The Auburn Tigers (5-6) travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Saturday afternoon to play the No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide (9-2) in the Iron Bowl at Bryant-Denny Stadium (3:30 p.m. ET, CBS). The Tigers need one more win to qualify for the Bowl as the Crimson Tide look to end the regular season on a high and give themselves a shot at making the college football playoffs.
The Crimson Tide leads the all-time streak ahead of the Tigers with a record of 47-32-1 and has won three of the last four contests. Last season, Alabama defeated Auburn 24-22 in four overtimes. Bryce Young threw for 317 yards and two TDs, including a 28-yard smash into Ja’Corey Brooks that ended the game with 24 seconds remaining in regulation time.
Auburn won their second straight game on Saturday, defeating Western Kentucky 41-17 at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The Tigers relied on running back duo Tank Bigsby and Jarquez Hunter for 219 yards and three touchdowns. The Tigers’ defense forced Hilltoppers QB Austin Reed to make two interceptions and shut out Western Kentucky’s offense in the second half.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, Alabama defeated Austin Peay (FCS) 34-0 to celebrate its second straight win. Young was efficient under center, completing 18 of 24 passes for 221 yards and two touchdown passes. Both touchdown passes went to junior wide receiver Jermaine Burton, who led both teams with seven receptions for 128 yards. The Tide also made a big effort from junior running back Jase McClellan, who rushed for 156 yards and two touchdowns with 17 carries. Alabama rushed for 263 yards and will be looking to carry that momentum into the Iron Bowl against a less-than-stellar Auburn run defense.
Below we’ll break down what you need to know before betting on this week 13 matchup between these SEC rivals.
2022 CFB ODDS: Heisman | CFP and National Champion
Auburn vs Alabama Odds
Odds courtesy of BetMGM
- Spread: Alabama -21.5
- About Below: 49
- money line: Maroon +950; Alabama-2000
Three trends to get to know
– The Tigers have gone 4-2 against the spread in their last six games against the Crimson Tide.
– Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban is the favorite at 29-12 ATS between 21.5-31 points according to BetQL.com
— Alabama is 20-0 in their last 20 home games and 17-3 overall in their last 20 games.
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Three things to see
— Can the Tigers Slow the Crimson Tide Ground Attack?: If the Tigers are to pull off Saturday’s massive upset, they’ll need their defense to win at the line of scrimmage and contain the Crimson Tide’s ground attack. This season, Alabama is averaging 199.5 rushing yards per game, thanks in large part to junior running back Jahmyr Gibbs. Gibbs missed Saturday’s game against Austin Peay with an ankle injury. If Gibbs can play next week, it will add an extra boost to Alabama’s offense.
The Tigers’ defense has struggled to stop the run this season, allowing 172.6 yards per game. In her last two wins against Western Kentucky and Texas A&M, Auburn gave up just 89.5 rushing yards per game. However, when they lost five straight games earlier in the season, the Tigers’ defense allowed for 242.8 rushing yards per game.
— What will Bryce Young do in his last home game?: With Young likely to be one of the top picks in next year’s NFL draft, next weekend’s game against the Tigers could be his last game in Tuscaloosa. On his way to winning the Heisman Trophy, he doesn’t deliver the same numbers as last season (47 TDs and four INTs). However, Young plays solid football, completing 63.8 of his passes for 2,664 yards, 24 touchdowns and four interceptions. Clean at home under center, Young completed 67.4 percent of his passes for 1,286 yards, 16 touchdowns and just two interceptions. We should expect Young to have no trouble against the Tigers’ defense, which is dropping 27.7 points per game.
— Can Tank Bigsby Carry Auburn’s Offense?: The Tigers will be looking for their standout junior running back to take the lead against the Crimson Tide next weekend. This season, Bigsby has been one of the best running backs in the SEC, rushing for 907 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in 11 games this season. Bigsby faces a tough challenge against an Alabama defense that is allowing 107.8 rushing yards per game this season. In two previous games against Bama, Bigsby only averaged 51 yards per game.
Prediction of Auburn vs. Alabama
Last season’s Iron Bowl was a thrill between these two rivals, but we shouldn’t expect the same result next weekend. The Crimson Tide will attempt to message the CFP committee in their final regular season competition as they will not be participating in the SEC championship game. The Tigers’ run defense isn’t great this season and is being exploited by Saban and co. Take the Crimson Tide for cover in what should be a blowout win.
end result: Alabama 45, Arkansas 10. Alabama (-21.5) covers the range and the total goes ABOVE (49).