Alabama has won 18 straight true road games, and is 4-3 in Iron Bowl games played at Auburn

By Dave Friedman
For only the second time since Auburn and Alabama began playing in 1893, the Tigers and Crimson Tide meet on Saturday with both teams ranked in the Top 5. The 78th Iron Bowl is actually a National Quarterfinal. The winner advances to the SEC Title game, and the victor in Atlanta likely will look to continue the conferences streak of seven straight BCS Championships.

Auburn enters play 10-1 with their only setback a 35-21 loss at LSU on September 21. The Tigers beat Georgia 43-38 two weeks ago when Ricardo Louis caught a 73 yard touchdown on a tipped pass on 4th down and 18 with 25 seconds remaining. First year coach Gus Malzahn has led the Tigers to the best turnaround in the country this year, and most improvement in a single season in SEC history. Auburn was 3-8 last season and 0-8 in league play. The Tigers were off last week.

Alabama has been ranked number one all season and done little to diminish their reputation as the best team in the country. Besides a 49-42 win at Texas A&M on September 14, the Tide have played no competitive games. They have allowed a total of five touchdowns in their last nine games and opponents have managed just over 5.5 points a game during that span. Alabama has outscored their opponents 353-50 since the win over the Aggies. The Crimson Tide have shutout three opponents this season, and in 11 of their last 15 games the Alabama defense has not been scored upon in the first half.

Malzahn knows his team has a challenge, but thinks they have a great opportunity.

“We’re playing the best team in the country, there’s no doubt,” he said. “The good thing is we’re playing good football, we’ve improved each week, we’re playing at home. If it’s a close game, I like our chances.”

It is a matchup of strength vs. strength with Auburn leading the SEC, and second in the country rushing for 320 yards a game. Meanwhile, after leading the NCAA in rushing defense the last two years, Alabama is tops in the conference and fourth in the nation holding opponents to 91 yards a game on the ground this year. Since 1967 the team that has rushed for more yards has won the Iron Bowl in 39 of 46 meetings. Alabama coach Nick Saban has respect for the Tigers ground game.

“They’re one of the leading offensive teams in the country,” said Saban. “Gus has always done a fantastic job with the offense, with their ability to run the ball effectively, throw it when they need to. Score the points that they’ve been able to score on a pretty consistent basis against just about everybody in this league. They’ve got a good offensive line. They’ve got good inside runners. Nick Marshall does a very good job of implementing their offense, and he’s very athletic and makes a lot of plays as a rusher as well. Tre Mason is the leading rusher in the league.”

Theoretically Auburn has an advantage playing at home, however, Alabama has won 18 straight true road games, and is 4-3 in Iron Bowl games played at Auburn. The visiting team has won nine of the last 14 games in the rivalry. Crimson Tide quarterback AJ McCarron knows what the environment will be like, and how to prepare for big games.

“I’ve played in two national championships in a row,” said McCarron. “It’s just another game.”

Malzahn agrees with McCarron that the stakes are obvious though he acknowledges it’s a special game.

“We’re not going to hype up things,” he said. “It’s big enough already.”

Ranked number four, Auburn is the highest ranked team Alabama has ever played during the regular season while ranked number one. Both teams will play another game or two after Saturday. Only one will be involved in a game of significance.

12 thoughts on “Preview: Alabama vs Auburn”

  1. Alabama hasn’t lost on the road since October 2011 if I remember right.

    I can’t figure out the crowd advantage though. Yes, it’s at home for Auburn, which typically spells an advantage.

    But this is the biggest game these players have been in. Most of these players hadn’t seen a sell-out game before their last meeting with Georgia, and it’s hard to say if they benefitted from the crowd.

    Meanwhile, Alabama plays to loud sell-out crowds both in Tuscaloosa and on the road. To put it bluntly, not only are they used to it but they’ve been used to it for more than one season.

    So I go back to Malzahn’s last game against Alabama, the infamous Camback. Alabama messed up on fundamental football play, plus some improbable missed opportunities (I’ve still never seen a ball bounce so far so close to a boundary line), and Auburn was nearly mistake-free in the second half, particularly with Cam Newton’s play and Nick Fairley’s KO of Greg McElroy.

    The way I see it this year though, Alabama would have to fundamentally screw up too much to give Auburn a chance in spite of the talent on the Plains. Rushing the play clock to catch the defense off-guard will help and may be a key to any of their success, but we haven’t seen Alabama mess up so much on fundamentals since then and the “never again” speech (which, consequently, was directed at Alabama rather than Auburn), plus Nick Marshall is no Cam Newton. I don’t even think that’s an insult, it’s just Cam Newton earned his place in the comparison explicitly because of that victory.

    I’m sure Auburn is upset over the last two Iron Bowl losses and I imagine they’re using that to fuel their fire. I’m just not sure how anyone would get in the way of the Alabama seniors in their last regular season game on their way to potentially an unbeaten record as there has been some scrutiny for the last two championship-winning Alabama teams having one loss. It’s going to be special. I can’t wait. Roll Tide.

  2. Not to split hairs, but 2010 was not Gus’ last game as OC against Alabama. He was their OC in 2011 as well, a game Alabama won 42-14, allowing 0 offensive touchdowns. (One on a kick return, one on a fumble recovery in the endzone.

  3. Where is all that pompous shit about high school coach and dipsy doo offense. We ran the ball down your throat you gay mullets.

  4. Don’t confuse the gumps with facts! Cantdoit, crimsonshite, and wishiknew was sure that auburn was going to come out with the double reverse -fleaflicker and then the fumble rooskie. That is TRUE SEC power running baby

  5. Where are all you losers? You can dish it out for three years but you can’t take it? Huh? You are pompous asshole LOSERS !!!!

  6. I rolled Toomers corner in y’all’s honor tonight. Way to choke on that Tiger dick. .01 .01 .01 .01 .01 .01. War Eagle you worthless fucks sell me your SEC championship tickets

  7. How about all those rushing yards the “best” defense in college football allowed. Ran it down your fucking throats. Kick Bama Kick

  8. Alabama is 4-3 in Iron Bowls played in Auburn? Auburn leads $puat 8-4 in Auburn. Crack research squad you guys have at your version of Pravda.

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