The final scores only tell part of the story. Last week’s opening day in Alabama gave us a national championship-caliber performance, a legendary coaching rivalry decided in the final minutes, one of the most emotional moments in sports in years, and a game so bizarre it’s not over yet. Here are the biggest stories.
Thompson Sends a Message to the Nation
Thompson and Central-Phenix City have won the last eight state championships together in Alabama’s top division, and the two heavyweights clashed Thursday night before a national television audience. Thompson dominated from the outset in a game that was never in doubt, making it clear to the rest of the country that this team looks capable of contending for a national title. A final score of 41-14 over a program with such a track record isn’t just a good week; it’s a statement that Alabama’s best team deserves to be in the same national conversation as the usual powerhouses from California and Georgia.
Fyffe Survives Battle of Legends
Paul Benefield of Fyffe and Danny Horn of Central-Clay County, two of the winningest coaches in Alabama high school football history, faced off in an overtime duel, with Fyffe ultimately prevailing 21-20 on the road. Games between coaches with such a shared history are rarely easy, and this one lived up to the hype until the final possession.
Columbia Ends 11-Year Losing Streak
The most significant result of the week didn’t come from a playoff team: Columbia routed Greensboro 41-14, snapping the longest losing streak in Alabama high school football history at 101 games, a drought that stretched back to 2015. It’s the kind of victory that means more to a program and a community than any playoff berth: more than a decade of Friday nights finally end in celebration instead of another defeat.
A Gulf Coast Rivalry Held in the Last Minute
Spanish Fort defeated Daphne 18-15 in a hard-fought, TV-worthy game between two of South Alabama’s top teams. Physical, low-scoring rivalries like this one are often overshadowed by high-scoring matchups elsewhere on the schedule, but they are frequently the ultimate test of which team is truly ready to go deep in the playoffs.
The Game That Isn’t Over Yet
Perhaps the strangest story of the week: Mae Jemison’s game against Benjamin Russell at Alabama A&M’s Louis Crews Stadium was suspended with the score tied 0-0 after a transformer explosion knocked out power to the stadium about 10 minutes into the game. Approaching storms prevented the umpires from resuming play that night. The two teams share a bye week in Week 10, and the coaches agreed to resume the game—still scoreless—on the last weekend of October. It’s a curious anecdote from opening week, but it’s true: somewhere in Alabama, a 2026 football game is technically still being played.
Want the full scoreboard instead of just the storylines? Check out our roundups of last week’s top team results and the statewide scores.