Mississippi State, 11 o'clock. State's passing defense ranks dead last. And the SEC giving up 250 yards. I think Mr. Russell is going to take advantage of that. But who runs the ball better is going to win the game. Must get off to a quick start. Alabama does. Mississippi State's going to make plays. This is a shootout. Alabama 49, Mississippi State 28. Thank you, Rick. And Starkville, my stupid underdog pick. We've talked about it. Penn State is a three-point favorite over Northwestern. They're opening their new $875 million stadium. I think Northwestern, who's got a really good defense, Bronco Bank, got off to a bad start. Northwestern upsets Penn State. Were you going to choose that? Well, I thought it was a gray parrot on my shoulder that dumped something, but it was you overlooking my shoulder looking for that. So, I will come up with another sup. But back to UNA and EKU. I agree with you. You know UNA's defense is fourth in the nation at getting sacks. Big D shines on the road at EKU. UNA 27-21 over Eastern Kentucky. Yeah, baby. Yeah, that's right. And then there's that shootout where they split the T, not their pants, on Rocky Top, Auburn and Tennessee. And I agree with you. I know Tennessee's got some issues with their O-line and all that good stuff. But let's face it, Auburn right now, until they answer the questions in the O-line, it's hard, especially this is their first true road game. If you've ever been to a game there, you know it's crazy up there. 27-24, the big orange. Woo! Thank you so much. And let's go from Knoxville to Starkville, Alabama, and MSU. It's breakfast on the bus for Alabama. This is going to be one of those, I got to believe, BB, the weather was a factor early. It looks like now that's improving. So, put that on the shelf for now. Who knows what's going to actually happen tomorrow. But if both teams play their A game, cut down the turnovers, the better O-line is going to give those great quarterbacks time to do the thing. And I think Alabama has the edge there. 34-31, Alabama rolling in Starkville. Yeah, baby! And, of course, I can't. You've already stolen my phone. I'm sorry. That's okay. That's okay. We're consistent here. I will go to plan B, Kentucky and SC. I don't know what they're drinking, what they're thinking. It must be the bourbon in the bluegrass country of Kentucky. Carolina is favored, according to the folks out there, the ones who are smart. I'm going to go and not play smart and say the Wildcats, on that wild drink up there, is going to win 31-24. Kentucky is the stupid underdog pick, Brett Beer. You agree! All right. I think that is a good pick. By the way, great high school action tonight. You can hear the Florence Falcons pregame, 6 o'clock, kickoff at 7, coaches breakfast in the morning. By the way, after Kevin and his crew gets through, James and Blair do a lot of the local scores. Stay tuned for the scoreboard show. James and Blair do a great job with that. Absolutely. Have a fun and safe football weekend. Did we mention Alabama and State tomorrow on 93.9 the score? And the Braves, thank you, Ray Kerr, and the Dodgers getting ready for a little play themselves in the postseason. We've got you covered right here. Stay safe out there. Let's do it again Monday. In the meantime, on behalf of BB, Greg James Blair, the entire crew here, Harold Buck, thank you so much for your time today. Let's do it again Monday, noon to two, with the Benoit Buck Show, back here on Sports Radio, 93.9 The Score.