SPORTS LEDGER Established 2006 The PAGE 1B January 2026 Read More Online at www.thesportsledger.com Alabama and Georgia Conclude Seasons In College Football Playoffs
By Brandon K. Pierce The Sports Ledger
Two of the most successful college football programs in the country concluded their 2025-26 season in this year's CFP Quarterfinals. The Alabama Crimson Tide fell to Top ranked Indiana 38-3, while the Georgia Bulldogs fell to SEC foe Ole Miss 39-34 in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. No. 9 Alabama entered the Rose Bowl with a opening round 34-24 CFP victory over No 8. Oklahoma on December 19. However, the Crimson Tide could not muster any offense against Indiana, as Alabama did not even find the end zone. The program's only points was on a 28-yard field goal by Conor Talty in the third quarter. Overall, Alabama finished with an 11-4 season under second year Head Coach Kalen DeBoer. That was better than in DeBoer's first season, as the Crimson Tide only won nine games last season. The Georgia vs. Ole Miss football game came down to the last second, but the Rebels held on to become the only SEC team to advance in this year's college playoffs. The Rebels rallied to go up 34-24 with 9:02 left to play. Georgia scored 10 straight points to tie the game at 34-34 with only :56 seconds left in regulation. The remaining seconds of the Sugar Bowl was more spicy than sweet, especially for UGA fans. Ole Miss quickly marched down the field to get into field goal range. With only :06 seconds left Lucas Cameiro took advantage of the opportunity with a perfect 47-yard kick to give the Rebels a 37-34 lead. Here's the spicy part, the game was not over. On the ensuing kickoff, UGA threw the ball backwards and it rolled toward the end zone and hit the goal line pylon. That resulted in a safety for Ole Miss and it left one second on the game clock. The officials cleared the field and gave Georgia the opportunity to kickoff. Ole Miss, now up 39-34, allow the Bulldogs to recover the onside kickoff attempt, but because the player was on the ground when he touched the football no time ran off the clock. Once again the field was cleared and Georgia had one last final play this season. This time several backward passes were caught, but the Rebels defense held and preserved the win. Georgia had 343 yards in the season finale and concluded the year with a 12-2 overall record. Ole Miss rolled up 473 yards against the Bulldogs. The Rebels were led by quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, who completed 30-of-46 passes for 362 yards and two touchdowns. His favorite target in the game was Harrison Wallace III, who caught nine passes for 156 yards and a touchdown. De'Zhawn Stribling caught seven passes for 122 yards. Ole Miss teammate Kewan Lacy rushed for 98 yards and two touchdowns. With the Sugar Bowl victory, Ole Miss improved to 13-1. The Rebels are now set to face Miami in the Fiesta Bowl on Thursday, January 8 at 6:30 p.m. CT in the CFP Semifinals. The Other CFP Semifinal game will feature No. 1 Indiana and No. 5 Oregon in the Peach Bowl. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. on Friday, December 9 in Atlanta, GA. By Barry Allen Director of Media Relations The play of the game turned in by Jacksonville State University redshirt junior safety Caleb Nix did not result in a touchdown, but it certainly saved one. Nix chased down Troy University junior kick returner DJ Epps after a 79-yard kickoff return at the Jax State 20-yard line. The Trojans offense lost 11 yards on three plays and then missed a field goal, setting up Jax State’s game-winning touchdown drive in a 17-13 come-from-behind win over its in-state rival in the Salute to Veterans Bowl on December 16, 2025 in Montgomery. “It was a huge play, massive play,” Troy head coach Gerard Parker said. “We flip the field with a lone kickoff return then we go backwards and miss a field goal.” Nix said his only thought was keeping Epps from scoring. “My thought was to keep him out of the end zone,” Nix said. “I almost overran him. I got him on the ground and our defense kept him out of the end zone." Redshirt sophomore Shane Payton Hodges and freshman defensive tackle Quay Hood combined on a 10-yard sack of Troy quarterback Tucker Kilcrese on third down and Trojans senior kicker Scott Taylor Renfroe missed a 49-yard field goal attempt. “I thought our defense played well tonight,” Jax State head coach Charles Kelly said. “That was one of those hidden plays that made the difference in the game.” Troy (8-6) threw an interception on its next possession as Jax State freshman linebacker Ian Mitchell picked off a Tucker Kilcrease pass at the Trojans 47-yard line. Jax State (9-5) marched 47 yards in 11 plays to retake the lead on a 1-yard touchdown run by redshirt junior running back Andrew Paul to take a 17-13 lead with 10:06 left in the game, The Gamecocks played without junior running back Cam Cook, who was the Conference USA Player of the Year and third-team All-American. “We showed tonight we have some pretty good running backs,” Kelly said. “They all ran the ball hard.” Troy’s next three possessions resulted in a turnover on downs, an interception and a hail mary that fell incomplete on the final play of the game. The Trojans became the first team in the bowl’s 12-year history not to score an offensive touchdown. The 30 combined points were the second fewest in the bowl’s history. Buffalo (17) and Marshall (10) only combined for 27 points in 2020. “As a defensive guy, it’s fun to be in a low-scoring game and a defensive battle,” Nix added. Jax State scored on its opening possession to take a 7-0 lead. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Caden Creel’s 22-yard touchdown pass to redshirt senior Brock Rechsteiner capped a 9-play, 71-drive, making the Gamecocks the second team in bowl history to score on its first possession of the game. The Gamecocks offense sputtered after the first drive and the Troy defense got on the board late in the first quarter. Redshirt junior linebacker TJ Thompson had a 12-yard sack and forced fumble and senior nose tackle Luis Medina recovered the fumble in the end zone for a touchdown, tying the game at 7-7. Renfroe added a pair of field goals in the second quarter to give the Trojans a 13-7 lead. Jacksonville State redshirt sophomore kicker Garrison Rippa kicked a 51-yard field goal with 6:35 left in the third quarter to cut the Gamecocks’ deficit to 13-10. The 51-yard FG is the second longest in bowl history, behind FIU’s Jose Borregales’ 52-yard field goal in 2019. Nix made a touchdown-saving tackle on the ensuing kickoff and the Gamecocks would pick up its first win over its arch-rival in 36 years.
UA Photo Alabama's Germie Bernard (#5) tightropes the sideline as Indiana Head Coach Kurt Cignetti watches during the AllState Sugar Bowl on Thursday, January 1, 2026 in New Orleans.
Jacksonville State Defeats Rival Troy in Salute to Veterans Bowl
Submitted Photo
Jacksonville State Head Coach Charles Kelly and Troy Head Coach Gerad Parker took time for a photo prior to the Salute to Veterans Bowl.
Photo by Ryan Gayle
Jacksonville State's Andrew Paul (#0) runs the football against Troy in the Salute to Veterans Bowl.
Made with FlippingBook Annual report maker