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No.13 Alabama, Auburn Go to War in the Iron Bowl

No.13 Alabama (8-3, 4-3 Southeastern Conference) and Auburn (5-6, 2-5) are trending in opposite directions entering the 2024 Iron Bowl. Auburn is coming off its biggest win of the season against No. 20 Texas A&M (8-3, 5-2), while Alabama is coming off its worst regular season loss in over a decade after falling to Oklahoma (6-5, 2-5). Alabama looks to rebound and Auburn looks to secure another top-25 win when they face off at 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 30 at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

What's at Stake?

In Kalen DeBoer's first season, Alabama already has three losses and aims to avoid a fourth. The Crimson Tide have not lost more than three regular-season games since Nick Saban's first season in 2007. An Iron Bowl victory in his first season would go a long way to silencing DeBoer's doubters. While Alabama has a slim chance of making the College Football Playoff with a victory, finishing the season strong should be the priority. An Iron Bowl triumph would bolster recruiting and give the Tide in-state bragging rights for the next 365 days.

Auburn comes into this game needing a victory to secure bowl eligibility and avoid a fourth consecutive Iron Bowl loss. The Tigers have not beaten Alabama in Tuscaloosa since 2010 and have had a disappointing season in Hugh Freeze's second year but have played well lately. The Tigers could salvage the season by knocking off their bitter rival and securing a bowl berth in one fell swoop.

Key Players: Alabama

Jalen Milore, Quarterback

Milroe has had an up-and-down season, looking like a Heisman contender at times and completely lost at others. The Tide's success on offense is reliant on the performance of Milroe. If he plays well, the team plays well, and vice-versa. Milroe threw for 164 yards and 3 interceptions in the loss to Oklahoma, while rushing 7 times for 15 yards. If Milroe has a similar stat line against Auburn, another blow-out loss could be in the Tide's immediate future.

Justin Jefferson, Linebacker

With the season-ending injury sustained by Deontae Lawson against Oklahoma, Jefferson steps into the starting role. He will also be tasked with relaying to his teammates the plays called by the coaching staff, as he will be the primary player wearing the helmet equipped to receive audio communication from defensive coordinator Kane Womack. Jefferson has recorded 22 tackles, 2 sacks and a forced fumble this season as the third linebacker behind Lawson and Jihaad Campbell. He needs to have a stellar performance to slow down Auburn's rushing attack.

Key Players: Auburn

Jarquez Hunter, Running Back

Hunter is second in the SEC in rushing yards with 1,145. He is an explosive back and when utilized correctly is hard to stop. If Freeze will commit to the run, Hunter could have a big day against Alabama. Hunter is coming off an outstanding performance against A&M in which he accounted for 130 yards and 3 touchdowns. He is one of the best backs in the country and is hard to stop as long as he gets the carries.

Defensive Ends: Keldric Faulk, Jalen McLeod

Fualk and McLeod have accounted for 7 sacks each from the defensive end position and have combined for 22 tackles for loss. This dynamic duo will be tasked with disrupting Milroe in both the passing and running game. The two could cause major issues for the Tide if they can get through the pass protection.

Trends to Watch

The Auburn defense is allowing only 3 yards per carry to opposing runners on the season and has limited downfield passing. This does not bode well for the Crimson Tide who rely on Milroe's running and deep ball abilities. The Tigers are susceptible to short and intermediate passes, an area the Tide has struggled with. DeBoer and Alabama offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan need to formulate a game plan featuring short- to intermediate-range passes for their offense to be successful against defensive coordinator DJ Durkin's defense. If they can start Milroe off with some high-percentage passes to help him gain confidence, the passing game could be effective, but it ultimately depends on which version of Milroe shows up.

The Crimson Tide defense gave up 238 rushing yards to Jackson Arnold and Xavier Robinson in the loss to Oklahoma. Alabama has been susceptible to the run all season, giving up 139 yards to No.8 Tennessee's (9-2, 5-2) Dylan Sampson, and 166 yards to the duo of Diego Pavia and Sedrick Alexander in the loss to Vanderbilt (6-5, 3-4). Jarquez Hunter leads the league in yards per carry but has only three games with 100 yards or more rushing. Auburn won all three of those games. If Hunter can reach the 100-yard mark, it could be a long day for the Tide. Can Alabama tighten up its run defense, or will Hunter reach the 100-yard mark for the fourth time this season?