Alabama News

General

19 tornadoes now confirmed after weekend storms in Alabama

The tornado count from weekend severe weather stood at 19 late Tuesday, according to information from the National Weather Service offices across the state.

There’s still a chance that the number could climb. The weather service was finishing up storm surveys as of Tuesday and had plans to look at a few additional areas.

Most of the 19 tornadoes happened in central Alabama and were brief EF0s (see the preliminary report on those storms here). There was also one in north Alabama and two in south Alabama.

All the tornadoes were EF1s or EF0s. The strongest in terms of wind speed was an EF1 with 110 mph winds in St. Clair County.

The 19 tornadoes are from the storms that affected the state Dec. 28 into Dec. 29. There was also another tornado in Mobile County on Dec. 27, an EF1 with 90 mph winds.

None of the tornadoes has been blamed for causing any injuries.

Here’s a look at the tornadoes confirmed so far from Dec. 28-29:

1. Athens tornado (Limestone County) — Dec. 28, EF1, top winds 100 mph.

2. Faustinas tornado (Mobile County) — Dec. 28, EF0, top winds 80 mph.

3. Molloy tornado (Lamar County) — Dec. 28, EF1, top winds 105 mph.

4. Byson Road tornado (Lamar County) — Dec. 28, EF0, 65 mph winds.

5. Beaverton tornado (Lamar County) — Dec. 28, EF0, top winds 70 mph.

6. Sunny Home tornado (Marion County) — Dec. 28, EF0, top winds 75 mph.

7. El Gezria Road tornado (Shelby County) — Dec. 29, EF0, top winds 80 mph.

8. Knight Place Road tornado (Lowndes County) — Dec. 29, EF0, top winds 85 mph.

9. Coosa Island Road tornado (St. Clair County) — Dec. 29, EF0, top winds 85 mph.

10. Roberts Mill Pond Road tornado (St. Clair County) — Dec. 29, EF1, top winds 110 mph.

11. Hargrove Lane tornado (Lowndes County) — Dec. 29, EF0, top winds 70 mph.

12. Hope Hull tornado (Montgomery County) — Dec. 29, EF1, top winds 95 mph.

13. Mt. Zion Road tornado (Montgomery County) — Dec. 29, EF1, top winds 100 mph.

14. Cecil tornado (Montgomery County) — Dec. 29, EF0, top winds 80 mph.

15. Jackson Road tornado (Macon County) — Dec. 29, EF0, top winds 75 mph.

16. Shorter tornado (Macon County) — Dec. 29, EF0, top winds 75 mph.

17. County Road 8 tornado (Macon County) — Dec. 29, EF0, top winds 85 mph.

18. County Road 56 tornado (Macon County) — Dec. 29, EF0, top winds 60 mph.

19. Summerdale tornado (Baldwin County) — Dec. 29, EF1, top winds 95 mph.

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General

Man found stabbed to death at house in Birmingham’s Ensley community

An apparent stabbing on New Year’s Eve in Ensley left one man dead.

Just after 7 p.m. Tuesday, Birmingham’s West Precinct Officers were dispatched to a house in the 2500 block of 15th Street Ensley.

Officers entered the house and found the victim unresponsive inside.

He was rushed by Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service to UAB Hospital where he later died.

Officer Truman Fitzgerald said it appears the victim had been stabbed but said that will have to be confirmed through an autopsy by the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office.

Investigators have spoken with numerous people on the scene, but they have not yet been able to determine what led to the fatal assault.

A friend of the victim’s discovered him wounded and called 911.

“However, our officers are trying to track down if anyone saw what took place,’’ Fitzgerald said.

Officers have responded to the house on previous occasions, mostly for disputes, and only have made contact with one person there. The victim, Fitzgerald said, is the not person with whom officers are familiar.

No arrests have been made.

The victim, whose name has not been released, is Birmingham’s 151st homicide this year. Of those, one was an officer-involved shooting, three happened in previous years but the victims died in 2024, and 11 have been ruled justifiable.

Anyone with information is asked to call homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.

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General

Cleveland Browns bring back former Alabama tight end

Two weeks after releasing Cameron Latu from their practice squad, the Cleveland Browns signed the former Alabama tight end for the final week of their season.

The Browns announced Latu’s return to the practice squad on Tuesday, when starting tight end David Njoku missed practice and reserve tight end Blake Whiteheart was a limited participant because of knee injuries.

Njoku missed Sunday’s 20-3 loss to the Miami Dolphins, and Jordan Akins started in his place.

Cleveland is preparing for its final game of the season – an AFC North contest against the Baltimore Ravens at 3:30 p.m. CST Saturday at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

Each NFL team can elevate two members of its practice squad to active status for each game.

Latu has not played in an NFL regular-season game since entering the league in the third round of the 2023 draft. He caught 56 passes for 787 yards and 12 touchdowns in his final two seasons at Alabama after starting his college career as a linebacker.

Latu sustained a meniscus injury in the San Francisco 49ers’ final preseason game in 2023. He spent the entire season on injured reserve and had two knee surgeries.

In the 49ers’ three preseason games in 2024, Latu had eight receptions for 84 yards. But when San Francisco reduced its active roster from the preseason total of 90 players to the regular-season limit of 53, the 49ers waived Latu on Aug. 27.

Two days later, the Browns signed Latu for their practice squad. The tight end spent the first 15 weeks of the season there without being elevated to active status for any of Cleveland’s games.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.

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General

Sugar Bowl by the numbers: Georgia vs. Notre Dame

College Football Playoff

Allstate Sugar Bowl

No. 2 Georgia (11-2) vs. No. 5 Notre Dame (12-1)

7:45 p.m. CST Wednesday (ABC, ESPN)

Caesars Superdome in New Orleans

1 Team in the nation has not allowed its opponents to complete at least half their passes this season – Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish’s opponents have completed 186-of-375 passes – 49.6 percent – for 2,110 yards with 11 TDs and 18 interceptions. Passers have combined for a 96.65 efficiency rating against Notre Dame, the worst in the nation in 2024. Georgia has completed 65.7 percent of its 418 passes this season.

1 Team in the nation has not made at least half its field-goal attempts this season. Notre Dame is 10-of-21 on field-goal attempts in 2024. Georgia’s opponents have made 24-of-29 field-goal attempts against the Bulldogs this season.

2 Consensus All-American defensive backs are playing in the Sugar Bowl. Georgia’s Malaki Starks and Notre Dame’s Xavier Watts were consensus All-American DBs in the 2023 season. In 2024, Watts repeated as a consensus All-American, but Starks did not. Starks was a first-team All-American selection for the American Football Coaches Association and Football Writers Association of America in 2024. But he needed one more first-team selection to earn consensus recognition again, and The Associated Press, Walter Camp Football Foundation and The Sporting News did not include Starks among their first-team selections.

2 Teams in the nation have two players who have run for at least 15 TDs this season – Notre Dame and Jacksonville State. For the Fighting Irish, RB Jeremiyah Love has 1,057 yards and 16 TDs on 142 rushing attempts and QB Riley Leonard has 751 yards and 15 TDs on 135 rushing attempts. Love and Leonard have run for touchdowns in the same game 10 times this season. Love has a rushing TD in every game this season for a school-record 13 games in a row.

3 Previous games between Georgia and Notre Dame, all won by the Bulldogs. Georgia defeated the Fighting Irish 17-10 in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 1981, 20-19 on Sept. 9, 2017, and 23-17 on Sept. 21, 2019. Georgia is one of two opponents that Notre Dame has played more than once and has not beaten. The other is Chicago. The Maroons have a 4-0 record against the Irish, but the most recent Chicago-Notre Dame game was played in 1899.

3 Georgia players have won the Butkus Award, including Jalon Walker this season. The Butkus Award is awarded annually to the nation’s best linebacker. Walker joined Roquan Smith in 2017 and Nakobe Dean in 2021 as Georgia’s winners of the award.

7 Consecutive bowl victories for Georgia, one short of Georgia Tech’s SEC record for consecutive bowl victories. The Yellow Jackets defeated St. Mary’s 41-19 in the Oil Bowl on Jan. 1, 1947, Kansas 20-14 in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1, 1948, Baylor 17-14 in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1, 1952, Ole Miss 24-7 in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 1953, West Virginia 41-19 in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 1954, Arkansas 14-6 in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 1, 1955, Pittsburgh 7-0 in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 2, 1956, and Pittsburgh 21-14 in the Gator Bowl on Dec. 29, 1956, before a 14-7 setback against Arkansas in the Gator Bowl on Jan. 2, 1960, ended the eight-game winning streak. Since losing to Texas 28-21 in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 2019, Georgia has beaten Baylor 26-14 in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 2020, Cincinnati 24-21 in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 1, 2021, Michigan 34-11 in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 31, 2021, Alabama 33-18 in the CFP national-championship game on Jan. 10, 2022, Ohio State 42-41 in the Peach Bowl on Dec. 31, 2022, TCU 65-7 in the CFP national-championship game on Jan. 9, 2023, and Florida State 63-3 in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30, 2023. The Bulldogs have a 38-21-3 bowl record.

11 Consecutive victories for Notre Dame since the Fighting Irish sustained their only loss of the season. Northern Illinois defeated Notre Dame 16-14 on Sept. 7 on its way to an 8-5 season that concluded with a 28-20 double-overtime victory against Fresno State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on Dec. 23. Georgia lost in a pair of SEC road games this season, falling to Alabama 41-34 on Sept. 28 and Ole Miss 28-10 on Nov. 9.

11 Previous Sugar Bowl appearances for Georgia and four previous Sugar Bowl appearances for Notre Dame. The Bulldogs have a 5-6 record in the Sugar Bowl. The Fighting Irish are 2-2. Georgia defeated Baylor 26-14 on Jan. 1, 2020, in its most recent Sugar Bowl appearance. Notre Dame lost to LSU 41-14 on Jan. 3, 2007, in its most recent Sugar Bowl appearance. Georgia and Notre Dame squared off in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 1981, with the Bulldogs posting a 17-10 victory.

12 Victories are the most in one season for Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish are playing in a 14th game in a season for the first time in their history on Wednesday night. Notre Dame also had 12 victories in a season in 1988, 1989, 2012 and 2018.

22 Victories and 21 losses in bowl play for Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish got their record above .500 by beating Indiana 27-17 in a CFP first-round game on Dec. 20.

28 Consecutive seasons with a bowl for Georgia, the longest active streak in the nation and the longest streak in SEC history. The Bulldogs’ most recent season without a bowl came in 1996, when Georgia posted a 5-6 record. Georgia’s streak is the fourth-longest in bowl history.

29 Takeaways for Notre Dame this season, tied for the most in the nation. The Fighting Irish have recovered 11 of their opponents’ fumbles and intercepted 18 passes, with S Xavier Watts responsible for six of the interceptions. Georgia has lost 18 turnovers this season – five fumbles and 13 interceptions.

36 Victories and 18 losses for Notre Dame against SEC opponents. The Fighting Irish started their 2024 season with a 23-13 victory over Texas A&M. Notre Dame has a 6-5 bowl record against SEC opponents.

78 Previous Sugar Bowls have featured at least one SEC team. Three games matched SEC members (and each included Ole Miss). SEC representatives have a 39-35-1 record in the Sugar Bowl against teams from other conferences.

206 Passing yards and 10 rushing yards for Georgia QB Gunner Stockton in four games this season. Georgia QB Carson Beck threw for 3,485 yards and 28 TDs this season, but he sustained an elbow injury in the SEC Championship Game and will not be able to play against Notre Dame, putting Stockton at quarterback for the Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl. Stockton has completed 25-of-32 passes for 206 yards with no TDs and one interception and run 11 times for 10 yards.

385 Games have been played by Georgia since it was most recently shut out, the second-longest scoring streak in SEC history and the third-longest in major-college football history. The Bulldogs haven’t been blanked since losing to Alabama 31-0 on Sept. 30, 1995.

454 Interception-return yards for Notre Dame, the most in the nation. The Fighting Irish have returned five of their 18 interceptions for TDs in 2024.

505 Points have been scored by Notre Dame in 2024, four short of the school single-season record of 509 established in 2023.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE SEC, GO TO OUR SEC PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.

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General

The problem that doomed Alabama football against an underdog opponent, again

Different day, same story for Alabama football against Michigan. The Crimson Tide made several nice plays in the ReliaQuest Bowl, but it wasn’t enough.

All told, UA couldn’t get enough traction offensively. The consistency wasn’t there, and Alabama, a two-score favorite entering the game, lost 19-13.

“I have no clue,” defensive lineman Tim Smith said after the game, when asked what led to the inconsistency. “We go out, do our best. A lot of guys play to a higher standard when they get ready to play Alabama. It’s their Super Bowl. They’re ready to storm the field. So yeah, I’m not too much sure.”

All season, it wasn’t the big games that Alabama had trouble with. The Crimson Tide suffered just one loss to a ranked team, at Tennessee.

It beat Georgia, a College Football Playoff team. LSU was ranked when Alabama dismantled the Tigers in Baton Rouge, and South Carolina nearly made the CFP after losing to UA.

Even Missouri was a top 25 team, and the Tide scored a shutout in that game. DeBoer got the team up for the big matchups.

It was the games where UA was favored that were trouble, including Tuesday’s loss. The Tide fell to Vanderbilt for the first time in decades, and destroyed its own CFP hopes with a shocking loss at Oklahoma.

Tuesday, it all showed up again. Even with a few explosive plays, Alabama couldn’t consistently convert on third downs to extend crucial drives, and gave the ball away four times to begin the game.

That allowed Michigan to build up a 16-0 lead, something the Tide never recovered from.

“We were inconsistent in certain areas,” defensive lineman Tim Keenan said. “We gotta do a better job with that.”

The ability to keep his team ready for nearly every game was a hallmark of the Nick Saban era, and perhaps a minor miracle given the age of college football players. Saban would famously rip into reporters who suggested an FCS game might be an opportunity to see backup players in action, and claimed to treat every game as equally important.

The 2024 team didn’t show that trait. Though after the game, DeBoer suggested a way the Crimson Tide could use the experience to grow entering his second season as Saban’s successor.

“We’re going to take all these things that happened, and there’s some things that happened in the game today, too, that we’ve got to learn from and make sure that those mistakes don’t hurt us a year from now,” DeBoer said. “I don’t care if it’s turnovers, penalties. It’s everything. So to me, it’s a success if we move forward and we take advantage of the lessons, even though we don’t want to learn those lessons sometimes because they’re hard. We’re going to learn from those lessons, move forward, and be better next year because of it.

Alabama opens the 2025 season on Aug. 30, at Florida State.

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General

Grading Alabama football in loss to Michigan in ReliaQuest Bowl

Alabama football needs to add this report card to the “learn from” file.

Otherwise it’s just a report card worth throwing away.

Alabama went into the game a considerable favorite, especially with a handful of Michigan players opting out. But after a disastrous first quarter, the Crimson Tide couldn’t find a way to complete the comeback.

Michigan defeated Alabama 19-13 on Tuesday at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa for the ReliaQuest Bowl.

Here are our grades for the Crimson Tide (9-4) in the season finale.

Offense: D

The first quarter couldn’t have been much uglier. First, Alabama turned the ball over on downs. Then it fumbled the first snap of the next drive. Then Jalen Milroe threw an interception the second play of the next drive. Then Milroe was sacked and fumbled on the next drive, the very first play. Michigan only managed to turn that into a 16-0 lead, but it could have been way worse. Weather certainly didn’t help, but Alabama can’t use that as an excuse.

Thanks to the defense, the game wasn’t over despite those first-quarter struggles. The Alabama offense fought back in the second quarter to score 10 points; that’s the only reason this grade isn’t an F. But then in the second half, Alabama punted twice and turned the ball over on downs twice over five possessions.

Despite all the struggles, the Alabama offense still had a chance to win the game late. Then, in the red zone, the Crimson Tide saw four consecutive passes fall incomplete. Michigan kneeled out to win the game.

This loss falls on the offense more than any group.

Defense: A-

When Michigan was being gift-wrapped field position as Alabama turned the ball over, the Crimson Tide defense didn’t give up much anything. In those non-turnover drives, the Wolverines only scored once in 10 possessions, and that was a field goal. Zabien Brown also grabbed an interception. Time and time again, the defense was put in a tough position by the offense. Time and time again, the defense stepped up. This loss wasn’t on the defense.

Special teams: B+

Kicker Graham Nicholson made all of his kicks, including a 51-yard field goal when Alabama needed it late to make it a one-score game. James Burnip averaged 51 yards per punt. There were some questionable punt return choices, though. That’s a blemish on the grade for a group that was otherwise solid on the day.

Overall: F

Consider this less so an average of the other grades and more so just an overall assessment of the result. Alabama should not have lost this game. No if ands or buts.

The Crimson Tide did not have any opt outs. Other than season-ending injuries (Malachi Moore, Deontae Lawson), the best players played.

Meanwhile Michigan had a number of opt outs, including some of their best players such as Will Johnson, Mason Graham and Colston Loveland.

Yet Alabama walked out of the ReliaQuest Bowl without a victory.

That’s unacceptable.

Nick Kelly is an Alabama beat writer for AL.com and the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X and Instagram.

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General

Detroit Lions’ Jahmyr Gibbs finishes second in fan voting for the Pro Bowl Games

Between the NFL’s report on the fan voting for the Pro Bowl Games on Dec. 16 and the release of the final totals on Tuesday, only Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs maintained a position in the top five.

Fifth in the voting in the Dec. 16 voting, the former Alabama ball-carrier jumped to second in the final totals. In the final week of fan voting, Gibbs’ total jumped from 94,940 to 250,082.

The only player with more votes from fans than Gibbs was Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce with 252,200.

The top five vote-getters on Dec. 16 had been Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, Ravens running back Derrick Henry and Gibbs.

Behind Kelce and Gibbs in the final voting were Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff.

The NFL also released the leading vote-getter at each position in each conference. Mirroring Gibbs’ status as the No. 1 running back in the NFC was Henry as the No. 1 running back in the AFC.

A third Alabama alumnus was a position leader with the Denver Broncos’ Patrick Surtain II collecting the most votes at AFC cornerback.

NFL players and coaches made their Pro Bowl selections on Friday.

The selections made by fans, players and coaches will count one-third apiece toward determining the Pro Bowl rosters for the AFC and NFC teams.

The Pro Bowl rosters will be announced on Thursday on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football.”

The 7-on-7 flag football game featuring the Pro Bowl players will be held on Feb. 2 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida, as the culmination of a multi-day AFC vs. NFC competition in which all-stars will demonstrate their football and non-football skills in a variety of competitions.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.

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General

Juandalynn Givan to announce run for Birmingham mayor: ‘It is no longer the Magic City’

Alabama state Rep. Juandalynn Givan is starting off the new year by announcing her candidacy for Birmingham mayor.

Givan, a Democrat, told AL.com she has scheduled a press conference for Wednesday to officially make the announcement.

“The city of Birmingham needs to go back to being the Magic City. It is no longer the Magic City. It has lost its luster,” Givan said Tuesday.

The Birmingham-based state representative said she is running to address crime, decay and population decline in Birmingham.

“I am running for several reasons. I call it the three Ps: the people, the protection as well as progress,” said Givan.

“I’m running because I care about the people and because the city of Birmingham is in decay,” Givan continued, adding that she fielded multiple calls from people in law enforcement who asked her to run for mayor over the last several months. “The city of Birmingham in many areas is under siege because of the crime.”

Thirteen days before the end of 2024, the city broke its 91-year homicide record after reporting its 149th slaying.

Quality-of-life issues also sparked Givan’s interest in becoming mayor, she said.

“Look at the potholes, look at the streets .. certain areas in Birmingham that were areas that people used to love to drive down … they look like war zones,” she said. “It’s inexcusable.”

As mayor, Givan said she would dispel the notion of Birmingham as a “Tale of Two Cities” split between prosperity and poverty.

“It appears that Birmingham is divided in so many ways. You have Southside and the other sides,” she said. “I’m running because all sides should matter.”

Birmingham’s next mayoral election is scheduled for Aug. 26, 2025.

While Mayor Randall Woodfin has not definitively said he would seek a third term, he suggested in August 2023 it was likely he would do so.

“There is much more work to do for neighborhoods and infrastructure. If the people of Birmingham will have me I’m more than willing to continue to serve,” Woodfin said.

Givan, who doubles as a criminal defense attorney aside from her state legislative duties, also pointed to her experience working for three former Birmingham mayors — Richard Arrington, Jr., Bernard Kinkaid and William Bell — to prove she can do the job.

“I feel I’m just as qualified as anyone else,” she said. “May the best man or woman win.”

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General

DraftKings promo code offers $150 bonus for Penn State vs. Boise State CFP Quarterfinal

The first semifinal berth in the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff will be determined on New Year’s Eve when Boise State takes on Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl. Make your end-of-year celebration sweeter by signing up with today’s DraftKings promo code (no code required) to claim a $150 sportsbook bonus for tonight’s game and more college football postseason matchups.

DraftKings promo code at a glance

DraftKings promo code: How to claim $150 in bonus bets

DraftKings delivers a can’t-miss welcome offer for many new users across the country. For others, there is a little work to do, but it’s still a great opportunity.

If you’re a new user in Washington D.C., Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Oregon, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, Virginia or Vermont, you can earn a $150 bonus when you place a $5 wager and win.

In all other states where DraftKings is available, you get the $150 bonus no matter what after placing your first $5 wager. It’s an awesome offer no matter how you slice it. Follow these steps to claim it.

1. Click our DraftKings promo code to access the registration page.
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When you receive the $150 bonus, it will come as six $25 bonus bets. These bonus bets can be used on any sporting event, but they must be used within seven days of receipt, or they will expire.

Remember, if you are in one of the states mentioned above, you must win your first bet to earn the bonus. The good news is, there are no odds restrictions so you don’t have to take a chance on a close point spread. You can pick a heavy favorite on the moneyline or another wager with strong odds.

DraftKings Sportsbook existing user promos

The DraftKings welcome offer is not the end of the fun available at DraftKings. Here are some of the ongoing promotions available now. Check the promos tab daily to see what you can get.

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How to use your DraftKings bonus bets for Penn State vs. Boise State

If you’re in a state where you have to win your first bet to claim the $150 DraftKings bonus, why not place your first $5 wager on the Penn State moneyline?

The Nittany Lions are 11.5-point favorites, and their moneyline odds are -470 at DraftKings. A $5 wager brings a potential profit of $1.06, but it’s worth it because you have a better chance of earning the $150 bonus. You could bet $5 on Penn State -11.5 and profit $4.62, but is the difference worth it when an additional $150 bonus is on the line?

You could even wait until the next CFP quarterfinal game on Wednesday afternoon when Texas takes on Arizona State in the Peach Bowl. The Longhorns are -500 moneyline favorites over the Sun Devils.

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General

What Tyler Booker said about his NFL Draft decision after Alabama loss to Michigan

Alabama football captain Tyler Booker has a decision to make.

Stay for another season with the Crimson Tide or declare for the NFL Draft?

He was asked for the latest on his decision Tuesday after Alabama lost to Michigan 19-13 in the ReliaQuest Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

“I’m not really worried about that right now,” Booker said. “I’m just really enjoying this time with my teammates. I’m going to enjoy some time with my family. So, I’m not really too worried about that right now.”

Booker has been with the Crimson Tide for three seasons, so he is eligible for the NFL Draft. But he could also return for another season as he has remaining eligibility.

It would be surprising if he stays for another season, though. Booker is ESPN’s top-ranked guard right now. He started all but one game at left guard.

Players have until Jan. 15 to declare for the draft. They can remove their name through Jan. 18.

Nick Kelly is an Alabama beat writer for AL.com and the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X and Instagram.

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