Alex Golesh Gives Legendary Answer When Asked About Iron Bowl Chances

The Auburn Tigers have not beaten the Alabama Crimson Tide since 2019, two full coaching tenures ago, as the Tigers were then led by Gus Malzahn.

Since then, Bryan Harsin and Hugh Freeze have given the matchup a good effort, with the 2023 roster coming remarkably close, though the door remains open for Alex Golesh to record the Tigers’ first Iron Bowl win since Malzahn.

Recently, CBS Sports asked Golesh how long it would take for his team to beat Alabama, and the new Tiger skipper did not miss a beat with his response, which may sound familiar to long-time fans of the Tigers.

“I think 60 minutes. Maybe overtime," he said.

This is not the first time a Tiger head coach has used these exact words when referring to the Tide, as legendary Auburn head coach Pat Dye (for whom the Tigers’ field is named) answered a similar question in the exact same way back in the 1980s.

Dye, however, took two years to snap the Tigers’ nine-game losing skid to the Tide, and Golesh is certainly looking to get that accomplishment out of the way early on, in an effort to set the tone for his tenure.

Golesh has certainly built a lineup that could compete well against the Tide, whose rushing defense has not been anything to write home about over the past few years under Kalen DeBoer. Particularly, Jeremiah Cobb, Baylor transfer Bryson Washington and USF transfer quarterback Byrum Brown should have ample opportunity to make their presence known in Tuscaloosa this year.

Defensively, however, is almost certainly where the Tigers are the strongest, as last year’s team, led by interim head coach DJ Durkin, held the Tide to 27 points in a game the Tigers may well have forced overtime or even won if not for a costly Cam Coleman fumble late in the game. It was his last reception as a member of the Tigers, as he has now transferred to Texas.

Do the Tigers have a chance against the Tide this year, especially in Tuscaloosa? The answer is, as it has been in every matchup these teams have played, an obvious yes. Describing rivalry matchups such as these as unpredictable may be the understatement of the century, and much worse Tiger teams have beaten much better Alabama teams over the course of the Iron Bowl’s history.

One thing is for sure, though; Golesh wants to take this game very, very much. After all, the Tigers went viral earlier in the summer for having an entire section of practice dedicated to the Iron Bowl, and Golesh already has the Pat Dye answer memorized as it relates to the game.

Dye still took two years to snap the skid, though; will Golesh need the same time? We will wait and see.

Sign up for our free Auburn Tigers newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news!

Add us as a preferred source on Google