Alabama, Auburn set the table for epic Iron Bowl

The Iron Bowl is annually one of the biggest games in college football, no matter the stakes, but this season may be the biggest of all.

For only the second time in the rivalry’s history, the No. 1-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide (11-0, 7-0) and No. 6-ranked Auburn Tigers (9-2, 6-1) will meet with the SEC Western Division crown on the line, but much more is at stake than just a berth in the SEC Championship.

If Auburn loses than their shot at a College Football Playoff appearance disappears, as well. If Alabama loses it makes things exponentially more difficult for the Crimson Tide to make it to a fourth straight CFP game.

Both teams have their weaknesses and both have stumbled a bit down the stretch, but both are coming in hungry for another SEC West Championship.

Auburn started out the season struggling after falling to Clemson in week two and the Tiger offense sputtering, but ever since losing to LSU on Oct. 14 the Tigers have rebounded. On Nov. 11, Auburn decimated the No. 1-ranked Georgia Bulldogs 40-17 setting the stage for an explosive Iron Bowl.

Alabama kicked the season off with a 24-7 win over No. 4 Florida State, a game in which FSU has yet to recover from due to a number of key injuries, and has continued undefeated ever since despite a slew of its own injuries.

In the season opener, Alabama lost four linebackers to injury and since that game more and more starting defenders have gone down with injury. Linebackers Christian Miller, Terrell Lewis, Rashaan Evans, Mack Wilson and Shaun Dion Hamilton have all gone down with injuries at different points in the season. All American safety Minkah Fitzpatrick has been hobbled with a hamstring injury since Alabama’s win over Texas A&M on Oct. 7 and defensive tackle Da’Shawn Hand has yet to fully recover from an early season knee injury. In last week’s 56-0 win over Mercer, Alabama lost starting safety Ronnie Harrison to an arm injury, though he is expected to not miss any time.

Shockingly, both Lewis and Miller have resumed practicing after it was initially expected that both linebackers would miss the remainder of the season, and a return by the Iron Bowl is possible. Hamilton and Wilson, however, are done for the season with broken bones, while Fitzpatrick and Hand are both expected to play in the Iron Bowl.

While defense has typically been the story of Iron Bowl’s past, offense may tell the tale this season.

Both Alabama and Auburn are in the Top 5 of SEC teams in total offense, Alabama has the No.1 rushing offense and Auburn has the No. 3 passing offense.

Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts has progressed each game this season and has thrown for more than 1,800 yards and 14 touchdowns, while only throwing one interception.

Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham has thrown for more than 2,400 yards and 16 touchdowns with just four interceptions.

Both quarterbacks are aided by dominant running games and dangerous receiving threats.

Hurts’ No. 1 target is junior receiver Calvin Ridley, who has amassed 858 yards and three touchdowns on 52 catches. Stidham has a pair of receivers that are his go-to targets in Ryan Davis, 58 catches for 564 yards and five touchdowns, and deep-threat Darius Slayton, 19 catches for 533 yards and five touchdowns, that the hobbled Alabama defense will have to contend with.

Auburn’s rushing game is dominated by a trio of backs in Kerryon Johnson, Kam Martin and oft-injured Kam Pettway. The trio has combined for more than 1,800 yards and 24 touchdowns.

Alabama has its own three-headed monster in the backfield with Bo Scarbrough, Damien Harris and Joshua Jacobs. The three have combined for more than 1,600 yards and 19 touchdowns, but the X-factor in the Alabama running game is Hurts.

The sophomore signal-caller has amassed 686 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground, along with a number of key running plays throughout the season.

In one of the most high-stakes Iron Bowl’s ever, it may come down to who is able to stop the other team’s offense enough.

Alabama and Auburn will meet in Auburn Saturday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. on CBS.