This past Saturday I made my fourth trip to Tuscaloosa, Alabama to witness a Crimson Tide home game and tailgate. This time it was against one of my top teams in my stable of polygamy: the Oklahoma Sooners. The good news? The team colors are almost identical, so I didn’t stand out too much or look like I was there to get my ass kicked.
I made the five-hour drive up from the Redneck Riviera, leaving at “O Dark Thirty” on Saturday morning. I spent my pregame hours at our Tailgate Connect tailgate—the infamous Bama's Ultimate Tailgate Team (aka B.U.T.T.) run by Randy Darby and his crew. With over seventy of our guests and a large number of regulars, the scene was festive. I mostly behaved, since I had to drive after the game.
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| The chairman of B.U.T.T. and his lovely wife Wendy lording over their kingdom! |
The menu consisted of chicken, beans, biscuits, fruits, desserts, and ample libations. I met many of our TgC guests and visitors who came from afar to check a bucket-list experience off their list. I also had the pleasure of spending time with Karie Dombrowski, OU super fan and her husband Dave of MLB fame. I tried to keep Dave’s identity under wraps, but Philly fans sniffed him out immediately.
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| TL- R, BUTT sign, Dan & the Dombrowskis, shotgun Randy and Bama fans from Ohio |
This was the second time the teams have met since Oklahoma joined the SEC. Last year the Sooners upset Bama in Norman. This time, the Tide had revenge on their mind. Most of the fans were very courteous to me before the game—well hell, I was sporting my OU gear, but the colors are virtually the same as Bama’s. I had the good fortune of sitting with my lifelong friend Alabama Al and his family and friends once again. Prior to kickoff, we were treated to a low altitude flyover of a squadron of Marine AH-1Z Vipers. Throughout the game , there were tributes to current soldiers and veterans that were Alabama alumni.
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| Bryant Denny in all its majesticness, the AH Vipers flying over, and my boy Alabama Al |
Statistically, Bama dominated the game and held OU’s offense to just 206 yards. Oklahoma—without their star edge rusher R. Mason Thomas and top defensive back Gentry Williams—did not have their best defensive output against a Bama team that had struggled to run the ball all season. However, the defense forced two turnovers and made key stops when needed. The special teams added another turnover, all of which resulted in scores for the Sooners.
OU’s “short-shorts” kicker Tate Sandell was money again, going 3/3 on field-goal attempts and 2/2 on PATs. His final field goal came late in the fourth quarter to give the Sooners a 23–21 lead. The Sooners’ defense held steady, forcing a turnover on downs with just over a minute to go to seal the victory. Not looking to seek out those same well-wishers from before the game, I beat feet down East University Avenue to my F-150 and high-tailed it out of Tuscaloosa. I could hear Dixieland Delight blaring in the background or was that the mob chasing me to Montgomery!
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| Back on the Riviera (30A) on Sunday chillaxing. |
Around the Country
SEC – In a shocker, the downtrodden South Carolina Gamecocks took a commanding 30–3 lead in the second quarter over #3 ranked and undefeated Texas A&M. And in perhaps one of the largest collapses in modern history, what the Gamecocks “gotteth, they gaveth” right back. The Aggies scored 28 straight points and escaped with a 31–30 win. There’s no way to describe the despair of Gamecock Nation after that defeat.
ACC – ESPN College GameDay traveled to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to feature the Notre Dame vs. Pitt matchup. Although Notre Dame is independent, they play a partial ACC schedule every year. The Irish handled their business, marching out of Steel Town with a 37–15 win. Star running back Jeremiah Love needs to be a front runner for the Heisman. He is perhaps the most exciting player in college football this season.
Big Ten – You all know how much this pains me to give credit to USC and Lincoln Riley, but the Trojans staged an amazing comeback in their ranked matchup versus Iowa. Down 21–3, the Trojans mounted a miraculous comeback, scoring 23 straight and prevailing 26–21. Next up for the Trojans is a battle for a playoff spot against the Oregon Ducks.
Big 12 – The Arizona Wildcats traveled to Cincinnati to take on the Bearcats. The Wildcats found a way to Bear Down and came out of the Queen City with a 30–24 victory.
Group of Five – In Annapolis, Navy upset the highly favored South Florida Bulls by a final score of 41–38 in an exciting battle. This now leaves the door wide open for James Madison to lock up the Group of Five playoff bid—assuming they take care of their business.
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| The Cliffside Boys (Goodfellas) and friends at West Point the prior week. |
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| The Donnelly contingent at Annapolis for the big win over UCF. |
Bieber Award
This week’s Bieber goes to Louisiana safety Tyree Skipper, who apparently missed the memo that the post-game handshake line is not Thunderdome. After Louisiana’s 42–39 win over Texas State on 11/8, things got spicy in the Bayou as players from both sides started jawing, shoving, and generally forgetting they were supposed to act like adults.
Skipper took it up a notch—or ten—by swinging his helmet at the Bobcats like he was auditioning for a spot in the next Gladiator sequel. The Sun Belt brass wasn’t amused, handing out 13 suspensions and ending Skipper’s season—and college career—on the spot. Moral of the story: when the final whistle blows, take your helmet off your head, not to someone else’s. He can now place his helmet on a shelf for the rest of his career—right next to his Bieber statue.
Ginger Award
This week’s Ginger Award is a solemn one—a tribute to Coach John Beam, the Laney College legend who didn’t just coach football; he lifted souls. You may remember him from Netflix’s Last Chance U, where his grit, compassion, and refusal to give up on overlooked players made him a beacon for underdogs.
Beam was gunned down on the Laney campus in a targeted shooting by 27-year-old Cedric Irving Jr., who had played high school football in Oakland (though not directly under Beam). The news cracked open a deep wound in the community: the coach who helped so many young men find second chances paid the ultimate price.
For over 40 years, Beam was more than a coach—he was a mentor, a father figure, a lifeline. He guided dozens of players to Division I programs and even the NFL. Community leaders, former players, and Oakland itself are reeling. Rest in peace, Coach Beam. You gave your life to give others a shot—and now your memory demands we do more: fight for safer campuses, fight for the kids you believed in, fight for your legacy. Your impact goes far beyond any playbook.
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