The massive national stakes we've come to expect with the Iron Bowl are mostly gone this year. After losing to Oklahoma last week, No. 13 Alabama (8-3, 4-3 SEC) will miss the College Football Playoff unless chaos unfolds around the sport. Auburn (5-6, 2-5) has disappointed throughout the season and is just playing for bowl eligibility at this point.
The game might be lacking on a national scale, but that doesn't diminish the importance for both coaches.
First-year coach Kalen DeBoer has already overseen the worst Alabama team since 2010 and really can't afford an Iron Bowl loss to a six-loss Auburn team when it comes to fan buy-in and recruiting momentum. Second-year Auburn coach Hugh Freeze was largely hired for his ability to beat Nick Saban -- a feat he accomplished twice while at Ole Miss. While he can't do that again, he'd earn a lot of goodwill with a road Iron Bowl victory ahead of what is shaping into a critical third season for him on the Plains.
It will be hard to beat last year's thrilling fourth-and-31 touchdown finish, but this game has a way of delivering even when the nation's gaze is elsewhere.
Alabama vs. Auburn: Need to know
Which Milroe appears? In a win over Georgia where he totaled four touchdowns and nearly 500 offensive yards, Jalen Milroe looked like a legitimate Heisman Trophy contender. In a loss to Oklahoma where he threw three interceptions, including one pick six, his performance had fans calling for him to be replaced. The Milroe experience has been a rollercoaster for Alabama this season, largely dependent on if he can be effective running the ball with his legs. In losses to Vanderbilt and Oklahoma, particularly, Milroe couldn't move the ball effectively in the passing game and looked increasingly helpless. This should be Milroe's last game inside Bryant-Denny Stadium and Alabama could use the version that looked electric against Georgia and LSU to make a reappearance.
Run the ball, Auburn The Tigers found success running Jarquez Hunter against Texas A&M, totaling 130 yards and three touchdowns in the upset win. Using Hunter -- plus some Thorne in designed runs -- should be effective against an Alabama defense that has struggled to defend the run and is now without senior linebacker and play-caller Deontae Lawson. Oklahoma's 1-2 punch of quarterback Jackson Arnold and running back Xavier Robinson combined for 238 yards and two touchdowns against the Tide last weekend.
Unusual smack talk The Iron Bowl is full of emotion but largely devoid of headline-making comments from players in the lead up to it. That's not the case this season where a spicy back-and-forth has added some extra juice to the game. It started with freshman Auburn linebacker Demarcus Riddick saying Tide star freshman Ryan Williams wasn't a "big-time player to me" and vowed to never lose to Alabama. Tide QB Milroe returned fire the next day saying he didn't know who Riddick was and to just let him talk. Other Alabama players backed up Williams' unique skills. Don't be surprised to see some more spicy comments coming out after the game depending on the result.
How to watch Alabama vs. Auburn live
Date: Saturday, Nov. 30 | Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Bryant-Denny Stadium – Tuscaloosa, Alabama
TV: ABC | Live stream: fubo (Try for free)
Alabama vs. Auburn prediction, picks
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The Iron Bowl has a tendency to get weird, though that is mostly when the game resides inside Jordan-Hare Stadium. Auburn hasn't won in Tuscaloosa since 2010, a wild 28-27 comeback win known as the "Camback," and even with Alabama licking its wounds off an Oklahoma loss, this isn't the year that changes. Auburn's Hugh Freeze will come up with a great game plan to frustrate Alabama, but the Crimson Tide still have too much of a talent advantage to lose its home finale. Alabama to win straight up but look for Auburn to cover. Pick: Auburn +11.5
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