The Auburn Tigers talked a big game all week, but the Alabama Crimson Tide made their statement in the Iron Bowl. While Alabama’s win was far from flawless, many national college football analysts will point that out. Some will argue that the victory was not particularly pretty. A missed touchdown pass and several turnovers kept the game from being a clean win. But Crimson Tide fans are used to tuning out such criticisms.
Though Alabama’s victory was imperfect, that is typical for most Iron Bowl outcomes, and the 2024 edition followed that tradition. Imperfection does not diminish the greatness of an Iron Bowl win. The game is all about which team remains standing at the end. Auburn ultimately lost that battle and further suffered as some Auburn players struggled to handle their defeat.
Auburn failed to back up their bold claims heading into the Iron Bowl. The most notable misstep came from Auburn linebacker Demarcus Riddick. Prior to the game, Riddick criticized Ryan Williams and boldly declared, “I will not lose to Bama while I am here.” He also claimed to be faster than Jalen Milroe. Riddick finished the game with just two tackles, while Milroe outran him for a touchdown.
The Alabama Crimson Tide defense kept quiet during Iron Bowl week, letting their performance speak for itself. Alabama’s defensive strategy was clear: limit Jarquez Hunter and force Payton Thorne to carry the load. Thorne performed decently, with 301 passing yards and 41 rushing yards, but he could only lead one scoring drive, which was aided by an Alabama turnover. Hunter, who entered the game as the SEC’s leading rusher at 6.58 yards per carry, was held to 56 yards, with 21 coming on one play. Without a strong showing from Hunter, Auburn had no chance.
Jalen Milroe likely played his final game at Bryant-Denny Stadium and delivered a stellar performance. He was an impressive 18-for-24 passing for 256 yards and rushed for 104 yards and three touchdowns. Though he did have two fumbles and an interception, one fumble resulted from a pass protection breakdown.
The Iron Bowl victory kept Alabama’s playoff hopes alive. More importantly, it was a crucial win for Kalen DeBoer, as it provides momentum for the 2025 season.
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