Iron Bowl history
This is a historic clash that takes place every single year. Alabama certainly has the upper hand though, winning four straight meetings. The Crimson Tide lead it all-time 50-37-1. In fact, they’ve won eight of the last 10 matchups with Auburn. Last year, it was a nailbiter 27-24 victory on the road for Bama where Jalen Milroe threw a last-second Hail Mary that was caught.
Can Auburn play spoiler?
There haven't been many positives for the 5-6 Tigers this season, failing to live up to expectations in the SEC. However, last weekend was certainly one, taking down an Aggies team who no one believed they’d beat. It took four overtimes but boy, was it worth it for Auburn. It also proved that there could be better days ahead for this program.
Quarterback Payton Thorne had a great game, completing 19 of 31 passes for 301 yards and two touchdowns against one interception. The real star of the show here was running back Jarquez Hunter, who ran for 130 yards and three touchdowns on 28 carries. Out wide, Cam Coleman had seven receptions for 128 yards and two scores, too.
As previously mentioned, this is a historic game that Auburn hasn’t had much success in over the years. But, other than that, it’s a chance to actually clinch a spot in a bowl game for the Tigers, which feels like an absolute must for a program of this stature. Expect Auburn to focus on their potent run game, especially after Oklahoma cooked Bama on the ground last Saturday. The Tigers are an underdog for this one at online betting sites.
Can Bama respond?
In recent years, a three-loss team would have no shot at the CFP. But, because the field is expanded now, Alabama is still possibly in the mix with a victory at home on Saturday. Between that and how Week 13 unfolded, the Tide should have no shortage of motivation. To be blunt, Bama was awful versus the Sooners, getting outgained 325-234 overall and 257-70 on the ground.
Milroe easily had the worst game of his season. He completed just 11 of 26 passes for no touchdowns and three interceptions. He also struggled immensely to run the football, with Oklahoma completely shutting down his efficiency with his legs. We’ve seen some inconsistencies from this Crimson Tide group throughout the campaign but there’s no questioning they are talented.
I don’t see any way Milroe plays this poorly again. Alabama as a whole is going to be hungry to come out and make a statement here, especially in front of their home fans. They will need to slow down Auburn’s run game, which is one of their clear strengths. The Tide is favored by 11.5 points at Sports Interaction.
