By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director
Although his former team got off to a rough start, former Ocean Springs standout Bray Hubbard had the biggest game of his career so far for his new squad.
Hubbard, now a defensive back at the University of Alabama, recorded six total tackles in the Crimson Tide’s 63-0 romp over visiting Western Kentucky Saturday night at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa.
Hubbard was listed as the number two free safety on the first Alabama depth chart that was released just before game time Saturday.
Hubbard, who wears number 18 for the Crimson Tide, saw limited time on the field during his freshman season in Tuscaloosa playing in nine games including the SEC Championship game against Georgia and then the National College Football Championship semifinal against eventual national champ Michigan.
According to the Alabama Football official team website, Hubbard “came to UA as a two-way player and settled in at defensive back … contributes on special teams … selected as one of the special teams players of the week by the Alabama coaching staff for his play against LSU.
Hubbard became the first and only back-to-back Class 6A Mr. football in the state of Mississippi while leading the Greyhounds to consecutive unbeaten seasons and Region 4-6A titles during his junior and senior seasons and then shifted his future endeavors to the gridiron and eventually signed with the perennial national power. He was also named as the Class 6A All-State Most Valuable Player and quarterback. He enrolled early at Alabama mid-way through his senior year at OSHS.
More historic meetings
After two first-ever meetings in the Port City Bowl doubleheader last week, host Gulfport adds more history to its gridiron anals this week as well.
The Admirals dispatched visiting Greenville Christian 41-6 at Milner Stadium to kick off year two of the Blake Pennock era in the nightcap of the event, which came on the heels of an exciting finish in game one that saw Gautier nip Harrison Central 26-23 in overtime.
It also marked the first-ever meeting on the football field between the Gators and Red Rebels.
This week, Gulfport makes its first-ever trip to Vancleave to face the home-standing Bulldogs.
The Admirals thumped the Bulldogs 51-14 last year at home in the first-ever meeting between the two teams on the football field.
“Super 7” in the “Southern 6”
Every Tuesday through the first week in December, we will publish our “Super 7 in the Southern 6” weekly poll involving all 24 prep football teams in our coverage area.
The weekly poll is the only one in the state that is voted on by a panel of veteran sportswriters, a few selected area coaches and other media members.
This week is the Week Two rankings for 2024.
“Super 7 in the Southern 6”
- George County
- Picayune
- Ocean Springs
- Pascagoula
- Gautier
- Gulfport
- Poplarville
(Others receiving votes: D’Iberville, Biloxi, Harrison Central, St. Martin)
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