Football Game Preview: Murphy Panthers vs. Gulf Shores Dolphins + How To Watch

Murphy is 0-3 against Gulf Shores since September of 2022 but things could change on Thursday. The Panthers will head out on the road to take on the Dolphins at 7:00 p.m. Murphy has given up an average of 50 points per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

Murphy's offense might be in the hot seat on Thursday considering what happened against Saraland two weeks ago. They took a blow against the Spartans, falling 55-0. While losing is never fun, the Panthers can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Alabama football rankings (they are ranked 218th, while the Spartans are ranked fourth).

Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Gulf Shores, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Friday. They enjoyed a cozy 31-12 win over Baldwin County on Friday. The Dolphins' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.

Murphy better keep an eye on Carter Davis. He was instrumental in Gulf Shores' win, picking up 131 receiving yards and one score, while also punching in one touchdown on the ground. Davis really caught the secondary sleeping when he pulled down a catch that went for 82 yards. Janoy Ferguson was another key player, rushing for 66 yards and one TD.

One reason for the win was Gulf Shores' imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for three sacks. Adam Duncan refused to say out of the backfield, picking up 1.5 sacks all by himself. Gulf Shores got some further help from Gabriel Ervin: he picked up 0.5 sacks and made ten total tackles (3.0 for loss).

Gulf Shores' victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 4-5. The home wins came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 9.3 points on average over those games. As for Murphy, their loss dropped their record down to 0-9.

Murphy took a serious blow against Gulf Shores in their previous matchup back in November of 2024, falling 48-0. Thankfully for the Panthers, Kolin Wilson (who rushed for 106 yards and three scores) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.