The Associated Press

Black Friday is coming up in Alabama and industry observers say it will be part of the busiest national holiday shopping season ever. The National Retail Federation says consumers are expected to spend over a trillion dollars between now and Christmas. That’s Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the weeks leading up to December twenty fifth. The Alabama Retail Association says consumers in the state spent roughly eighteen billion dollars last year between November and December.

Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer is trying to simplify things for his team in the Iron Bowl. He wants his players to handle the crowd noise at Jordan-Hare Stadium and the emotions that come with playing a rival. Everything else, he believes, will work out. It sounds easy. It hasn’t been that way for the Crimson Tide in their last three trips to Auburn. The Tigers will also bask in the glory of former player Bo Jackson's Heisman win. Auburn will honor him during the game.

The Crimson Tide Men's Basketball team may have more than turkey to feast on during Thanksgiving Day. Labaron Philon scored 20 points, Aden Holloway added 17 points and a career-high 10 assists, and No. 8 Alabama beat Maryland 105-72 on Wednesday night in a consolation game of the Players Era Championship Tournament.

The United Launch Alliance company is gearing up for the next use of one of its remaining Alabama built Atlas-V rockets to launch the next mission of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station. That flight could come as soon as April of 2026. The contractor, and its Atlas boosters which are built at the ULA factory in Decatur, are currently under contract to launch for Starliners.

The film “Everything Everywhere All at Once” by Birmingham director Daniel Scheinert is being recognized as one of the top one hundred comedy films by Variety Magazine. The film by Scheinert and Daniel Kwan stunned critics by winning seven Oscars in 2023, including Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Supporting Actor. The directing duo, known as the “Daniels” were both first time nominees. Their film was nominated for eleven Academy Awards that year.

Former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, whose 2017 election renewed hope for Alabama Democrats, on Monday filed campaign paperwork to run for Alabama governor in 2026.Documents were filed with the Secretary of State's Office, creating a principal campaign committee for Jones to run for governor as a Democrat. A gubernatorial bid by Jones could set up a rematch with U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, the Republican who defeated Jones in 2020 and is now running for governor.

Deuce Knight amassed 401 total yards and tied a school record accounting for six touchdowns and Auburn beat lower-division Mercer 62-17 on Saturday.

Six different players scored touchdowns, including two apiece from Kevin Riley and AK Dear, and No. 10 Alabama cruised to a 56-0 win against lower-division Eastern Illinois on Saturday. Alabama held out a few key players — receiver Germie Bernard, center Parker Brailsford and tight end Josh Cuevas — with the Iron Bowl on tap next week.

The Crimson Tide is within two games of possibly losing a shot at the playoffs. And, Sports Illustrated and Newsweek are reporting on rumors that Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer is in the running to replace the newly fired James Franklin in charge of the Penn State Nittany Lions. One report quotes a source close to DeBoer refuting the reports. A lot of others are “keeping their powder dry.”

Published reports are swirling over what critics say started as a story in the college newspaper at Penn State. Specifically, that the Nittany Lions need a new head coach, and one name in the running is that of the Crimson Tide’s current head coach, Kalen DeBoer. Five days ago, The Daily Collegian ran a piece titled “If Alabama does the unthinkable, is Kalen DeBoer the guy for Penn State?” At first, local news outlets appeared to chortle over the possibility. Now, Newsweek and Sports Illustrated are reporting on it.