Ranking the biggest Iron Bowls of the Nick Saban era

Final result: No. 2 Alabama 49, Auburn 0

Perhaps the most lopsided result of the Saban era came in 2012, when the No. 2-ranked Crimson Tide, the No. 2 ranked Crimson Tide and eventual national champions, defeated Auburn in Tuscaloosa by a final score of 49-0. Overall, Alabama held a commanding 42-0 halftime lead, forced three Auburn turnovers, had four touchdown passes from quarterback AJ McCarron and outscored the Tigers by a total of 483-163.

Final result: No. 1 Alabama 36, ​​Auburn 0

After a six-game losing streak from 2002 to 2007, Alabama finally snapped that slip against the Tigers in 2008 with a dominant 36-0 win over Auburn in 2008, which was also Saban’s first Iron Bowl win. In Tuscaloosa, unbeaten and No. 1-ranked Alabama not only outscored Auburn, but outscored them 412-170 overall, forced three Tigers turnovers and totaled 234 yards and three touchdowns on 50 attempts, according to the headline by 144 yards ahead of running back Glen Coffee.

Final result: No. 2 Alabama 42, No. 24 Auburn 14

After a home loss the year before, the No. 2 Crimson Tide, the No. 2 seed and eventual national champion, got revenge in style the next season at Auburn, defeating the No. 24 Tigers by a final score of 42-14. Led by more than 200 rushing yards from Trent Richardson and three touchdowns from AJ McCarron, Alabama outgained Auburn by a total of 397-140 yards and had a 24-7 halftime lead.

Final result: Alabama 10, Auburn 17

Saban’s first Iron Bowl came in Auburn in 2007, when the Crimson Tide entered Jordan-Hare Stadium and ultimately left with a 17-10 loss in a matchup of unranked teams. This game was a defensive battle in which both offenses struggled, with Auburn ultimately outscoring the Crimson Tide by a combined score of 282-225, extending their then winning streak to six straight games.

Final result: No. 1 Alabama 14, No. 6 Auburn 26

In 2017, top-ranked and undefeated Alabama traveled to Auburn to face the No. 6 Tigers, with the eventual national champions suffering their first loss of the season by a final score of 26-14. The Crimson Tide edged 408-314 in total yardage in the loss and had some issues on third downs and penalties.

Final result: No. 1 Alabama 42, No. 22 Auburn 13

Alabama’s only Iron Bowl during Saban in which the former head coach did not appear was in 2020 led by then-offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian to the No. 1-ranked Crimson Tide, which resulted in the eventual national champion remaining undefeated with a 42-13 victory over the No. 22 Tigers. In the win, Alabama’s defense forced two interceptions from Bo Nix while Mac Jones threw five touchdowns, two of which went to eventual Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith.

Final result: No. 1 Alabama 30, No. 13 Auburn 12

While the final score between No. 1-ranked and undefeated Alabama and 13th-ranked Auburn was 30-12, this 2016 showdown between the Crimson Tide and Tigers was more one-sided than it appeared. Overall, Alabama outscored Auburn 501-182 overall, with the Crimson Tide led by a three-touchdown performance from quarterback Jalen Hurts.

Final result: No. 1 Alabama 52, Auburn 21

The Alabama Crimson Tide had one of their best offensive performances in the Iron Bowl in 2018 under Saban, remaining undefeated with a 52-21 win over Auburn in Tuscaloosa. Alabama outscored the Tigers 500-283 overall and used a huge second half to pull away from a 17-14 halftime lead, getting a huge performance here from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa on his only Iron Bowl throw for 324 yards and five scores.

Final result: No. 7 Alabama 49, Auburn 27

The 2022 Iron Bowl in Tuscaloosa was Saban’s last at Bryant-Denny Stadium, with the 7th-ranked Crimson Tide defeating the unranked Tigers 49-27. In a game in which Alabama outscored Auburn by a combined total of 516-395, the Crimson Tide fell behind 7-0 early but quickly recovered to eventually take a 35-14 halftime lead put down.

Final result: No. 2 Alabama 29, Auburn 13

In 2015, the Crimson Tide returned to Jordan-Hare Stadium for the first time since the Kick Six, with the eventual national champions, then ranked No. 2, leaving Auburn with a 29-13 victory over the Tigers. This game was simply the Derrick Henry show, as the eventual Heisman Trophy winner was a key reason why Alabama outgained the Tigers 465-261, rushing for 271 yards and one on 46 attempts Scored a touchdown.

Final result: No. 3 Alabama 24, Auburn 22

The only Iron Bowl during the Saban era to go into overtime came in 2021 at Auburn, where No. 3-ranked Alabama beat the unranked Tigers 24-22 in four overtimes. Led by eventual Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young at quarterback, Alabama didn’t score until the fourth quarter and then forced overtime with a touchdown pass to wide receiver Ja’Corey Brooks with 24 seconds left, followed by a back-and-forth Play around. In the fourth period, a two-point conversion for John Metchie III sealed the win for Alabama in 4OT.

Final result: No. 2 Alabama 26, Auburn 21

The 2009 showdown between the two teams was perhaps the first memorable Iron Bowl moment of the Saban era, as No. 2 ranked and undefeated Alabama defeated Auburn by a final score of 26-21 on the plains. After an early 14-0 deficit, Alabama, which won the national championship that season, came back in the second quarter, tied the game by halftime and eventually took a four-yard lead with a drive late in the fourth quarter -Touchdown pass from Greg McElroy to Roy Upchurch with just over a minute left.

Final result: No. 8 Alabama 27, Auburn 24

Saban’s final Iron Bowl came in 2023 at Auburn, when the No. 8-ranked Crimson Tide topped the unranked Tigers by a final score of 27-24. In the 2023 Iron Bowl, Alabama’s defense forced a total of three Auburn turnovers, with the Crimson Tide ultimately clinching the win on a play that became known as the “4th-and-31” when quarterback Jalen Milroe hit wide receiver Isaiah Bond for one 31-yard touchdown pass with 32 seconds remaining.

Final result: #5 Alabama 45, #15 Auburn 48

Auburn’s 2019 version of the Iron Bowl was a high-scoring one, with No. 15 Auburn defeating No. 5 Alabama 48-45 despite being outscored 515-354 overall. Alabama struggled with penalties in this contest, but also received four touchdowns from wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, three of which were receptions.

Final result: No. 11 Alabama 27, No. 2 Auburn 28

The 2010 showdown in Tuscaloosa was the first ranked game of the Saban era, with No. 2, undefeated and eventual national champion Auburn defeating the No. 11 Crimson Tide by a final score of 28-27. This game, in which Alabama took a 21-0 lead in the first quarter, was truly a tale of two halves, as despite being outnumbered 446-324 overall, Auburn had a memorable second half Comeback led by a four-touchdown performance from quarterback and eventual Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton, who became known as “The Camback.”

Final result: No. 1 Alabama 28, No. 4 Auburn 34

Not only was 2013 arguably the most well-known meeting between the two teams, but it was also probably the most memorable, as No. 1 and back-to-back national champions Alabama faced No. 4 Auburn in a game in which the eventual winner went to the SEC Championship Game to Atlanta. An instant classic, 2013 was marked by a crazy fourth quarter in which Alabama took the lead on a 99-yard touchdown pass from AJ McCaron to Amari Cooper and Auburn tied the game with a touchdown with 32 seconds left equalized and the Tigers then gained 34 yards. 28 on the final play of the game, when Chris Davis returned a missed field goal for a touchdown, became known as “The Kick Six.”

Final result: #1 Alabama 55, #15 Auburn 44

The No. 1 spot comes straight after Kick Six in 2014, a year in which No. 1 Alabama got revenge in Tuscaloosa with an offensive exchange that saw the Crimson Tide defeat No. 1 by a final score of 55-44. Tigers won 15. In a game in which the Crimson Tide surpassed 630-539 total yards, Alabama trailed by a score of 26-21 at halftime and posted a strong fourth quarter and a 224-yard, three-touchdown performance from Amari Cooper, who pulled ahead of the loud Bryant-Denny Stadium on the night to victory.