SPORTS LEDGER Established 2006 The PAGE 1B December 2025 Read More Online at www.thesportsledger.com
Indiana Leads Top 4 College Playoff Teams and No. 9 Alabama at 3 p.m. in Pasadena, California. The Sooners and Championship
victory over rival Alabama. The Bulldogs will take on the winner of the Tulane vs. Ole Miss playoff game in the Sugar Bowl at 7 p.m. CT on New Years Night in New Orleans. No. 4 Texas Tech will play the winner of the playoff game between James Madison and
By Brandon K. Pierce The Sports Ledger The University of Indiana football program finished the 2025 regular season as the nation's top college team. The Hoosiers, along with No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Georgia, and No. 4 Texas Tech, all received a first round playoff bye this season. Indiana will return to action on New Years Day at the Rose Bowl. The Hoosiers will play the winner of the opening round playoff game between No. 8 Oklahoma straight SEC championship and got a bit of revenge against No. 9 Alabama on Saturday, December 6, 2052 in front of a crowd of 77,247 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. After losing 24- 21 to the ninth-ranked Crimson Tide in Athens back in September, the Bulldogs dominated for long stretches of their 28-7 win to clinch the program’s 16th SEC crown. Georgia (12-1) held the Crimson Tide (10-3) scoreless through the first three quarters, didn’t allow the Tide to top 100 yards until the final play of the third, and also made big plays in all three phases of the game. A blocked punt in the first quarter was the first key play, setting up the Bulldogs’ first score. The Bulldogs, playing in their fifth straight SEC Championship Game, tying Florida (1992-96) for the most ever, earned back-to- back SEC titles for the first time since winning three in a row from 1980-82. The Bulldogs were 0-4 against Alabama in the SEC Championship Game and 1-7 against the Tide under head coach Kirby Smart. But none of the previous games mattered when the teams took the field Saturday in front of a spirited crowd that was split about evenly between Bulldog and Tide fans. Georgia’s fans had a lot more to cheer about. In a matchup of two good defenses, both offenses struggled at times to move the ball; Alabama hadn’t scored fewer than 17 points all season. For the game, Georgia out- gained Alabama 297-209, and Bulldog quarterback Gunner Stockton finished 20 of 26 for 156 yards and three touchdowns, while Tide QB Ty Simpson was held to 212 yards on 19 of 39 passing, was sacked three times for minus-23 yards and threw an interception.
the Crimson Tide met during the regular season and Oklahoma won that match-up 23-21. In other college playoff games, Ohio State will take on the winner of the Miami vs. Texas A&M playoff game. The Buckeyes game will be played in the Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas on December 31, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. CT. Third ranked Georgia is headed into the playoffs, following a 28-7 SEC
Oregon on New Year's Day in the Orange Bowl. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, FL. Find the complete Bowl Game Schedule inside this edition. Georgia Wins SEC Title The third-ranked Georgia football team captured its second
Photo By David Holtsford, AHSAA Coosa Christian running back Kylen Johnson (5) races upfield as Lanett defender PJ Stiggers moves in to try and stop him during the 2025 Class 2A State Football Championship. Coosa Christian (13-2) scored two touchdowns in the final 3:20 minutes of the game to defeat Lanett 29-22 and win the school’s first state championship. State Champions AHSAA 2025 SUPER 7 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS Birmingham's Protective Stadium - December 3-4-5 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2025 Class 1A/5A Girls’ Flag Championship • Moody (22-3) defeated Montgomery Catholic (21-5) - SCORE: 27-18 Class 6A/7A Girls’ Flag Championship • Central-Phenix City (20-0) defeated Vestavia Hills (28-2) - SCORE: 46-7 Class 7A Boys’ Championship • Thompson (11-3) defeated Opelika (10-4) - SCORE: 48-10 Class 3A Boys’ Championship • Mars Hill Bible (15-0) defeated Bayside Academy (13-2) - SCORE: 38-21 Class 1A Boys’ Championship • Maplesville (15-0) defeated Wadley (13-1) - SCORE: 42-22 Class 5A Boys’ Championship • Moody (13-2) defeated Vigor (12-3) - SCORE: 25-0 Class 4A Boys’ Championship • Jackson (13-2) defeated Anniston (14-1)- SCORE: 52-0 Class 2A Boys’ Championship • Coosa Christian (13-2) defeated Lanett (12-3) - SCORE: 29-22 Class 6A Boy's Championship • Clay-Chalkville (15-0) defeated Saraland (14-1) - SCORE: 38-21 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2025 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2025
Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger UGA Head Coach Kirby Smart congratulates Dillon Bell (#86). Smart's program won the SEC Championship with a 28-7 victory over Alabama. The Bulldogs finished the year at No. 3 to receive a first round bye in the 2025 college football playoffs.
On the ground, Georgia ran 41 times for 141 yards; the Bulldog defense held the Tide to minus-3 yards on 16 attempts. UGA Safety JaCorey Thomas led the defense with six stops, including a sack, while linebackers CJ Allen, Raylen Wilson and Chris Cole had five each. It was Georgia’s special teams that made the game’s first huge play. Midway through the opening quarter, with Alabama’s Blake Doud punting on fourth down from the Tide 21-yard line, the Bulldogs’ Cole Speer got free into the backfield and blocked the punt. Georgia’s Justin Williams recovered the ball and returned it four yards. Georgia, which had already been forced to punt twice, took over deep in Crimson Tide territory and soon got into the end zone. On first down at the 21, Nate Frazier ran 14 yards to the 7. Three plays later, Stockton rolled to his right and hit running back Roderick Robinson II for an easy touchdown and a 7-0 lead with 4:36 to go in the first quarter. It was Robinson’s first touchdown of the season and first since 2023.
It Georgia’s defense that made the next big play, with Daylen Everette intercepting a Simpson pass around the UGA 27. Safety KJ Bolden tipped the pass just ahead of Everette, and the Bulldog offense was soon back on the field. Georgia pushed its was lead to 14-0 with 8:43 to play in the half when the Bulldogs capped a 14-play drive after the interception with a 5-yard touchdown from Stockton to Dillon Bell. A few plays earlier, Bell had a 19-yard reception to move the ball to the 4. The Bulldogs led 14-0 at the half, making it four straight quarters that their defense had held the Tide scoreless. In Alabama’s 24-21 win in Athens in September, Georgia blanked Bama in the second half but couldn’t rally for the win. At the break in the SEC Championship, Georgia had 168 yards of offense to Bama’s 70. Overall, UGA held the Crimson Tide to -3 yards rushing for the game. The Bulldogs defense did give up one touchdown in the second half, but for the most part dominated the game to help Georgia secure a 28-7 victory.
Photo By Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger The ATC performance team from Albertville took time for a picture during the Dashing Through Downtown event in Boaz on Dec 13.
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