On Saturday, No. 13 Alabama (8-3, 4-3 SEC) will host Auburn (5-6, 2-5 SEC) in Bryant-Denny Stadium as they look for a fifth straight Iron Bowl win in the 89th meeting in the series.
Auburn is looking to stay on the winning side of things – and win its first Iron Bowl since 2019 – on Saturday against No. 13 Alabama in Bryant-Denny Stadium.
The Tigers are seeking bowl eligibility and their first victory in Tuscaloosa since 2010, while the Crimson Tide are still looking at a chance of reaching the 12-team College Football Playoff.
Here are the biggest to winning for Auburn:
Can Auburn stop Jalen Milroe?
Alabama’s offense revolves around Jalen Milroe, who poses a great danger for opposing defenses with his legs as the team’s leading rusher with 615 yards and 17 touchdowns.
When Milroe has delivered big games on the ground – such as LSU and Georgia in which he ran for a combined 302 yards – the Tide have rolled through their opponents. He has accounted for 32 total touchdowns this season, which leads the SEC and is good for eighth-best in the FBS. But in Alabama’s three losses, Milroe has been held to just 28 yards rushing combined, including last week where he rushed for just seven yards in its loss to Oklahoma.
As Milore goes, so does Alabama, and Auburn defensive coordinator DJ Durkin is likely watching film trying to replicate what the Sooners did to contain him last week, when Alabama’s offense was held without a touchdown for the first time since 2004.
Limit the turnovers & costly penalties
Auburn – at one point this season – was dead last in turnover margin in the FBS and still ranks 128th. The Tigers were plagued by turnovers in their losses to Cal, Arkansas and Oklahoma but have since limited the turnovers and have seen a few wins come as a result.
For Auburn on Saturday – still at a distinct talent disadvantage compared to the Crimson Tide – playing clean football in every facet of the game will be crucial for a victory. Auburn has been sloppy on special teams and crucial downs – often drawing penalties in those situations – but have improved throughout the year in being more disciplined in those areas.
If Auburn can avoid the once-common turnovers and special teams penalties, it will set itself up in a position to pull off an upset in Tuscaloosa on Saturday.
Establish the run
When Auburn’s run game gets going, its offense has been hard to stop. Jarquez Hunter has been a man among boys in the second half of the season, which has led to the Tigers averaging 171.6 yards per game on the ground while he rumbles his way to being a top-five rusher in Auburn history.
In four of the Tigers‘ five wins, he has rushed for over 100 yards – excluding the season opener in which he received just four carries. When Hunter gets going on the ground, it not only creates highlight-worthy performances but it relieves pressure on Payton Thorne and bolsters the passing attack.
Simply put, Auburn will need another standout performance from Hunter and the rushing attack on Saturday.
Handle the big blows
When Alabama's offense finds its groove, it has been very dangerous for opponents. The Crimson Tide boast the No. 17 scoring offense in the country, averaging 36.2 points per game.
Milroe is at the helm of it, but he has been accompanied by one of the nation’s best receivers in Ryan Williams, who leads the team in receiving yards with 804 yards on 42 catches as a freshman. Williams averages 19.1 yards per catch and is tied for first in the SEC with eight receiving touchdowns.
Milroe and Williams are bound to connect on a few deep shots on Saturday. While the Tigers’ young secondary has steadily improved throughout the season, they have yet to see a pair that connects down the field like these two do.
Here are five keys to an Alabama victory:
Good Milroe Must Show Up
If Alabama wants an Iron Bowl Victory on Saturday, the good version of Jalen Milroe must show up. Outside of the loss to Vanderbilt, in Alabama’s other two losses they have gotten the bad version of Milroe. When Milroe thrives in the offense, so does this Alabama team. If Milroe can make good decisions and protect the football Alabama should have a great shot at winning.
Stop the RPO
The key to beating this Alabama defense is the RPO plays. Vanderbilt laid out the blueprint, and others have copied it throughout the season to be successful against the Crimson Tide defense. Auburn and Hugh Freeze do not have to copy what others have done because they already have RPOs in their arsenal. In their losses to Vanderbilt and Oklahoma, the quarterback runs in the RPO plays have been the backbreaker. There is no question Auburn will give Alabama a heavy dose of RPOs. The key will be executing on defense to defend it.
Start Fast
Auburn is the clear underdog, but as we have seen this year, that doesn’t matter. Alabama needs to start fast and put doubt in the minds of the Auburn players about a possible upset. Getting a lead early will help get Auburn out of their game plan and force them to pass the ball more than they would like.
Get Balanced on Offense
Last week’s offensive game plan was force-feeding Milroe in the run game. Oklahoma shut down the quarterback runs, and Alabama continued to try them instead of opening up the run through the pass. If the Crimson Tide decide to be one-dimensional on offense against Auburn, they will suffer the same result as last week.
4+2=6
The touchdown connection of #4 Milroe to #2 Ryan Williams has occurred eight times this season, and the Crimson Tide will need at least one more connection if they want to win the Iron Bowl on Saturday. Ryan Williams is one of the most explosive playmakers in the nation, despite what an Auburn linebacker said earlier in the week. Williams leads Alabama in both receiving yards and receiving touchdowns and is understandably Milroe’s favorite target. Getting the ball in this playmaker's hands will be key.
Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. on ABC.
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