It’s officially Iron Bowl Eve. The 2024 edition of Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Auburn Tigers features many storylines.
For Alabama (8-3 overall, 4-3 SEC), they’re hoping a once-promising season that saw them ranked No. 1 in the AP Top 25 poll after their thrilling 41-34 win over the Georgia Bulldogs on Sept. 28 doesn’t end in outright disaster under first-year coach Kalen DeBoer.
For Auburn (5-6, 2-5), the Tigers are in search of their first Iron Bowl win since 2019, and their first win in Tuscaloosa since 2010 when Cam Newton led an incredible 28-24 comeback after being down 24-0. More than that, Auburn can crush whatever faint hopes the Crimson Tide have of sneaking into the College Football Playoff.
As it stands, Alabama fell six spots to No. 13 in this week’s CFP rankings after an abysmal showing in a 24-3 loss to the Oklahoma Sooners in Week 13. Jalen Milroe was picked off three times, and the Crimson Tide failed to score a touchdown in a game for the first time since 2011. Alabama now needs a win over Auburn, plus some major help in the form of Top 25 upsets to reach the playoffs.
The Tigers scored their first upset of the year with a 43-41 4OT win over the Texas A&M Aggies at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Auburn quarterback Peyton Thorne threw for 301 yards and two touchdowns, and senior tailback Jarquez Hunter rushed for three scores and 130 yards on 28 carries in the upset win over A&M.
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On Wednesday, USA TODAY Sports’ college football experts released their predictions for every Top 25 team in Week 14, including Alabama. All six members of USA TODAY’s panel — Paul Myerberg, Dan Wolken, Eddie Timanus, Scooby Axson, Jordan Mendoza and Erick Smith — picked the Crimson Tide to beat Auburn.
Elsewhere, ESPN Analytics’ Matchup Predictor gives Alabama an 87.6 percent chance to beat Auburn at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Kickoff for Alabama vs. Auburn is set for 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday. Sean McDonough and Greg McElroy will have the call of the game for ABC, which is televising its first Iron Bowl since 1994.
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