Tag: Iron Bowl

Former Auburn coach appears to troll Tigers after Iron Bowl loss vs. Alabama

The former Auburn head coach trolled the Tigers after their Iron Bowl loss vs. Alabama.

In a social media post Monday morning, it appears that former Auburn Tigers head coach Bryan Harsin has trolled his program after their Iron Bowl loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide.

The social media post was made on Harsin’s account, and appeared to show a picture of the former Auburn head coach wearing an Alabama “LANK” shirt after the Crimson Tide’s 28-14 win over the Tigers.

Harsin was the former head coach at Auburn during the 2021-22 seasons, and was fired by the Tigers midway through the 2022 season. As head coach of the Auburn program, Harsin compiled a combined 9-12 overall record, and lost his lone Iron Bowl vs. Alabama at home in 2021 by a final score of 24-22 in four overtimes.

Harsin did not coach in the 2022 Iron Bowl in Tuscaloosa, as he was fired as head coach at Auburn prior to that seasons game, with Cadillac Williams serving as the interim.

The post on social media from Harsin can be found below:

What does Alabama’s Iron Bowl victory mean for their Playoff hopes?

Alabama keeps Playoff hopes alive with impressive Iron Bowl victory.

The Alabama Crimson Tide concluded their 2024 regular season on Saturday with a dominant 28-14 victory over Auburn in the Iron Bowl. With a 9-3 regular season record and no games remaining, the Crimson Tide’s Playoff hopes are officially out of their control.

Alabama controlled the Iron Bowl for all 60 minutes despite the final score only showing a two-touchdown victory. Alabama did, however, receive some help from around the country, with Syracuse beating Miami and South Carolina defeating Clemson.

With the Crimson Tide coming in at No. 11 in the AP Poll on Sunday, they’d get the final spot in the Playoff if the drawing was today with No. 12 Arizona State getting an auto-bid as Big 12 Champions. Unfortunately, Alabama will not have one last chance to impress the committee during conference championship weekend.

The only game that will likely affect Alabama’s playoff chances is the ACC Championship between Clemson and SMU. SMU has just one loss on the season and is likely in the playoffs even if they lose. So, if Clemson were to win they’d receive the conference’s auto-bid and Alabama would drop a spot on the pecking order.

All of Alabama nation needs to rally behind the Ponies on Saturday.

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The 2024 Iron Bowl: Photos from Alabama’s victory over Auburn

Alabama defeated Auburn the latest chapter of the Iron Bowl on Saturday night, 28-14.

One of college football’s greatest rivalries was renewed once again Saturday in Tuscaloosa when the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers met for the latest chapter of their storied history inside Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

This would be a memorable result for the Crimson Tide as well, as Alabama won the first Iron Bowl of the Kalen DeBoer era, while also keeping their College Football Playoff hopes alive, as well as denying Auburn a bowl game in the process with their 28-14 win.

A game which also extended Alabama’s current winning streak over Auburn to five-straight head-to-head, let’s take a look at some photos from Saturday’s Iron Bowl between the Crimson Tide and Tigers.

Instant reactions Alabama’s win over Auburn in 2024 Iron Bowl

Alabama and Auburn collided Saturday afternoon for the latest edition of the Iron Bowl.

Saturday afternoon brought about the official conclusion of the 2024 regular season for the Alabama Crimson Tide, as the program collided with the rival Auburn Tigers in Tuscaloosa for the latest edition of the Iron Bowl.

Alabama would go on to win this game as well, picking up yet another win over their in-state rivals by a final score of 28-14. However, even despite the win, this was a game where Alabama struggled at times, in particular when it came to turnovers.

Alabama’s final game of the regular season, let’s take a look at some of our instant reactions to the Crimson Tide’s win over Auburn in the Iron Bowl.

Alabama makes it five-straight over Auburn, seven in Tuscaloosa

As a result of Alabama’s win over Auburn on Saturday, the Crimson Tide have now won five-straight Iron Bowl’s dating back to 2020. This also marks the seven-straight Iron Bowl that Alabama has won in Tuscaloosa, with Auburn’s last win inside Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium coming back in 2010.

Alabama third down offense, defense impress

Alabama’s performance on third down Saturday was certainly impressive on both sides of the ball, with the Crimson Tide’s defense limiting Auburn on offense to only 4-of-12 conversions. Offensively, Alabama converted 12-of-18 third down attempts.

Alabama struggles with turnovers

There is no secret who won the turnover battle Saturday in Tuscaloosa, and that was the Auburn Tigers. In all, Alabama committed four turnovers to Auburn’s two, which were a Jalen Milroe interception, two fumbles from the Crimson Tide quarterback, and a Ryan Williams fumble all in the first half alone.

Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe has mixed performance

As mentioned previously, Milroe struggled a bit with turnovers where he committed three, but aside from that, it was overall solid showing from the Alabama signal caller. Milroe completed 18-of-24 passes for 256 yards and an interception, while also rushing for 104 yards and three touchdowns on 17 attempts.

Kalen DeBoer’s first Iron Bowl win

This is the first Iron Bowl win for Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer with the Crimson Tide. The Alabama head coach concludes his first regular season in Tuscaloosa with a 9-3 overall record, as well as a 5-3 mark in  SEC play.

Alabama denies Auburn bowl game, keeps College Football Playoff hopes alive

Lastly, not only did Alabama deny Auburn of a trip to a bowl game, but they also kept their CFP chances alive. With three losses, it will likely depend on other results outside of Alabama’s control, with Tuesday night showing where the Crimson Tide sit in the latest CFP rankings after this win.

ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ predicts the winner of the Iron Bowl

The ‘College GameDay’ crew make their picks for the Iron Bowl.

The picks for the 2024 Iron Bowl by ESPN’s “College GameDay” have been officially made, with a majority of the crew predicting the Alabama Crimson Tide to defeat the rival Auburn Tigers on Saturday afternoon.

In all, three “College GameDay” analysts predicted Alabama to win, which were Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, and former Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban. Dude Perfect, who were the guest pickers Saturday, also picked the Crimson Tide.

“Do you need to ask?” Saban said. “I’ve got no choice but Alabama.”

A pair of analysts did however pick Auburn to come into Tuscaloosa and upset the Crimson Tide, which were Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit. If that were to happen, it would be Auburn’s first win in Tuscaloosa since 2010.

Alabama vs. Auburn will officially take place later today from Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Kickoff between the Crimson Tide and Tigers is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on either ABC or ESPN+.

Nick Saban speaks on importance of Iron Bowl during ‘College GameDay’

The former Alabama coach shares his thoughts on Saturday’s Iron Bowl.

If there is someone who knows the importance of winning the Iron Bowl, it’s former Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban.

During his time in Tuscaloosa from 2007-23, Saban played numerous games in both Auburn and Tuscaloosa, seeing an extensive amount of success over both locations. Saban also has experience in some of the Iron Bowl’s biggest games, which include multiple with SEC and national title implications such as 2013, 2017, and more.

As part of ESPN’s “College GameDay” on Saturday morning as well, Saban commented on the Iron Bowl, in particular the importance of the game, as well as the task ahead of Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer.

“There is a huge advantage for the home team in this game,” Saban said. “We were 7-1 when we played at Alabama, and we were like 5-4 when we played at Auburn. I think Kalen DeBoer has a huge job in front of him in terms of getting his players ready to play this game. They had College Football Playoff aspirations, and now that’s maybe not the case, but this game is really important to the people in the state of Alabama. When you’re born in Alabama, you have a birthright that you’re either going to be for Alabama, or you’re going to be for Auburn. You grow up that way with great passion, so this is a big game to a lot of people, and it’s a big game to the players.”

The latest edition of the Iron Bowl will kickoff Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC.

Roll Tide Wire Staff predictions for Alabama vs. Auburn in 2024 Iron Bowl

The Roll Tide Wire staff make their picks for the 2024 Iron Bowl.

One of the most anticipated games of the college football season has arrived. The Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers are set to collide in the 2024 Iron Bowl Saturday afternoon in Tuscaloosa.

This year’s version of the Iron Bowl is a significant one as both teams have something to play for Saturday (2:30 p.m. CT, ABC). Alabama can keep their slim chances at making the College Football Playoff alive, while Auburn has to defeat the Crimson Tide in order to make a bowl game.

It’s a truly must-win game for the Crimson Tide in which they must make a statement for the College Football Playoff committee. Here’s who our Roll Tide Wire staff has winning the 2024 Iron Bowl:

Matt’s Prediction: Alabama Crimson Tide 33, Auburn Tigers 20

Auburn has not come to Tuscaloosa and left with a win since 2010, which is when Cam Newton was under center at quarterback for a Tigers team that went on to win the national championship. Since then, the Tigers have lost a total of six straight in Tuscaloosa against the Crimson Tide, none of which were one-possession games.

While both teams have something to play for in this year’s meeting, the pick to win goes to Alabama, with a big reason as to why being the home-field advantage. Alabama needs an impressive win to keep their slim CFP hopes alive, and I’ll say that they get that victory Saturday afternoon.

Sam’s Prediction: Alabama Crimson Tide 35, Auburn Tigers 17

The Iron Bowl is far from an easy victory, especially given how the Tide performed a week ago. However, Jalen Milroe and the Alabama offense has had to listen to criticism from Auburn all week long. It will also be Alabama’s final chance to impress the committee and make the 12 team field.

Steve’s Prediction: Alabama Crimson Tide 28, Auburn Tigers 20

Predicting a winner here feels like a fool’s errand, especially with the performance we saw last week from the Crimson Tide against a five-loss Oklahoma team. I think Jalen Milroe and teammates come better prepared for this game and eager to put last week behind them. Still, Auburn isn’t as underwhelming as their 5-6 record might indicate. They proved that last week vs. Texas A&M. This is a team that could easily be 8-3 as well, had they gotten some breaks. I’ll take Alabama, if only because this game is at home, but I’ll need to see it to believe it.

The last time Alabama football played a game on Thanksgiving

Curious about the last time Alabama football played on Thanksgiving Day? Here’s a trip down memory lane for Crimson Tide fans.

The 1992 college football season will always hold a special place in the hearts of Alabama Crimson Tide fans.

Alabama concluded its season with a dominant 34-13 win over the Miami Hurricanes in the Sugar Bowl to win the national championship. The Crimson Tide finished a perfect 13-0.

Included on their ’92 schedule? A Thanksgiving Day edition of the Iron Bowl matchup with the Auburn Tigers at Legion Field in Birmingham that was nationally televised on ABC. It’s the last time the Crimson Tide have played a football game on Thanksgiving.

For a trip down memory lane, here’s what happened when the Tide and Tigers met at “The Old Gray Lady” on Nov. 26, 1992.

Gene Stallings’ Alabama team was ranked No. 2 in the nation after nail-biting wins over No. 13 Tennessee, 17-10 in Knoxville, and No. 16 Mississippi State, 30-21, in Starkville in the run-up to the Iron Bowl. Standing in the way of an undefeated regular season was an Auburn team that was even more fired up than usual to play its biggest rival.

That’s because the biggest story entering the game wasn’t Alabama’s No. 2 ranking, but the news that broke the night before. Auburn head coach Pat Dye, a former Bear Bryant assistant and personal friend, had announced his resignation late Friday in Birmingham.

When the game kicked off, Auburn fought Alabama to a scoreless tie at halftime. Shortly afterwards, star cornerback Antonio Langham stole the day. With the Tigers having driven to the Alabama 39-yard-line, Langham tipped a pass from Auburn quarterback Stan White for an interception and returned it 60 yards for the game’s first points.

Alabama fans could breathe easy after that. Michael Proctor tacked on a 47-yard field goal late in the third quarter, and Sherman Williams broke a 15-yard touchdown run early in the fourth.

The Tide’s vaunted defense finished off a shutout that day for a 17-0 win. At the time, it was the first shutout win by an Alabama team in the Iron Bowl since Bryant’s 1975 squad blanked the Plainsmen, 28-0.

Two shutout wins by Alabama over Auburn have followed since that Thanksgiving Day at Legion Field in 1992. Under Nick Saban. the Tide snapped a six-game losing streak in the rivalry with a 36-0 win in Tommy Tuberville’s final game as Auburn coach in 2008. Four years later, in the final game for another Auburn coach (Gene Chizik), Alabama won 49-0.

Alabama leads the all-time series vs. Auburn, 50-37-1, and will be seeking their fifth straight win against the Tigers when the two teams meet Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT. The game can be seen on ABC.

RELATED: Alabama-Auburn gets a top ABC, ESPN broadcast team

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Nick Saban revealed that the Iron Bowl wasn’t the biggest rivalry for Alabama

This probably won’t sit well with the Auburn faithful.

On “College Gameday” former Alabama head coach revealed how the players felt about certain rivalries when he was in Tuscaloosa. The Iron Bowl is universally viewed as one of the four biggest rivalries in college sports along with Duke–North Carolina, The Game between Michigan and Ohio State, and the Red River Rivalry.

It was a big shocking to hear Saban state that the Third Saturday in October between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Tennessee Volunteers is actually the biggest rivalry the team in Tuscaloosa cared about.

“Four our players this was the bigger rivalry than any game we played,” Saban revealed.

Saban continued, “I’m talking about rivalry games. Even bigger than Auburn to our players. It was most difficult to me to get our players up for the Auburn game. It was never difficult for the Tennessee game.”

That right there is an eye popping revelation considering that it was Auburn, and not Tennessee that had recent success against Nick Saban and the Tide. During his tenure with Alabama, Saban was 12-5 against Auburn and 16-1 against Tennessee.

This could serve as some bulletin board material for Auburn later in the season but it might not matter given how the Tigers have played this season under Hugh Freeze.

Pat Surtain ‘kind of salty’ about loss to Bo Nix in 2019 Iron Bowl

“I was kind of salty about that game,” Pat Surtain said of losing to Bo Nix and Auburn in the 2019 Iron Bowl.

Led by then-freshman quarterback Bo Nix, the Auburn Tigers defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide 48-45 in the 2019 Iron Bowl.

Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain, who was a sophomore at Alabama, was left scarred by that game which cost Bama a spot in the College Football Playoff National Championship.

“Yeah, I was kind of salty about that game, I’m not going to lie,” Surtain said with a smile Wednesday. “It was tough game all around.”

Nix went 15-of-30 passing for 173 yards with one touchdown and no turnovers in that game. He also rushed six times for 44 yards and a score.

“Me and Bo had battles in college for sure from [my] sophomore year to junior year,” Surtain said. “What I’ve seen from him is just the versatility of him. Obviously, he can run the ball and throw the ball, but he knows how to win ball games and that’s what he does best. I’m looking forward to it coming into action on Sundays, so very excited for him.”

Nix (24) now looks to become a key piece of Denver’s rebuilding project alongside other young players like Surtain (24) and Quinn Meinerz (25).

“I think the team is poised to do great things,” Surtain said. “Obviously, we have a young team, but [there’s] a lot of hungry guys on the team that’s looking forward to that next step.

“I think we’re off in the right direction because Bo knows how to win games. He knows what it takes because he’s seen it on the biggest stage since college. Seeing him in action on Sundays is going to be very exciting for sure.”

Nix went 43-18 as a starter playing for Auburn and Oregon. He’ll now look to carry that success into the NFL after being named Denver’s starter.

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