It is once again time for the annual meeting between the Auburn Tigers (6-5) and the Alabama Crimson Tide (10-1) known as the Iron Bowl.
The 88th meeting of the two teams takes place at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn this year, and that will almost definitely play a factor. Auburn will have its work cut out for it, however, as Alabama comes into this game ranked No. 8 in the country and winners of its last nine games.
Auburn had started to generate some momentum, winning three games in a row. But the Tigers were stunned by the New Mexico State Aggies at home last week.
There is no more time to dwell on the past. Auburn needs to be completely focused on Alabama if they want a chance to pull off the upset as a 13-point underdog.
What does Auburn need to do to come away with a win?
Auburn needs to keep the crowd involved
Jordan-Hare Stadium is one of the most hostile environments in all of college football. Weird things have happened there, and Alabama has frequently been negatively affected by those weird things.
Auburn will need to avoid finding itself down multiple scores so the crowd can play a factor. If Alabama comes out and builds a quick lead and takes the fans out of the game, this one could get ugly fast.
If Auburn can keep the score close or even build a lead of its own, Jordan-Hare will be rocking, and it will be that much harder for Alabama to get anything going. This has been the case frequently when the game is played in Auburn.
Auburn needs to get pressure on Jalen Milroe
Alabama has a talented quarterback in Jalen Milroe. He has been compared to LSU's Jayden Daniels, who caused a lot of problems for Auburn earlier in the season.
If Auburn does not get pressure on Milroe, he will be able to sit back and pick the Tigers apart through the air. Milroe needs to find himself under pressure, or this one could be over quickly.
Additionally, Auburn needs to avoid getting beaten by Milroe over the top. The Texas A&M Aggies were able to get pressure on Milroe consistently but still found themselves defeated by him.
Auburn has one of the best defensive secondaries in the SEC, which certainly will make things more difficult for Milroe, but it will need to hold together or bad things could happen.
Auburn's ground game needs to be strong
Auburn has not lost a game this season when it has at least one player rush for over 100 yards.
Getting Jarquez Hunter going early will be beneficial for Auburn. That starts up front with the offensive line, but it is crucial to Auburn's success.
Auburn has more than one player capable of affecting the game on the ground, running back Brian Battie and even quarterback Payton Thorne come to mind, but Hunter's success has often led to success for Auburn this season.
Auburn needs to stay out of its own way
Limiting penalties and other mental errors is a must if Auburn wants to be competitive. If the Tigers are unable to do so, they will lose the Iron Bowl for the fourth time in a row. That would be its longest losing streak in the series since 1973-1981.
Holding penalties have been a problem lately as well as pass interference. Auburn must find a way to keep these from happening. Dropped passes also need to be limited.
Winning this game is not impossible for Auburn, but it will be an uphill battle. The Tigers need to avoid errors as much as possible.
Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. CT, and CBS will carry the broadcast.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email daniel.locke@1819news.com.
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