Alabama has more life in Iron Bowl win this week

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Like everything this season for Alabama, it wasn’t pretty.

But an Iron Bowl win is still a win, and that’s what matters.

The Crimson Tide responded to last week’s abysmal offensive performance against Oklahoma with much more resolve and determination with a 28-14 victory over Auburn, Alabama’s fifth straight win in the series.

The good outweighed the ugly, and there was plenty of it – four turnovers and penalties that negated big plays. In the end, Jalen Milroe was strong with 104 rushing yards and three touchdowns as well as a passing night of 256 yards. He was the difference.

Milroe was average three times this season and Alabama lost all three games. When Milroe runs with purpose and determination like he did in the Iron Bowl, good things usually happen.

“I know there are always one or two plays you want back, but he just stays the course,” Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said of Milroe. “Throughout the game, even when he was incomplete, he remained resilient, just stayed the course and helped us win the football game.”

It took a while for the offense to click. Milroe threw an interception and lost a fumble in the first half, and he looked flat. It was a different Milroe in the second half. He led the offense with a nine-play, 75-yard drive early in the third quarter and capped the game with a Justice Haynes touchdown run that gave Alabama a 21-6 lead.

This opening drive of the second half featured a rushing attack with big plays, including a 24-yard reception by Ryan Williams, a 14-yard catch by Germie Bernard and a 14-yard reception by CJ Dippre.

After the game, Milroe greeted the student section at Bryant-Denny Stadium and also waved to the remaining fans. He admitted that he and the team didn’t play as well as they could have, but they did score some goals in the win.

“When we get off the field, there’s still something we can do,” Milroe said. “I know we definitely made an improvement on third downs this week. We achieved our goal of being better than last week.”

Milroe was right. The Crimson Tide was 12 of 19 on third down, extending drives and leading to points. Alabama had five drives with nine or more plays, helping it gain a 36:35 to 23:25 edge in time of possession.

It looked like Milroe had opened the door for an Auburn comeback after losing a fumble in the fourth quarter, his second of the game. When Bray Hubbard intercepted a halfback pass, Milroe took control and led Alabama on a 13-play drive that lasted nearly eight minutes after halftime to end Auburn’s upset attempt.

“It was great that after a couple of plays there, he came back in the fourth quarter and made some big third-down throws and helped make plays as well,” DeBoer said.