No. 13 Alabama (9-3, 5-3 SEC) overcame four turnovers to beat Auburn (5-7, 2-6 SEC) by a score of 28-14 on Saturday.
After a disappointing performance last week that ended their hopes for a spot in the SEC Championship Game, the Crimson Tide bounced back to make it five straight against their Iron Bowl rival.
Here are some takeaways from the Iron Bowl.
Turnover Troubles
Going into the Iron Bowl, Alabama had a +10 turnover margin while Auburn came in with a -11 turnover margin. On Saturday, there were six turnovers, with Alabama’s offense responsible for losing four of them. While the four turnovers from the Crimson Tide ended scoring opportunities, Auburn was unable to capitalize and only scored six points off the turnovers.
Good Milroe Showed Up
When the good version of Jalen Milroe shows up, the good version of the Crimson Tide shows up. Milroe was able to overcome three turnovers and led Alabama to victory. Through the air, Milroe passed for 256 yards and a touchdown. On the ground, he sliced through the Auburn defense for 104 yards and three touchdowns.
Big Game on the Ground
Alabama bounced back in the running game after a poor performance the previous week. Auburn was unable to bottle up Milroe the same way Oklahoma did. Milroe rushed the ball 17 times for 104 yards and three touchdowns. Jam Miller ran the ball hard as he rushed the ball a season-high 28 times for 84 yards.
Tight End Involvement
The tight end position is usually used as an extra blocker in Alabama’s offense, but the position group was heavily involved in the passing attack against Auburn. The trio of CJ Dippre, Josh Cuevas and Robbie Ouzts combined for eight of Milroe’s 18 completions. They combined for 92 yards, but more importantly, the catches came in crucial spots to extend drives.
Red Zone Defense
Turnovers should have made the outcome of the game in favor of Auburn. The Tigers were only able to score six points off the turnovers, thanks to the Alabama red zone defense. Auburn reached the Alabama red zone three times and was successful in scoring on two of the trips. Unfortunately for the Tigers, they had to settle for field goals instead of touchdowns.
Alabama’s regular season is completed. Now the Tide will have to sit and hope that the right pieces fall into place for them to receive a playoff berth.
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