IRON BOWL 2024: No. 13 Alabama hosts Auburn, with both teams coming off tough regular seasons

Oklahoma defensive lineman Gracen Halton (56) tackles Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Norman, Oklahoma. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)

Alabama and Auburn meet in an Iron Bowl as both teams look to cap off disappointing regular seasons in style.

The 13th-ranked Crimson Tide had their playoff hopes on life support with a 24-3 loss to Oklahoma. Kalen DeBoer’s first Tide team is also in danger of breaking a 16-year streak of double-digit win seasons.

The Tigers have won two straight games but must beat ‘Bama to avoid a fourth straight losing season. Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe is coming off a poor game, while Auburn’s Payton Thorne has had two big games in a row.

Key Match

Auburn’s defense against Alabama’s dual-threat quarterback Jalen Milroe. The Tigers have had some issues containing mobile quarterbacks, and few are more of a running threat than Milroe. In fact, Alabama was at its best when he was a force on the ground in games like Georgia and LSU. He threw for 17 touchdowns, but had one of his worst performances in the loss to Oklahoma: three interceptions and just 7 rushing yards.

Players to watch

Auburn: RB Jarquez Hunter is the Tigers’ offensive workhorse, rushing for 1,174 yards and eight touchdowns. He has rushed for 232 yards and four touchdowns in the last two games and posted a 278-yard performance in a road win against Kentucky.

Alabama: LB Justin Jefferson is expected to replace defensive end and leader Deontae Lawson. He has 45 tackles, five tackles for loss and two sacks. Lawson is out for the season with a lower body injury.

Facts & Figures

Barring any upsets elsewhere, this could be a rare game with no national title implications for Alabama. Since the 2008 season, this has only happened in six of 201 regular season games: the last three games in 2010 and the last three in 2022. … The Tide have averaged a one-point lead in the last four meetings at Bryant-Denny Stadium by won 24.5 points in the fight in Auburn. … The ULM and Texas A&M games marked the first time Auburn had a 100-yard rusher and two 100-yard receivers in consecutive games.

The Iron Bowl kickoff between Auburn (5-6, 2-5 SEC) at No. 13 Alabama (8-3, 4-3, No. 13 CFP) takes place Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CST on ABC 32.

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