The Super 7 kicks off tonight at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Unbeaten and No.1 Thompson is aiming for his second straight Class 7A title against No.3 Auburn. Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
RELATED: Break the game for Title 7A
It appears to be a clash between the Warriors ‘high scoring offense and the Tigers’ happy defense.
Check back for our constant T-Town updates as we kick off the week:
10:13 p.m., Another view of the winning kick …
10:10 p.m., Final statistics:
Thompson 53 games, 253 yards.
Auburn 64 games, 258 yards.
Story and quotes coming to AL.com with lots of photos.
9:53 p.m., MVP: It’s kicker Trevor Hardy. It could easily have been Korbyn Williams. He turned the game around in the most unlikely way. Wow. Just wow.
9:51 p.m., The block: It is reported that it was Korbyn Williams who blocked Auburn’s punt and then returned it for the score that toppled this game with 18 seconds left. Remember, Auburn was kneeling on the THOMPSON 20’s ball with 1:14 left in the game ahead of 9.
9:48 p.m., winner of the Walk-off: Trevor Hardy throws a 35-yard FG as time runs out to cap an unlikely comeback. Thompson recovered a side kick with 18 seconds left, got two pass interference penalties on Auburn, then kicked the game winner.
9:46 p.m., INCREDIBLE: Thompson scores 10 points in 18 seconds for the win. Final: Thompson 29, Auburn 28.
9:40 p.m., And then … Thompson recovers the kick from the onsides. 15 seconds remaining. What a finish.
9:37 p.m., Incredible: Thompson blocks a punt from Auburn and returns it for a score. PAT is good. Auburn’s lead is 28-26 with 18 seconds left. Mathew Rhodes with the block. Ahmari Bolden on the way back.
9:33 p.m., formation of victory: Thompson returns him on his 20. Auburn takes a knee with 1:14 to go. The Warriors use their second time out, but that won’t matter at the end.
9:25 p.m., coup de grace? Tre Roberson lifts a deep pass which is intercepted by Auburn’s Quay Nelms. Tigers with a first and 10 in midfield. They lead Thompson 28-19 with 4:17 to go.
9:21 p.m., Thompson picks it up: Warriors have 5:31 to score twice. They start this position in their own 10.
9:16 p.m., Reconciliation 2: Auburn is closing in on the school’s first state football title. The Tigers lost here at Bryant-Denny to Hoover in 2013. Currently, they lead Thompson 28-19 with 7:28 remaining and have just won a first down at their 46. Coach Adam Winegarden is also looking for his first title.
9:11 p.m., Reconciliation: Tre Roberson with the shuttle pass to Ryan Peppins for a 6 yard touchdown. Thompson trying for 2 is not good. Auburn 28, Thompson 19 with 8:47 left. 2 consecutive turnovers forced by the defense of Thompson.
9:08 p.m., the big players are making big bets: Thompson junior star and Alabama alumnus Jeremiah Alexander forces a fumble from Auburn QB Matthew Caldwell and recovers him at Tiger 21. Auburn leads 28-13 with 8:53 to go.
9:06 p.m., Thompson Stalls: Auburn continues to put pressure on Thompson QB Tre Roberson and forces a punt.
9:00 p.m., END 3: Auburn 28, Thompson 13. The Warriors finally got in motion after a long pass from Tre Roberson to Ryan Peppins, but the quarterback was dominated by the Tigers. Auburn has now passed Thompson 263-229 and rushed for 175 yards. The Tiger’s defense is absolutely taking over Thompson’s backup, QB Tre Roberson.
8:58 p.m., Grand INT: Thompson’s Tony Mitchell stops Auburn’s drive with an interception at 24. Can the Warriors do something offensively?
8:55 p.m., nothing to do: Thompson doesn’t have a first try in this half without an injured Conner Harrell. The Warriors returned to Auburn, led 28-13 at the end of the third.
8:47 p.m., All the momentum: Auburn’s defense gets 2 sacks on Thompson substitute QB Tre Roberson and then receives a 14-yard punt. Five plays later, TJ Rogers scores on a 3-yard scoring. Auburn shocked No. 1 Thompson 28-13 with 5:47 left in the third. There’s plenty of time left, but playing a backup QB against this Auburn defense isn’t a cure-all for anyone.
8:41 p.m., Analysis: It’s the perfect storm for Auburn’s aggressive defense. Tre Roberson is a great player, but he had no intention of playing the quarterback in this game. The Tigers will come after him for the rest of this game. And they just got 2 sacks on the first possession.
8:36 p.m., Extension of the advance: Auburn goes 76 yards in six games. Quarterback Matthew Caldwell with a 44-yard touchdown on a fourth-and-one play. The moose is all tigers. Auburn leads 21-13 with 9:16 p.m. and Thompson star Conner Harrell is sidelined on the sidelines.
8:34 p.m., In progress in the second half: Auburn receives the kickoff, leading 14-13.
8:30 p.m., Bad news for Thompson: Mr Football candidate Conner Harrell comes out of the locker room with a scarf on his right arm. Looks like he’s finished for the second half. Looks like it’ll be Tre Roberson against that solid Auburn defense.
8:21 p.m., Auburn Halftime statistics:
33 plays, 145 yards
Matthew Caldwell 4 rushes, 55 yards … 7 of 13 for 63 yards and 2 touchdowns
Matthew Rhodes 2 receptions, 16 yards, TD
Amaury Hutchinson 1 reception, 20 yards, TD
JT Rogers 12 carries, 25 yards
8:18 p.m., Thompson’s halftime stats:
Thompson 29 games, 210 yards.
Conner Harrell 9 of 14 for 164 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Jarrett Crockett 11 carries for 55 yards.
JB Mitchell 3 receptions, 68 yards
Ryan Peppins 4 receptions, 28 yards, touchdown
8:12 p.m., Half-time analysis: Right now, it all depends on the health of Thompson’s junior quarterback Conner Harrell. He already threw 2 touchdown passes today, but did not play in his team’s last set and left the field separately at half-time. He seemed to be holding her arm. If he can’t come back in the second half, it’s another game. Auburn is doing exactly what he needs to do right now – run the ball and keep Thompson’s offense close.
8:09 p.m., halftime: Auburn 14, Thompson 13. The story right now is the health of Mr. Football candidate Conner Harrell. Harrell threw a long touchdown pass in the Warriors’ penultimate practice, but was replaced by Tre Roberson in the team’s final possession. He left the field separately from the team at half-time.
8:06 p.m., QB switch: Conner Harrell has been offside on this Thompson Drive. Tre Roberson for the Warriors at QB. 20 seconds remaining in half-time.
8:01 p.m., back to you: Matthew Caldwell’s 47-yard run puts the Tigers deep in Thompson’s territory. He then hits Amaury Hutchinson, who like Roberson is wide open, for a 20-yard touchdown. Just like that, Auburn is back in the top 14-13 with 3:38 left in the half. 3 TD in less than 2 minutes.
7:56 p.m., it didn’t last long: Conner Harrell finds Tre Roberson wide open in midfield – think Devonte Smith against Auburn U last week. No one within 20 yards of Roberson. PAT is good. Thompson comes back to Auburn 13-7 with 5:17 left to play at the half.
7:51 p.m., change of manager: Huge drive to Auburn. The Tigers go 50 yards on 11 games after a short punt from Thompson. Matthew Caldwell hits Cole Weiss with a 12-yard touchdown pass on a third and 8. Josh Owsley’s kick gives Auburn his first lead of the game 7-6 with 6:33 left in the half. This is the kind of low scoring game Auburn needs.
7:40 p.m., End 1: Thompson 6, Auburn 0. Warriors face a fourth and a 1 of 27 when we come back to action. First trimester analysis: Auburn’s defense is as good as advertised. They have definitely affected Conner Harrell in the game so far. However, the Tiger offense grew to 3 and the last two possessions. They’ll need a defensive score or two to stay in this one for the long haul.
7:33 p.m., uh: Auburn 3-and-out again. But Thompson can’t move either and sends him back to the Tigers. Still 6-0 Warriors.
7:27 p.m., Touchdown, Warriors: Thompson is driving 80 yards in just four plays. The big play was Conner Harrell’s 47-yard strike against JB Mitchell. He then hits Ryan Peppins for the 17-yard touchdown. PAT was not good. Thompson 6, Auburn 0 with 5:13 left in the first quarter.
7:23 p.m., so close: Auburn’s Josh Owsley misses a 40-yard FG right next to it. It’s still 0-0 with 6:22 left in the first.
7:18 p.m., no place to run: Jarrett Crockett was hit behind the line on a third and 2 and fumbled. Thompson recovers but loses 14 yards. Auburn recovers him with a good position on the pitch. Still 0-0 with 8h00 to go in the first.
7.15 p.m., nothing to do … on Auburn’s first possession. The Tigers push him into the end zone. Thompson will be starting his 20s.
7:12 p.m., So far everything is fine … in defense of Auburn. The Tigers stop Thompson in fourth and fifth in midfield on first possession. The Warriors tried their luck in fourth and fifth place against the Auburn 49. Conner Harrell’s pass was deflected on the line.
7:06 p.m., a few minutes away: Auburn wins the toss and defers, putting his field defense first against Conner Harrell and Thompson’s offense.
7:04 p.m., watching their former trainer: Former Spanish Fort stars Tyler Johnston and Thomas Johnston are here to learn about Mark Freeman and the Warriors.
6:43 p.m., the confrontation: Thompson and Auburn have never played. The Warriors are in the title game for the third consecutive year. Auburn is here for the first time since 2013. The Tigers lost to Hoover that night in Bryant-Denny.
6:23 p.m. Big News: The best rookie of 2023, Peter Woods, is dressed and having warmed up tonight for the unbeaten and No.1 Thompson. Woods injured his leg in a regular season victory over Hewitt-Trussville in September and has been out since.
SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK
Tonight’s game
CLASS 7A Finals
Auburn (11-1) vs. Thompson (13-0), 7 p.m.
Thursday games
CLASS 3A Final
Catholic Montgomery (12-2) vs. Fyffe (14-0), 10 a.m.
CLASS 1A Final
Linden (13-0) v Pickens County (11-3), 2:45 p.m.
CLASS 5A Final
Episcopal of Saint Paul (14-0) vs. Pleasant Grove (11-2) at 7:30 p.m.
Friday games
CLASS 4A Final
Gordo (13-1) vs. Handley (11-1), 10 a.m.
CLASS 2A Final
Abbeville (12-1) vs. Mars Hill Bible (12-2), 2:45 p.m.
CLASS 6A Final
Spanish Fort (11-3) vs Pinson Valley (11-2), 7:30 p.m.
MORE SUPER 7 COVERAGE
What separates Mark Freeman’s offense from the rest?
An overview of the Class 1A-4A Championships
