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Auburn vs Alabama Prediction, Game Preview, Betting Lines: Do NOT Lose This Iron Bowl

Originally posted on College Football News
By Pete Fiutak | Last updated Nov 28, 2024 4:59 AM ET

Oh sure, the Iron Bowl between Auburn and Alabama is always a giant deal no matter what, but this time around it's huge for both sides in a completely different way than normal - especially after last year's thriller.

Jalen Milroe's miracle touchdown pass changed everything for college football. He doesn't hit that, and Florida State is in the College Football Playoff, and ...

Auburn needs to pull this off this time around.

It's been an awful season for Hugh Freeze and the Tigers, but just when the bottom was about to drop out ... wham. A 43-41 win over Texas A&M put AU in a position to get bowl eligible with a win over the Tide.

Alabama was miserable last week in a 34-3 loss to Oklahoma - there are actually people who believe this Tide team deserves to be in the CFP mix. That was bad, but first year head coach Kalen DeBoer will have a really, really tough offseason if his team doesn't roll the rival.

Auburn vs Alabama: How to Watch and Game Preview

Date: Saturday, November 30, 2024
Game Time: 3:30 pm ET
How To Watch: ABC
Venue: Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, AL
Teams: Alabama (8-3), Auburn (5-6)
CFN Bluesky | CFN X | CFN FB
- Week 14 Schedule, Predictions

Why Auburn Will Win

The run defense should be able to stuff the Tide.

The Alabama ground game under DeBoer is better than what the Washington rushing attack was under his watch last season, but it’s way too hit-or-miss. It destroyed LSU and ripped through Missouri, but didn’t go anywhere against Oklahoma and fell flat against Auburn.

The passing game is fun, and the defense is fine, but when Alabama runs for 100 yards or more it’s 8-0, and it’s 0-3 when running for fewer.

Auburn has held six teams to under 100 yards rushing this year. Do that, and everything else should fall into place.

Why Alabama Will Win

Really, what did Auburn do so right in the win over Texas A&M?

The passing game went off. It’s been good all season, but the offense clicked - the Tigers are 5-1 when getting close to 470 total yards, 4-0 when getting close to or better than 500.

It’s not like the Oklahoma offense went off on Bama, but the ground game was fantastic. Even so, the Sooners still only came up with 325 yards of total offense - the win was on the defense, and yeah, the push form the O line.

How many teams got within 100 miles of 470 yards against Bama - or, to be more correct, within 50 yards of that? Georgia, and it rolled for over 500.

To get there faster …

Auburn vs Alabama: Who Will Win?

It’s Auburn vs Alabama. It’ll be weird, it’ll go against logic and reason, and it’ll be dramatic in some way, shape, or form. But Auburn isn’t getting close to 500 yards in this.

Even so, it’ll be more of a shootout than you might think in the first half, but the Tide D will clamp down in the second half.

It still won’t be enough to get into the CFP without a ton of crazy losses this weekend.