Game Prediction: #3 Alabama Crimson Tide at Auburn Tigers
Alabama (10-1) and Auburn (6-5) come into this Iron Bowl matchup heading in two completely opposite directions. The 3rd-ranked Crimson Tide have won five straight games while the Tigers have dropped three straight and have fallen out of the Top 25.
Alabama hasn't been quite as dominant in the last month, which factored into its drop in the polls last week, but Auburn is without quarterback Bo Nix, who is out for the season after going down during the Tigers 43-34 loss to Mississippi State two weekends ago. Auburn led 28-3 early in that game before the Bulldogs rattled off 40 unanswered points.
Of course, none of that really matters when talking about a rivalry this big.
BRYAN DRISKELL, PUBLISHER
Prediction: Alabama 41, Auburn 13
Alabama is not a team you want to play when head coach Nick Saban is angry, and it's obvious that he isn't thrilled about how his team is being discussed, or how his team is playing. Auburn has also been vulnerable to teams that can throw the football, and Alabama throws the football at a very high level.
If Bo Nix was playing in this game I would give the Tigers a puncher's chance, but without him I don't see Auburn being good enough offensively to stay up with Alabama. Tide quarterback Bryce Young is on fire, having passed for an average of 370 yards per game with a 18-0 touchdown to interception ratio during the team's current five-game win streak.
Auburn quarterback TJ Finley struggled last weekend, going 17-32 for just 188 yards in a 21-17 loss at South Carolina. Unless he has a significant bounce back and can make some big plays in the pass game I don't see this game being overly competitive. Plus, Alabama needs to make a statement after dropping behind Ohio State last week.
VINCE DEDARIO, FOOTBALL ANALYST
Prediction: Alabama 27, Auburn 13
The Iron Bowl will be a game that many college football fans will be tuning into hoping for a monumental upset. Unfortunately, I do not see that being the case when the final whistle blows. The experts are saying this is a three score game and I feel like that is right about where this one should be. Bo Nix has been a solid starter for Auburn over the years and not having him in the lineup is a crusher for the Tigers. Alabama has had trouble putting teams away this year and we will all get excited in the first half half thinking that Auburn might actually pull the upset but that will not be the case when it is all said and done. We will get the SEC title game and all its implications the following week.
ANDREW MCDONOUGH, IB CONTRIBUTOR
Prediction: Alabama 34, Auburn 17
Auburn's chance of knocking off the Crimson Tide was shattered when QB Bo Nix fractured his ankle and was ruled out for the rest of the season. After a close call last week against Arkansas that resulted in the Tide dropping behind Ohio State in the CFP rankings and Nick Saban ripping the "self-absorbed" Alabama fan base, I expect the Tide to come out fired up. There always seems to be a few weird plays in the Iron Bowl though, and that will let the Tigers hang around for a bit and keep this game within the 19-point spread, but the Tide will still win comfortably. QB Bryce Young will have another big game and cement his status as a Heisman front-runner.
RYAN ROBERTS, RISENDRAFT
Prediction: Alabama 31, Auburn 14
Alabama has been a little up and down - but Auburn has been rough recently. There is too much offensive fire power for the Tigers to overcome, even in a rivalry game.
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