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The Sports Ledger www.TheSportsLedger.com Sideline Sports VANDERBILT TO HOST MEMPHIS The Vanderbilt men’s basketball team will host in- state rival Memphis on November 10 in a non-conference match-up in Memorial Gymnasium. The Commodores and Tigers will meet for the 18th time in series history with Vanderbilt holding a slight 9-8 edge in the rivalry to date. The visit to Memorial Gym will be Memphis’ first since the 2022 season opener. Vanderbilt is 5-3 all-time at home in the series. The Commodores earned a 77-70 overtime victory last season at Memphis. The win marked Vandy’s first in the series since 1997, a span of four games as the rivalry series has been reignited in recent years. Vanderbilt is also set to host two additional marquee non-conference games in November. The Wake Forest Demon Deacons will visit Memorial Gym on November 5 while the UCF Knights travel to Nashville on Nov. 20. COUNTY TOURNAMENT CHANGES The Marshall County varsity basketball tournament will have a couple of changes this year. By an 8 to 0 roll call vote earlier this year, it was approved to change the current bracket to a double-bye format. Additionally, It was unanimously approved to change the disbursement of tournament revenue from the current method to an equal division among all 8 schools. This will be after tournament expenses have been deducted. No action has been taken on non-varsity divisions. UAB ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME UAB Athletics has announced its 2026 Hall of Fame class, recognizing five former Blazer student-athletes whose accomplishments helped shape the history and tradition of their respective programs. The 2026 class features Aaron Johnson (men's basketball), Ivana Bozic (volleyball), Rodregis Brooks (football), Carmen Guzman (women's basketball) and Paul Rosner (men's tennis). The five inductees represent five UAB programs and a distinguished collection of All-Americans, conference players of the year, championship performers and professional athletes. Their collegiate careers span nearly two decades, from Rosner's arrival in 1992 through Johnson's senior season in 2011. UAB BASKETBALL STARTS NOV. 2 The UAB men's basketball program has announced tip times and television designations for its entire 2026-27 schedule, which will feature 17 home games at Bartow Arena. The Blazers open the 2026-27 campaign Monday, Nov. 2, against McNeese in the Field of 68 Opening Day Marathon in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Tipoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. CT, with the game streaming on YouTube. UAB makes its home debut Friday, Nov. 6, against Nicholls at 6:30 p.m. CT, followed by a Nov. 9 matchup against Florida A&M, also scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT. Both games will air on ESPN+. The Blazer's nonconference schedule includes home matchups against Samford on Dec. 2 at 6:30 p.m., Belmont on Dec. 8 at 6 p.m. on ESPNU and Middle Tennessee on Dec. 17 at 6:30 p.m. UAB will also face George Washington and Rhode Island at the Greenbrier Tip-Off in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, on Nov. 20 and Nov. 22, respectively. American Conference play begins Wednesday, Dec. 30, when UAB hosts Tulane at 6:30 p.m. CT. The Blazers return to Bartow Arena on Saturday, Jan. 2, to face East Carolina at 3 p.m. on ESPNU. Among the highlights of the conference schedule are nationally televised home matchups against Florida Atlantic on Jan. 14 at 8 p.m. (ESPNU), Memphis on Jan. 17 at 4 p.m. (ESPN2), Tulsa on Feb. 28 at 3 p.m. (ESPNU) and UTSA on March 4 at 8 p.m. (ESPNU). The Blazers conclude the regular season Sunday, March 7, at Florida Atlantic, with tipoff scheduled for 1 p.m. CT on ESPN+. POINT GUARD OF YEAR WATCH LIST Alabama men's basketball guard Aden Holloway is one of 20 candidates selected to the 2026-27 Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award Watch List. Named after Class of 1971 Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtic and Holy Cross guard Bob Cousy, the annual honor now in its 24th year recognizes the top point guards in Division I men's college basketball. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates. Others on the list include: Auburn's Tahaad Pettiford, Markus Burton (Indiana), Elliot Cadeau (Michigan), Jason Crowe Jr. (Missouri), Silas DeMary Jr. (UConn), Donovan Dent (LSU), Quinn Ellis (St. John’s), Jeremy Fears Jr. (Michigan State), Boogie Fland (Florida), Josh Hubbard (Mississippi State), Nigel James Jr. (Marquette), Acaden Lewis (Miami), Chance Mallory (Virginia), Miles Sadler (West Virginia), Jackson Shelstad (Louisville), Jordan Smith Jr. (Arkansas), Tyler Tanner (Vanderbilt), Dedan Thomas Jr. (Houston) and Tobert Wright III (BYU). The Crimson Tide will open the 2026 season in Tuscaloosa on November 3 against Sam Houston. Auburn will tip off the 2026 season at home against Southeastern Louisiana on Nov. 4. BAYLOR MEN TO PLAY LOUISVILLE The Baylor men’s basketball game on Jan. 23 against Louisville will be played at iconic Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The game will tip off at 3 p.m. CT on a to-be-determined ESPN network. This will be the third meeting all-time between the Bears and Cardinals, as the two sides have split the prior two matchups. Baylor returns to Hinkle Fieldhouse for the first time since the 2021 NCAA Tournament, when the Bears won two games at the venue on their way to their first national championship in school history. Louisville is ranked No. 11 in the preseason AP Top 25 poll. A ticket presale will begin on Wednesday, Nov. 4, at 11 a.m. CT using this link. General tickets go on sale Thursday, November 5, at 11 a.m. CT. Baylor is set to open the 2026-27 season on Monday, November 2, against Northwestern State at 8:30 p.m. at Foster Pavilion in Waco. The Bears defeated two top-3 opponents last week in a pair of exhibition games against No. 1 Florida and No. 3 Illinois
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FOUR STRAIGHT - Tennessee running back DeSean Bishop posted his fourth straight and ninth career 100-yard rushing game during the Vols 27-24 loss to SEC rival South Carolina. He finished with 32 carries for 120 yards and a touchdown. Photo by Kate Luffman, Tennessee Athletics Tennessee Closes Out October with 27-24 loss at South Carolina
No. 11 Tennessee dropped a heartbreaker against South Carolina, 27-24, on Saturday, October 24, 2026. The Vols finished the month of October with a 6-2 overall record and it was the programs second SEC loss of the season. South Carolina (4-3, 2-3 SEC) was able to take advantage of some late offensive miscues from the Volunteers, scoring 10 points over the final four minutes of the game to erase a seven-point deficit, securing the victory with a 48-yard game-winning field goal from Malik Orsan as time expired. After allowing just one first-quarter offensive touchdown over their first seven games, the Vols found themselves in an early 14-point hole after the Gamecocks found the end zone on each of their first two possessions to open the game. Tennessee's defense responded after that, holding USC to just three points on their next seven possessions en route to building a 21-17 lead. Senior running back DeSean Bishop was a workhorse once again for the Vols, posting his fourth straight and ninth career 100-yard rushing game, finishing with 32 carries for 120 yards and a touchdown. With his 120 yards, Bishop passed Montario Hardesty to move into 10th on Tennessee's all-time rushing list with 2,488 career yards. The Vols responded after falling down 14-0 with back-to-back scoring drives of their own, starting with a methodical 18-play, 75-yard drive that ate up 9:05 of clock and cut the deficit to seven early in the second quarter. The 18 plays were the most in an offensive drive during the Josh Heupel era (2021-present). Bishop highlighted the scoring drive, carrying the ball 11 times for 51 yards while capping the drive with a one-yard scoring plunge on third-and-goal. Following a TJ Metcalf interception on USC's next possession, DaSaahn Brame capped a 10-play drive with a one-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-goal to tie the game at 14 following Cooper Ranvier's extra point.
After holding strong in the red zone, Tennessee forced the Gamecocks to settle for a 22-yard field goal with 1:44 remaining in the half before putting together an efficient, seven-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that was punctuated by wide receiver Mike Matthews' first career rushing touchdown with 24 seconds remaining. The 8-yard scamper out of the wildcat formation gave the Big Orange a 21-17 lead at the break. Neither team was able to put points on the board in the third quarter as both defenses found their footing after a back-and-forth opening half. Tennessee increased its lead to seven with a 37-yard field goal from Ranvier early in the fourth quarter. The Vols looked to have scored a touchdown two plays prior on an 18-yard strike from George MacIntyre to Braylon Staley, but it was called back on a holding penalty. South Carolina's defense came up with a big stop on fourth-and -1 in their own territory and preceded to march down the field for a game-tying touchdown drive that was capped by a 4-yard rushing score by quarterback LaNorris Sellers with 1:17 remaining. On the ensuring UT drive, Gamecocks' star edge rusher Dylan Stewart forced a fumble that was recovered by the defense at the Vols' 34-yard line, setting up Orsan's walk-off field goal. Sellers finished the game with 306 total yards (206 passing, 96 rushing) and three total touchdowns (one passing, two rushing) to lead USC to its second straight SEC victory. The Volunteers' defense added to its FBS leading sack total with five on the day, all of which came in the second half. Junior safety Dejuan Lane led the team with eight tackles while sophomore cornerback Ty Redmond had a career-high three pass breakups. Tennessee heads into its open week and will be back in action on Saturday, November 7 when its hosts Kentucky for a night game at Neyland Stadium. _Courtesy of Tennessee Athletics
NEW BLING - The Jacksonville State University softball team received their Conference USA championship rings during the Gamecocks football game on October 13. Former Jax State quarterback, turned Country Music Star, Riley Green presented the rings. The Gamecocks football program also celebrated the night with a 27-24 victory over FIU. Jax State is now 6-2 overall and bowl eligible following a 24-0 victory at New Mexico State on October 28, 2026. Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Jax State's Caden Creel runs behind the blocking of Pisgah native Luke Gilbert (#30). Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
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