On April 27 the most devastating tornado in Alabama history cut nearly a mile-wide swath through the university town, killing 41. Crimson Tide athletes, haunted by the storm and its aftermath, work to heal a community that has always cheered them on as they try to put their own lives back together

With one race to go, Mark Martin appears headed for another runner-up finish—and he's O.K. with that

Danica Patrick reacts to her critics and talks about searching for the groove at NASCAR's top level

The Longhorns benched their starting quarterback, alternated two others and, in the process, finally discovered a way to pull out a close win

As Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin charge, JJ stalls and Junior spins his wheels—what's coming up in Cup?

Jimmie Johnson's record run of Cup titles may finally be coming to an end, but the future is bright for NASCAR's best driver

The defending champs have the talent to keep rolling

A masterly win in Phoenix all but assured Jimmie Johnson of his third Cup title heading into the season finale

No driver is dominating the Cup series now for one very simple reason: Everybody is already focused on the Chase

Brandon Weeden's shoulder derailed his baseball career; now his right arm has Oklahoma State flying

After a penalty, Juan Pablo Montoya lost the race at Indy but not the poise that has made him a contender

America's ongoing population shift isn't just a factor in elections this fall—it's also playing a key role in the Big Ten's decline

Danica Patrick's move revs up NASCAR's Silly Season

THE CRIMSON TIDE ARE EXPERTLY COACHED, STACKED WITH FUTURE NFL TALENT AND CONFIDENT OF RUNNING THE TABLE, BUT OPPONENTS WHO ARE SMART, WILLING AND ARMED WITH THE RIGHT PERSONNEL CAN TAKE EIGHT SIMPLE STEPS AND MAKE ONE GIANT LEAP PAST THE BULLIES OF THE BCS. AND THE TEAM THAT DID JUST THAT IN 2012 IS UP NEXT

Behind a massive front five whom their own coach calls the Big Uglies, undefeated Wisconsin is playing classic Midwestern football, which may not be pretty but is ruthlessly effective

Seven years ago, after losing its greatest star in a crash at Daytona, NASCAR launched an unprecedented effort to prevent fatal wrecks. The result has been a remarkable series of innovations that have changed the sport and (so far at least) kept everyone alive

Undecided on a college choice, top quarterback recruit Gunner Kiel finally picked Notre Dame and solved the team's biggest need