(Sports Network) The second-ranked Auburn Tigers are undefeated on the season and have already locked up the SEC Western Division and earned a spot in the SEC Championship Game. However, Gene Chizik's squad has one more huge hurdle to get over in the league and will get the chance to do just that when the Tigers invade Tuscaloosa this Friday to take on ninth-ranked and defending national champion Alabama in the 75th edition of the Iron Bowl.
No. 2 Auburn Vs. No. 9 Alabama: The Greatest Iron Bowl Ever Known
Led by a Heisman favorite under center, Auburn has run the table thus far. When last on the field, the team blew by Georgia, 49-31. The Tigers have been idle since that November 13th showdown with the Bulldogs and will close out their regular season in this bout before meeting South Carolina in the SEC Championship Game.
Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide will not get an opportunity to defend their national title, or their SEC crown for that matter, as the team comes into this affair at 9-2 overall. Those two losses came in-conference against South Carolina and LSU. However, the Tide has bounced back from a 24-21 setback to LSU on November 6th with a pair of victories, over Mississippi State (30-10) and most recently, Georgia State (63-7).
This series dates back to 1893, with Alabama holding a 40-33-1 series advantage. The Crimson Tide posted a come-from-behind 26-21 victory at Auburn last season and are 6-1 against the Tigers in Tuscaloosa all-time, including a 4-1 mark at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Saban recognizes how special this rivalry is.
“This is obviously one of the greatest rivalries in all of college football. The Iron Bowl has been going on in this state for a long, long time. It’s kind of unique in that everyone in the state is on one side or the other. We have two great schools with great football histories, and obviously pretty good teams this year. A lot of players have played against each other in high school, knew each other, played in good programs and were developed well. I think it says a lot for football in this state to have two teams of this caliber playing in the Iron Bowl this particular year.”
An ongoing NCAA investigation looms large on the campus at Auburn, but until it is resolved, coach Chizik plans on using quarterback Cam Newton under center. The 6-6 junior has been unstoppable this season and sits atop the Heisman race as the season comes to a close.
One of the most explosive offenses in the nation, Auburn is averaging 42.8 ppg on a hefty 505.2 yards of total offense. Newton is responsible for a good portion of that production, rushing for 1,297 yards and 17 TDs, while throwing for 2,038 yards and 21 more scores. While he is the focal point of the Auburn attack, there are others making plays as well. A rushing attack that is averaging 307.9 yards per game is bolstered by tailbacks Michael Dyer (859 yards, five TDs) and Onterio McCalebb (683 yards, nine TDs).
Saban realizes the importance of stopping Auburn’s potent ground game.
“It takes a tremendous amount of discipline all around. You can’t just play good gap control on the inside and fit the plays exactly like you’re supposed to. The perimeter players need to do a good job as well. Probably as many good plays as they have are because of their perimeter plays. I think that’s a real key.”
The passing attack plays second-fiddle in this offense, but wideout Darvin Adams (39 receptions, for 663 yards, five TDs) remains a dangerous threat on the outside.
With the offense putting up the kind of numbers it has this season, the Auburn defense has been able to relax a little. The numbers don’t represent a dominant group, but this is still a unit that has the ability to make plays.
Senior middle linebacker Josh Bynes is this team's top tackler at 58 stops, with 5.0 TFLs, one sack and three INTs. Junior defensive tackle Nick Fairley (47 tackles) has been a constant in opposing backfields, with 18.0 TFLs and 7.5 sacks on the year.
Alabama’s offense isn’t far off the mark and remains one of the more balanced and dangerous units in the nation. The team is averaging nearly 36 points per game on 434.6 yards of total offense and doing so with a great mix of the run (184.9 ypg) and the pass (249.7 ypg).
It definitely helps to have a lethal one-two punch in the backfield in the form of reigning Heisman winner Mark Ingram (780 yards, 5.7 ypc, 10 TDs) and Trent Richardson (634 yards, 6.9 ypc, five TDs). The dynamic duo have allowed quarterback Greg McElroy to get time in the pocket. McElroy has made the opposition pay the price by completing 70.3 percent of his throws, for 2,390 yards and 17 TDs. The receiving corps is solid, but the go-to-guy without a doubt is WR Julio Jones (65 receptions, for 885 yards, six TDs).
The Crimson Tide no longer have the kind of ferocious defense that led the team to the national title a year ago. The numbers still look fantastic at a mere 12.8 ppg against, as well as a mere 293.5 yards of total offense for foes. However, this year's defense has had moments of weakness. The strength this season is in the secondary, highlighted by 21 interceptions thus far. Junior safety Mark Barron headlines the group with his team-high 71 tackles (two sacks and three INTs), but the biggest ball hawk on the team is sophomore safety Robert Lester (43 tackles), who has seven INTs to his credit. Linebacker Dont'a Hightower (63 tackles) patrols the middle of the field, while defensive end Marcell Dareus (28 tackles, 8.0 TFLs, 2.5 sacks) must be accounted for up front.
The Crimson Tide can play the roll of spoiler for a change and behind the home crowd and a strong ground game, they may just make the national title race a little more muddled coming down the stretch.
See More:
