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Saban jokes with Will Anderson after sideline cut: ‘I just had to keep laughing’ Published: Nov. 26, 2022, 7:29 p.m. 2–3 minutes Nick Saban on Alabama's playoff chances after beating Auburn in Iron Bowl By Nick Alvarez | nalvarez@al.com Will Anderson stood on the sidelines during the Iron Bowl and tried to keep his focus on Auburn’s run-heavy offense. Nick Saban wasn’t helping. During Saturday night’s game in Bryant-Denny Stadium, Saban looked at Anderson — one of the most-feared players in the sport, nicknamed ‘The Terminator’ — and noted how Saban’s generation was just built differently. “He was like, ‘If that would’ve happened to you, you would’ve been under there in the (medical) tent.’ I just had to keep laughing ‘cause I had to regain my focus,” Anderson said. “But he’s tough, he’s tough. He loves this. He loves this more than everybody.” Alabama football’s head coach had been clipped earlier in the game by a player’s shoulder pad, cutting the left side of Saban’s cheek and drawing blood live on the CBS broadcast. The 71-year-old was fine, laughing it off during and after the Tide’s 49-27 win over the Tigers. MORE Iron Bowl: Rewinding Alabama’s 49-27 win over Auburn Instant analysis: Alabama builds Iron Bowl lead, holds off Auburn In his postgame press conference, Saban prefaced any thoughts on the 87th edition of the state’s biggest rivalry with the same joke that put Anderson in a fit. “You should see the other guy,” Saban said. “I took one of the hardest hits of the entire game, and, unlike some of our players that had to go to the medical tent. Like I always say they don’t make them like they used to.” Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at NAlvarez@al.com.

Robby Ashford plays through pain in defeat against Alabama in his first Iron Bowl Published: Nov. 26, 2022, 8:48 p.m. 5–6 minutes Hoover High alum and Auburn starting quarterback Robby Ashford lived out a childhood by playing in Saturday’s Iron Bowl. Ashford scored the game’s first touchdown with a run for 24 yards on 2nd and eight with 8:31 left in the first quarter. Getting the opportunity to play in the Iron Bowl took more sacrifices than most observers realized. Ashford revealed that he played through several injuries after taking over the starting role. He suffered an AC Joint injury in the September 24th win against Missouri, which would give a fair explanation of why Auburn started leaning on its run game. Read More Auburn Football: Instant analysis: Auburn’s feel-good finish falls apart in Iron Bowl loss to Alabama Rewinding Alabama’s 49-27 win over Auburn in the 87th Iron Bowl Auburn flips SEC commit and 4-star DL Darron Reed “It progressively got worse with pretty much everything I’ve been doing,” Ashford said. “Bruised rotator cuff, sprained trap, sprained index finger -- you name it, I’ve probably had it. So yeah. I feel proud just knowing I can go out there and still do it even when I’m hurt. Ashford became the first Auburn player with two rushing touchdowns in an Iron Bowl since 2003, when interim coach Cadillac Williams completed the feat. “That’s just cool to know that I did that. To share that with my coach that’s a cool accomplishment. But at the end of the day, we didn’t get a W. But you’re always trying to look at the positives, the bright sides. What we accomplished — no team has been through what we’ve been through this year.” Alabama scored 21 consecutive points after Auburn led for less than three minutes. Ashford showed resolve by leading the team down the field for a touchdown drive capped by a 20-yard pass to Ja’Varrious Johnson in the end zone. “We knew we had to score. Fortunately enough, we came back and scored and made it a game. Just kind of out of hand,” Ashford said. “They were just clicking on offense.” Auburn trailed 21-14 after Ashford’s touchdown pass, which was a perfect spiral that landed in Johnson’s hands for the score. Unfortunately for Auburn, the team hit a lull while Alabama increased its lead to 42-14 before Ashford’s 14-yard touchdown run with 6:38 left in the third quarter. Ashford had the touchdown pass and was the team’s second-leading rusher with 121 yards on 17 carries and two touchdowns. However, other than the touchdown pass to Johnson, his passing game was pedestrian, with 77 yards on 11-23 attempts. Auburn increased their focus on running the ball since Williams has taken over and Ashford has rushed for more yards than he’s thrown for in the last four games. Ashford gave insight into possible reasons why he struggled to complete passes this season. “There were plenty of nights where I couldn’t sleep because I was in so much pain -- shoulder swollen, a whole lot of weeks where I couldn’t throw in practice until game day,” Ashford said. “I wouldn’t go out there and do it for anybody else other than this team, and I knew I had to give everything no matter how I felt, no matter how I felt after the game. A lot of people didn’t know that but I played the whole year hurt.” Alabama head coach Nick Saban appreciated Ashford’s valiant effort. Saban went deep into his memory bank when discussing Ashford. “Some of the plays they were running with the quarterback, I hadn’t seen since Pop Warner. [laughter] And they’re good plays, and they’re hard to defend,” Saban told reporters. “So their quarterback played an outstanding game, from a run standpoint, and they executed. Because it’s like playing against Wildcat. You know, when the running’s back in the backfield, and somebody has got to go cover the quarterback, except he’s a good enough quarterback to run. And then they created some Wildcat situations as well. So they really attacked us on the edges and did a good job of cracking and blocking us on the edges.” Ashford played through pain during his first season as the Tigers’ starting quarterback. He showed electric speed and made good throws. There were several plays he’d like back as well. Ashford hopes that next season will be better for him and the Tigers. I’ll tell anybody right now: Our plan next year — it doesn’t matter who the coach is, whoever — our plan next year is to compete for an SEC title and compete for a national championship. We’re gonna do whatever it takes to do that. I have the utmost confidence in these guys. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.

Led by Jarquez Hunter, Auburn tops most rushing yards vs. Alabama under Saban Published: Nov. 26, 2022, 8:55 p.m. 5–7 minutes Jarquez Hunter put his name up there with former Heisman finalist Tre Mason in the Iron Bowl. The sophomore running back turned in the best rushing performance for Auburn against Alabama since Mason’s 164-yard effort during the fabled 2013 matchup between the two cross-state rivals. Hunter ran for 134 yards to pace a historic rushing performance for the Tigers in their 49-27 loss to the No. 7 Tide on Saturday in Tuscaloosa. “Every time I get my number called, I’m going to do my job,” Hunter said. “It doesn’t matter if I’m first or second; I’m going to do what I got to do.” Read more Auburn football: Auburn’s feel-good finish falls apart in Iron Bowl loss Rewinding Auburn’s Iron Bowl loss to Alabama Hugh Freeze interested in Auburn job but says no offer has been made For Hunter, it was his third consecutive 100-yard game to close out his sophomore season. He had 121 yards against Teas A&M two weeks ago and 109 yards in last week’s win against Western Kentucky. He saved his best performance of the season for last against Alabama, averaging 12.2 yards per carry to pace an Auburn rushing attack that had the most productive performance against Alabama’s defense in the Nick Saban era. The Tigers finished with 318 yards against the Tide, eclipsing the previous record of 302 rushing yards allowed by Alabama under Saban. That, of course, was the infamous Georgia Southern game, when Saban afterward memorably said the Eagles ran through the Tide “like s*** through a tin horn.” There was no such rant from Saban on Saturday, only reverence for Auburn’s rushing attack. “I’ll tell you what: Auburn did a great job with the run game,” Saban said. “They created some edges. Some of the plays they ran — you know, when I was 10 years old, we ran the single wing. You guys don’t even know what the single wing is. But that was my first football…. I hadn’t seen those since Pop Warner…. They really attacked us on the edge and did a good job of cracking and blocking us on the edges.” Along with Hunter’s big game, Robby Ashford also eclipsed the 100-yard mark against Alabama. The Auburn quarterback had 121 yards and a pair of touchdowns, becoming the first Tiger to have multiple rushing scores in an Iron Bowl since Cadillac Williams in 2003. The dueling 100-yard efforts also gave Auburn three consecutive games with multiple 100-yard rushers for the first time in program history; Hunter and Tank Bigsby each rushed for 100-plus yards the prior two weeks. For Hunter, though, Saturday’s Iron Bowl was the culmination of a strong finish to his sophomore campaign, as he finished the season with 675 rushing yards — 418 of them coming in the final month of the season, after Williams took over as interim coach and Auburn got back to imposing its will against opponents on the ground. If Auburn was playing “big boy football” the last month, Hunter’s efforts epitomized it, as he averaged 8.5 yards per carry in November. His 134 yards were the second most by a player against Alabama this season, behind only Ole Miss running back Qunishon Judkins’ 135-yard effort. Hunter’s came on 14 fewer touches. Even after an unfortunate fumble — when he lost the ball after brushing up against tight end John Samuel Shenker — Williams was sure to greet Hunter on the sideline with words of encouragement and didn’t hesitate to go back to the sophomore on the first play of Auburn’s next drive. Hunter picked up 19 yards on that play. “Let me tell you something — I pray to God that, you know, Cole and Cuinn, my two boys got his type of attitude, his work ethic,” Williams said. “That young man is special, hell, not just talking about on the field; I’m talking about the way he treats people, the way he goes about his business, how kind he is to people, the great teammate he is.” Special is a word Williams used shortly after he was elevated to interim coach on Halloween. He sat down Hunter and Bigsby — knowing full well his intent was to lean on the run game over the final four games — and told the two running backs that he needed them to be special for Auburn to have a chance to close its season strong. The tandem delivered, as Auburn finished the year with four straight games with at least 250 rushing yards. It was the first time the Tigers accomplished that since a four-game stretch late in the 2013 national runner-up campaign. “Those guys could be that light, that sparkplug,” Williams said. “They could be that positive energy that we need — not just on gameday, but on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. I told them the guys, the team’s going to go as you guys go. Both of them guys, man, very selfless guys. They work good together. It’s amazing to watch both of them. It’s pretty cool to know kind of how they feed off of each other, because I — many, many moons ago — once experienced it. So, that’s pretty good.” While Williams invoked his time sharing the backfield with Ronnie Brown in the early 2000s, the future of Auburn’s backfield appears to be in good hands with Hunter, particularly if Bigsby chooses to declare for the NFL Draft now that the season is complete. “I work hard,” Hunter said. “I go out there and work hard at it every day. I want to be the best on the field, so I go out there and work hard.” Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.

Instant Analysis: Auburn throttled by Alabama 49-27 in Iron Bowl JD McCarthy ~3 minutes After taking an early lead Auburn was unable to keep up with Alabama in the 2022 Iron Bowl, falling 49-27 to the Crimson Tide Saturday. Auburn has now lost its last six games inside Bryant-Denny Stadium and none of them were decided by less than double digits. With the loss, Auburn failed to automatically qualify for a bowl game and will need help to keep playing. Buy Tigers Tickets Auburn (5-7, 2-6 SEC) took an early 7-0 lead thanks to two big runs by Robby Ashford. He scrambled for 25 yards early in the drive and took a designed carry 24 yards around the right side of the line for his first touchdown. He finished with 121 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries. Auburn’s ground game had another strong performance, the Tigers averaged 7.4 yards per carry and finished with 318 yards rushing. Jarquez Hunter rushed for over 100 yards for the third consecutive game, finishing with 134 yards on just 11 carries. Auburn may have opened the scoring but Alabama quickly took command of the game, they scored on their next three possessions to take a 21-7 lead at the start of the second quarter. The Tigers were unable to get pressure on Bryce Young and the reigning Heisman winner picked apart Auburn’s defense. He completed 20-of-30 passes for 343 yards and three touchdowns. He added 48 yards and one score with his legs. Auburn did not fold though, the Tigers responded with a 10-play, 76-yard drive to stop the bleeding. Ashford capped it off with a beautiful 20-yard pass to Ja'Varrius Johnson to make it a 21-14 deficit. Despite averaging 6.2 yards per play, Auburn’s two turnovers prevented the Tigers from keeping up with Alabama, who scored touchdowns on five of their seven drives to start the game and averaged 8.1 yards per play. Auburn held Alabama to 14 points in the second half but was unable to take advantage of the opportunity. They scored on their first two drives of the second half but it was too little too late as that made it a 42-24 game with 12 minutes to play. The Tigers had one last chance when Owen Pappoe picked off Young with 6:36 left to play and Auburn trailing 42-24. They once again showed their fight, converting on fourth down, and Alex McPherson made a 39-yard field goal to cut it to a 42-27 game with 2:08 to play. Auburn’s 27 points are the most they have scored in Tuscaloosa since scoring 44 in 2014. The Tigers were unable to recover the ensuing onside kick and Alabama added on one last touchdown to make it a 49-27 game.

Hugh Freeze interested in Auburn job but says no offer has been made Updated: Nov. 26, 2022, 7:25 p.m.|Published: Nov. 26, 2022, 4:32 p.m. 2–3 minutes Hugh Freeze told gathered media in his postgame press conference Saturday that he has not been offered the Auburn head coaching job, but the Liberty coach admitted to being interested. Freeze, the former Ole Miss coach, was asked if the speculation about his coaching future impacted his team in a 49-14 loss to New Mexico State. “It sure didn’t help,” Freeze said. Freeze, 34-15 record in three seasons at Liberty, re-iterated no offers has been made. “I’m not one to tell (the players) something that’s not true,” Freeze said after Liberty’s 49-14 loss to New Mexico State. “Is the job everyone is talking about one that I would have an interest in talking with? Sure. That doesn’t mean they have offered me a job.” Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin was considered the top target by Auburn, but he chose to remain at Ole Miss. Multiple reports indicate there has been communication between Freeze and Auburn. “There’s been no offer made to me, nor have I accepted anything,” Freeze said. He added that his players asked him directly about his future before Saturday’s game. “I think it had something to do with his flatness,” Freeze said of his team’s performance. “I’m not one to dodge people that I care for and love. I’m not one to tell them something that isn’t true. I tried to tell them the truth.” Freeze said he and Liberty AD Ian McCaw have an understanding. “I have a really unique relationship with my boss Ian and with our players,” he said. “They know I’m very transparent and honest with them. And I’ve told them that if it ever got to the point where someone was pursuing me, and I thought it was for Jill and I and our family that I would tell them. “And I have not told them that. And for that to have come - and I haven’t been offered a job - but it certainly was hard to refute that report. It definitely bothered some people.” Mark Heim is a sports reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim.

Five takeaways from Auburn's final game of the season against Alabama River Wells 4–5 minutes The Tigers will go no further after a 49-27 loss to their greatest rival. Auburn dropped the Iron Bowl to the Alabama Crimson Tide for the third year in a row. The Tigers end the year at 5-7, meaning that they will not be bowl eligible and won’t be participating in postseason play like other teams who finished with six wins or greater. The game caps off an inspiring 2-2 run from interim coach Cadillac Williams, whose tenure is certain to be remembered by Auburn fans after the firing of coach Bryan Harsin. Buy Tigers Tickets Here are five takeaways from Auburn’s performance in their rivalry matchup: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports Yes, coach Cadillac Williams lost on Saturday. But that shouldn’t tarnish what has been a great run for the interim head coach. Williams beat a team in Texas A&M that most didn’t think Auburn would knock off this season and took care of business against a talented Western Kentucky team that the Tigers should have beaten. On top of that, Williams was very close to having a winning record as an interim coach after narrowly losing a game to the Mississippi State Bulldogs on the road. It’s uncertain what the future holds for the Auburn man, but whatever happens next, Williams deserves all praise for finishing with a 2-2 record and getting the most out of this Auburn unit. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) Robby Ashford put on a bit of a show during the Iron Bowl on Saturday. That’s not a sentence often read, but it’s the truth. Sure, passing was rough again on completion percentage, but an absolute dime to Ja’Varrius Johnson for a 20-yard touchdown proved that he can be a talented passer with further refinement. On top of that, Ashford ran in two touchdowns from ways out, proving he’s still dangerous on the ground when he needs to be. Will Auburn’s new head coach retain his services for next year? Potentially not, but Ashford showed Saturday that he could potentially be the guy further down the line. Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports Sure, guys like Tank Bigsby will be gone, but that shouldn’t spell the end for this thing the Tigers have going on here. Auburn seems to really click under the run game, averaging 7.4 yards per carry. There will still be some players on the roster from Harsin’s failed regime come next year, and it might be a good time to stick with what works in the transition period while the new head coach gets settled in. Putting up two touchdowns on the ground against a talented Alabama team is nothing to sneeze at, so perhaps the Tigers should think about committing to that style of play for 2023. Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports Alabama scored far more points than anyone may have expected on Saturday, and that comes down to the defense. Poor coverages and lack of tenacity did the Tigers in on Saturday, and it’s the type of play the team will readily look forward to leaving behind as it bows out before the beginning of bowl season. Everything Alabama did seemed to work, and aside from a nice Owen Pappoe interception, the Tide worked its will to ensure Auburn had no chance of coming back in this one. Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports Whoever the new head coach is — be it Hugh Freeze or someone else — has quite a job to do once they get to the Plains. Recruiting needs to be sharpened and Auburn needs a reliable coach who can prepare aptly for opponents in the ways that Harsin could not. This might seem obvious, but the culture needed to set things right in Auburn has been showcased by Cadillac Williams the past few weeks — getting the talent right and the game planning to match will spell success for whoever takes the mantle next.

Instant Impressions: Alabama 49, Auburn 27 Nathan King 5–6 minutes TUSCALOOSA, Alabama — In what was likely Cadillac Williams' final game as Auburn's head coach, his Tigers did what they've done so often the past four weeks — fight. Auburn played the Crimson Tide nearly even in the second half (14-13) and had a season-best rushing performance, but Alabama's passing-game onslaught was too much for Williams' team to overcome, as the Tigers fell 49-27 in the 87th Iron Bowl. Here are Auburn Undercover's immediate takeaways from Auburn's sixth straight loss in Bryant-Denny Stadium. Flashy start quickly buried After losing by a combined 60 points in their past three trips to Tuscaloosa, the Tigers needed a fast start Saturday afternoon to grab some early confidence. Auburn got a stop on its first defensive series in plus territory, forcing an Alabama punt on fourth-and-1 from the 48. Robby Ashford scrambled for 25 yards, then a pass interference got Auburn inside the 30-yard line. Ashford then took a designed run 24 yards to the house, extending the ball over the goal line for the game’s first points. Auburn went up 7-0 — its largest lead in Tuscaloosa since 2014. The jubilation on the Tigers’ sideline was short-lived, though — 181 seconds, to be exact. Alabama swung momentum back with a 52-yard bomb from Bryce Young to Jermaine Burton, followed by a 5-yard scramble by Young to tie the game on a drive that took 2:01. A quick three-and-out for the Tigers gave way to another Alabama touchdown on a 65-yard drive. Auburn running back Jarquez Hunter then fumbled at his own 48 by running into his own blocker. Roydell Williams walked into the end zone four plays later, and Alabama had run up 21 unanswered points in only 8:35 of game time. It averaged 10.4 yards per play during the scoring run. ‘Muffed’ punt leads to bigger halftime hole Ashford, who had one of his better outings of the season both in the air and on the ground, brought it back to a one-score game with a gorgeous 20-yard touchdown pass to Ja’Varrius Johnson. Auburn almost got the ball back, but Young converted a third-and-19, and the Crimson Tide mounted their fourth straight touchdown drive. A third-and-17 on Alabama’s next drive was broken up by Keionte Scott, and the Tigers looked to be getting the ball back, down 28-14, with just under 3 minutes until halftime. Scott muffed the punt, though, for Auburn’s second turnover of the game. The call on the field stood, meaning there wasn’t enough video evidence to overturn, but a couple angles of the replay appeared to clearly show Scott did not touch the punt. Regardless, the Crimson Tide improved to 14 points off Auburn turnovers in the first half, when Young hit Traeshon Holden for a 27-yard touchdown on a screen pass. Alabama went up 35-14 with 54 seconds until halftime. Young completed 20-of-30 passes for 343 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. Senior linebacker Owen Pappoe picked him off in the red zone on Alabama's penultimate possession of the game, and the Tigers got a field goal out of it after a long drive. Auburn was outscoring the Crimson Tide in the second half until Jahmyr Gibbs added a 24-yard rushing touchdown with 1:48 left following Alabama's recovered onside kick. Ashford, running game show out Turns out, all Auburn needed was an interim coach and a completely shuffled offensive staff for its best rushing performance of the season — and of the best in the recent history of the Iron Bowl. The Tigers found success on the ground all evening, racking up 318 yards, surpassing their previous season-best of 301 yards at Ole Miss in Week 7. Ashford led the way early with 49 rushing yards in the first quarter alone. With a combination of designed runs and scrambles, he had eight runs go for double-digit yardage and finished with his second 100-yard rushing performance (121 yards) of the season. Not only did redshirt sophomore QB become the first Auburn player with multiple rushing touchdowns in an Iron Bowl since his current coach, Williams, in 2003, but he rushed for the most yards by an Auburn player against Alabama since Tre Mason (164 yards) in 2013. Tank Bigsby and Jarquez Hunter combined for 197 yards, with Hunter eclipsing the century mark (134 yards) for the third straight game. Bigsby, who carried the ball only six times in the second half while Auburn rode Hunter's hot hand, fell just 30 yards shy of his second straight 1,000-yard season. The Tigers' rushing performance was their best in an Iron Bowl since 1983, when Bo Jackson had 256 yards by himself, and Auburn ran for 355. 16COMMENTS It was the most rushing yards allowed by Alabama under Nick Saban. Auburn Undercover will update this story. Check back for additional information. ">247Sports

Is Hugh Freeze the right fit at Auburn? (2:00) Kirk Herbstreit, David Pollack, Desmond Howard and Pat McAfee discuss Hugh Freeze, who is the favorite to be the next head coach at Auburn. (2:00) Auburn has been in discussion with Liberty's Hugh Freeze for weeks about him becoming the school's next football coach, sources told ESPN's Pete Thamel. Sources said the Tigers are not expected to make a formal offer until after Saturday's Iron Bowl game against Alabama, but the sides have informally discussed a contract for more than a week. Auburn's pursuit of Freeze has come into focus after Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin said earlier this week that he intended to stay with the Rebels even if the Tigers offered him their head-coaching position. Kiffin then told ESPN's Chris Low on Saturday that he had agreed to a contract extension with Ole Miss. New Auburn athletic director John Cohen, who was hired Oct. 31, had narrowed the search to Kiffin and Freeze and heavily vetted both coaches, sources told Low. Freeze would return to the SEC after spending five seasons at Ole Miss from 2012 to 2016. Freeze went 39-25 for the Rebels before he resigned in July 2017 after being found to have used a university-provided cell phone to call a number associated with an escort service. Ole Miss was also placed on NCAA probation in 2017 for violations that occurred in part under Freeze, and the sanctions included a two-year bowl ban. Freeze, while cited by the NCAA's committee on infractions for failure to monitor his assistant coaches and the school's boosters, did not receive a show-cause penalty and "promoted an atmosphere of compliance," according to the NCAA report. The 53-year-old Freeze rose back to prominence with the Flames. After Turner Gill went 6-6 in Liberty's first full-time FBS season in 2018, Freeze raised the bar, going 8-5, 10-1 and 8-5 in his first three seasons. That run included a Cure Bowl victory over No. 9 Coastal Carolina in 2020. The Flames are 8-3 this season, including a win over Arkansas on Nov. 5. Sources told ESPN that Freeze's history of winning and the study of his analytics and quarterback development made him attractive. Auburn officials also considered Freeze an elite fit in the community, with an outgoing nature that fits the program's college-town vibe. Freeze had signed a new eight-year contract with Liberty in October. His salary, which sources told Thamel was just under $5 million per year, put him among the highest-paid coaches in the Group of 5. Auburn fired Bryan Harsin on Oct. 31 after a four-game losing streak dropped the Tigers to 3-5 on the season. Harsin was 9-12 overall in less than two seasons at Auburn, which experienced repeated struggles on offense and had difficulty sustaining success on the recruiting trail. Auburn owed Harsin a $15.5 million buyout, with 50% of that due within 30 days of termination. Entering Saturday, the Tigers have gone 2-1 under interim coach Cadillac Williams, a former star running back at the school. Freeze would become Auburn's third head coach in the past four years. Gus Malzahn, currently at UCF, was fired at the end of the 2020 season before Harsin lasted parts of two seasons. The Tigers last won an SEC championship in 2013, Malzahn's first season as coach, when they also played in the BCS national championship game, losing to Florida State.

looks like it is officially official................... espn.com Lane Kiffin agrees to new contract to remain at Ole Miss Chris Low ~2 minutes Lane Kiffin anticipates returning as Ole Miss' coach next season (0:51) Ole Miss football coach Lane Kiffin says that he expects to return to the team next season. (0:51) 11:09 AM CT Chris LowESPN Senior Writer Close College football reporter Joined ESPN.com in 2007 Graduate of the University of Tennessee Lane Kiffin will return as Ole Miss' coach next season and is signing a new contract extension with the Rebels, he told ESPN on Saturday. Kiffin said he had meetings with both the team and his staff before Ole Miss' 24-22 loss to Mississippi State on Thursday to tell them that he was staying and that it would be announced after the game. Kiffin was a prime candidate at Auburn, and his name had circulated for weeks in connection with the Tigers job. "I didn't want it to be about me staying before the game, but about the team," Kiffin told ESPN. "I didn't want it to be a distraction to where everybody was talking about me staying versus the players, which is why I wanted them to know it would be announced after the game." Ole Miss is expected to make an official announcement sometime this weekend. Sources told ESPN that Kiffin's new deal will take his average annual salary to the $9 million range. He made $7.25 million this season. In three seasons at Ole Miss, Kiffin is 23-12. The Rebels won their first seven games this season but lost four of their last five. A year ago, Kiffin led Ole Miss to its first 10-win regular season in school history.

Darron Reed, 4-star DL from Georgia, flips commitment from LSU to Auburn football Richard Silva, Montgomery Advertiser ~2 minutes AUBURN — Four-star defensive lineman Darron Reed has committed to Auburn football, he announced Friday. He was previously committed to LSU. Reed, who plays football at Carver High School in Georgia, committed to LSU on July 4, but ultimately flipped to the Tigers. The 6-foot-4, 270-pound Reed is ranked as the No. 202 player in the class of 2023, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. He's also tagged as the No. 31 defensive lineman in the country and the 18th-best player in the state of Georgia. IRON BOWL:Cadillac Williams, Auburn football ready to 'go crazy' against Alabama in the Iron Bowl TOOMER'S CORNER:Untold stories of Harvey Updyke's last confessions — and the plot to kill Auburn's iconic oak trees Reed, on Twitter, said he is "1000% committed (and) all recruiting is shut down." He's the second-highest-rated recruit Auburn has in the class of 2023, behind only running back Jeremiah Cobb, and the 12th recruit to join the class. Other schools that offered Reed include Clemson, Miami and Ohio State, among others. He also received SEC offers from Texas A&M, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia and LSU. Richard Silva is the Auburn beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. he can be reached via email at rsilva@gannet.com or on Twitter @rich_silva18. This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Darron Reed, four-star defensive lineman, commits to Auburn football

Expert picks: Auburn looks to shock the world on Saturday Taylor Jones 3–4 minutes Now that Thanksgiving dinner is officially over, it is time for everyone to begin preparing for the year’s most important day in the state of Alabama, Iron Bowl Saturday. The No. 7 Alabama Crimson Tide has an outside shot at making the College Football Playoff but will need to beat Auburn at home in order to keep those dreams alive. Auburn enters the game with motivation, as they have won two straight games under interim head coachCadillac Williams. Williams has the team playing with an upbeat attitude, and now has confidence that they can pull off the upset at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday. Before enjoying their Thanksgiving dinners, the staff at Auburn Wire took time to share their predictions for the game, as well as the players that they feel will need to make an impact in order for Auburn to win on Saturday. Here’s how writers Taylor Jones, J.D. McCarthy, and River Wells see Saturday’s game between Auburn and Alabama playing out. Iron Bowl: Offensive X-Factor John Reed-USA TODAY Sports Taylor Jones- Robby Ashford After relying heavily on its’ runing attack the last two games, Auburn will need to find success throwing the football in order to have a shot at beating Alabama on Saturday. The Crimson Tide allows 195 yards per game through the air, so Ashford will need to take advantage and find success by passing. J.D. McCarthy- Robby Ashford Alabama has struggled against offenses that have running quarterback and this will be a chance for Ashford to show what he can do. River Wells- Exterior linemen Tackles Kilian Zierer and Brendan Coffey are going to have to step up big time when Will Anderson Jr. steps on the field. Anderson likes to wreak havoc on both sides of the line, so the two of them will have to do their best to keep the pocket clean and the running lanes open on the offensive side of the ball. Iron Bowl: Defensive X-Factors AP Photo/Butch Dill Taylor Jones- Jaylin Simpson Outside of Bryce Young, the Crimson Tide’s top playmakers are running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and Jase McClellan. Jaylin Simpson is Auburn’s highest-graded player against the rush this season, so he will need to be instrumental in limiting Gibbs and McClellan’s production. J.D. McCarthy- Derick Hall Bryce Young is everything for Auburn’s offense and if Hall can generate some pressure then the defense will have a chance at slowing him down. River Wells- Derick Hall Derick Hall has to do his work on his side of the ball to disrupt Bama quarterback Bryce Young. Young is occasionally volatile under heavy pressure, and creating that is going to be the best shot the Tigers have of winning this one Iron Bowl: The final score The Montgomery Advertiser Taylor Jones Alabama 27 Auburn 20 J.D. McCarthy Alabama 45 Auburn 20 River Wells Alabama 31 Auburn 24 Story originally appeared on Auburn Wire

Auburn vs. Alabama by the numbers Published: Nov. 26, 2022, 6:30 a.m. 10–12 minutes Auburn (5-6, 2-5) at No. 7 Alabama (9-2, 5-2) 2:30 p.m. CST Saturday (CBS) Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa 0 Teams have played a tougher schedule this season than Auburn, according to the NCAA’s rankings. The Tigers’ opponents so far in 2022 have a 73-37 record against other NCAA FBS programs (minus their result versus Auburn). That winning percentage of .664 is tied with Georgia at the top of the toughest-schedule list. With Auburn playing 9-2 Alabama and Georgia playing 5-6 Georgia Tech on Saturday, the Tigers will finish the regular season alone at the top of the toughest-schedule list after this week’s game. 1 Victory in 27 games for unranked Auburn teams against ranked Alabama teams since the AP Poll began in 1936. In 2002, the unranked Tigers upended the No. 9 Crimson Tide 17-7. Alabama has won seven straight ranked/unranked games against Auburn since then. The Tide enters Saturday’s game at No. 8 in this week’s AP Poll. Alabama is carrying its lowest ranking for the Iron Bowl since 2010, when No. 2 Auburn defeated No. 9 Alabama 28-27. MORE SEC FOOTBALL BY THE NUMBERS: · TOP 10 FOR WEEK 13 · TOP 10 FROM WEEK 12 2 Tackles for loss are needed by LB Will Anderson Jr. to move into second place on Alabama’s career list. Anderson has 59 tackles for loss. With 68 from 1985 through 1988, Derrick Thomas holds the school record, with Wallace Gilberry second with 60.5 from 2004 through 2007. Anderson already is second on the Crimson Tide’s all-time sacks list with 32.5. Thomas holds the record with 52. In two games against Auburn, Anderson has 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. 2 Auburn players have recorded at least 20 sacks and 30 tackles for loss this century – Quentin Groves with 26 sacks and 37 tackles for loss from 2004 through 2007 and Antonio Coleman with 24.5 sacks and 46.5 tackles for loss from 2006 through 2009. Auburn LB Derick Hall needs 0.5 sacks and 1.5 tackles for loss to join the group. Hall had three sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss against Alabama last season. 2 Of Auburn’s 10 coaches since the Iron Bowl’s return in 1948 have won their first game against Alabama. Terry Bowden’s Tigers defeated the Crimson Tide 22-14 in 1993, and Gus Malzahn guided Auburn to a 34-28 victory over Alabama in 2013. On Saturday, Carnell “Cadillac” Williams will be in his fourth game as Auburn’s interim coach. 2 Players in Alabama history have more passing yards than QB Bryce Young, who has 7,692. AJ McCarron holds the school record with 9,019 passing yards, with John Parker Wilson second with 7,924. Young passed Tua Tagovailoa on Alabama’s career passing list in last week’s game. Young threw for 317 yards against Auburn last season. Young also ranks third in total offense with 7,816 yards – 7,692 passing and 124 rushing. McCarron holds that record, too, with 8,969 yards of total offense with Wilson second at 8,099. 3 SEC players have scored more points than Alabama K Will Reichard and Auburn K Anders Carlson, who enter the Iron Bowl with 410 apiece. Auburn’s Daniel Carlson, Anders Carlson’s brother, holds the SEC record with 480 points from 2014 through 2017. Georgia K Rodrigo Blankenship scored 440 points from 2016 through 2019, and Georgia K Blair Walsh scored 412 points from 2008 through 2011. 4 100-yard rushing games for Auburn RB Jarquez Hunter. In each, Auburn RB Tank Bigsby also ran for 100 yards. In Auburn’s 41-17 victory over Western Kentucky last week, Bigsby ran for 110 yards and two TDs on 18 carries and Hunter ran for 109 yards and one TD on 13 carries. In a 60-10 victory over Akron on Sept. 4, 2021, Bigsby had 119 rushing yards and Hunter had 110. In a 62-0 victory over Alabama State on Sept. 11, 2021, Hunter had 147 rushing yards and Bigsby had 122. In a 13-10 victory over Texas A&M on Nov. 12, Hunter and Bigsby had 121 rushing yards apiece. Bigsby has 13 100-yard rushing games in his career. In this century, Auburn has produced seven 100-yard rushers in the Iron Bowl, including the Tigers’ current coach. Carnell “Cadillac” Williams ran for 204 yards and two TDs on 26 carries in Auburn’s 28-23 victory in 2003. 5 Common opponents for Alabama and Auburn this season – the other members of the SEC West. The Tigers posted a 1-4 record against those teams and were outscored 159-124. The Crimson Tide posted a 4-1 record and outscored the five teams 164-88. 7 First downs have been gained by the Auburn offense via a penalty against the opponent’s defense. Only Air Force, with six, has fewer in the nation this season. Alabama has gained 24 first downs through its opponents’ penalties. 12 Victories and eight losses for Alabama coach Nick Saban against Auburn – a .600 winning percentage. In his 16th season with the Crimson Tide after five years at LSU, Saban’s record in SEC regular-season games against all other teams is 127-22 – a winning percentage of .852. 14 Consecutive seasons with at least 10 victories for Alabama, tied for the major-college record for consecutive seasons with double-digit victories. Florida State established the record for consecutive 10-win seasons from 1987 through 2000, and the Crimson Tide would break the mark by beating Auburn. Alabama most recently failed to win 10 games in a season in 2007, when the Tide went 7-6. Alabama won 12 games in 2008, 14 in 2009, 10 in 2010, 12 in 2011, 13 in 2012, 11 in 2013, 12 in 2014, 14 in 2015, 14 in 2016, 13 in 2017, 14 in 2018, 11 in 2019, 13 in 2020 and 13 in 2021. The Tide needs two victories in 2022 to extend the longest streak of 11-win seasons in NCAA FBS history to 12. 16 Years since Alabama lost to a team that finished the season with a losing record. The Crimson Tide owns the longest such streak in the nation. Alabama lost to Mississippi State 24-16 on Nov. 4, 2006, a season in which the Bulldogs posted a 3-9 record. Since that defeat, Alabama has lost 30 games, and the Tide’s opponent in each of those setbacks went on to have at least a .500 record in the season in which it beat Alabama. 16 Iron Bowls since the winning team has been outscored in the fourth quarter. The Iron Bowl winner has had the most fourth-quarter points in 13 of the past 16 games, and in the other three games each team scored the same number of points in the final period – zero twice and seven once. In the 2005 Iron Bowl, Auburn did all its scoring in a 28-18 victory in the first half while Alabama scored eight points in the fourth quarter. 23 Consecutive victories for Alabama over Auburn when the Crimson Tide enters the Iron Bowl with a record at least three games better than the Tigers’ mark, which is the case this season. Since the rivalry resumed in 1948, only one Auburn team has won the Iron Bowl with a record at least three games worse than the Tide’s mark. In 1949, the 1-4-3 Tigers upended 6-2-1 Alabama 14-13. 47 Years since an Auburn alumnus led the Tigers in the Iron Bowl. Carnell “Cadillac” Williams is the first Auburn head coach who is an alumnus of the school since Ralph “Shug” Jordan worked the sidelines for the Tigers from the 1951 through 1975 seasons. In three Iron Bowls as an Auburn running back, Williams ran for 284 yards and three TDs on 46 carries, caught two passes for 13 yards and returned four punts for 27 yards and three kickoffs for 66 yards. The most recent Alabama alumnus to serve as the Crimson Tide’s head coach in the Iron Bowl was Mike Shula, who held the reins from 2003 through 2006. 48 Victories for Alabama, 37 victories for Auburn and one tie in the Tide-Tigers series. Auburn leads the series 7-6 in Tuscaloosa. 61 Games for Auburn TE John Samuel Shenker, the most in school history. In the Tigers’ 13-10 victory over Texas A&M on Nov. 12, Shenker passed LB T.D. Moultry for sole possession of the record. Moultry played in 59 games from 2017 through 2021. 74 Years since Auburn had at least seven losses in consecutive seasons. The Tigers enter Saturday’s game with a 5-6 record after going 6-7 last season. Auburn had a 2-7 record in 1947 and a 1-8-1 record in 1948. The Tigers have had seven seasons with at least seven losses since then, but none back-to-back. 93 Rushing yards are needed by Auburn RB Tank Bigsby to record the 30th 1,000-yard rushing season in school history. Bigsby, who ran for 1,099 yards in 2021, already is one of the 22 Auburn players to produce a 1,000-yard season. Bigsby has run for 907 yards and 10 TDs on 164 carries in 2022. 128 Games have been played by Auburn since it was most recently shut out, the second-longest streak in school history. Auburn’s most recent shutout loss came 49-0 to Alabama on Nov. 17, 2012. Auburn’s record scoring streak lasted 149 games, starting with a 55-16 victory over Richmond on Oct. 4, 1980, and ending with a 17-0 loss to Alabama on Nov. 26, 1992. Auburn’s current scoring streak is the 10th-longest in SEC history, and its record streak is the ninth-longest. 294 Games have been played by Alabama since it was most recently shut out, a school record and the third-longest scoring streak in SEC history. Alabama’s most recent shutout loss came 9-0 to Auburn on Nov. 18, 2000. Florida has a 434-game scoring streak going, and Georgia has scored in its past 355 games. By scoring against Auburn, Alabama would tie a scoring streak by Ohio State from the 1993 to the 2016 seasons as the 14th-longest in major-college football history. 329 Yards on 19 punt returns for Alabama’s Kool-Aid McKinstry, 11 more yards than any other player in the nation has in the 2022 season, even though in the past six games he has returned two punts for 8 yards. Auburn has allowed an average of 5.9 yards on nine punt returns in 2022. 586 Rushing yards for Auburn QB Robby Ashford, which ranks 10th on the Tigers’ all-time freshman list. Two other current Tigers are on the list – RB Tank Bigsby in second with 834 rushing yards in 2020 and RB Jarquez Hunter in ninth with 593 rushing yards in 2021. FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE SEC, GO TO OUR SEC PAGE Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.

Iron Bowl predictions: Can the Tigers pull off a major upset? Auburn Daily Staff ~3 minutes Auburn is a three-plus touchdown underdog against Alabama this weekend. That does not matter. Despite the large spreads, blowout predictions, and "it's not even close" statements thrown out by both fans and media alike, the Iron Bowl is never simply normal. So, do the Tigers have a shot despite being outmatched in Tuscaloosa this weekend? Here are our predictions: Zac: Alabama 34, Auburn 20. I think this game is close for most of the 60 minutes. I think Alabama gets a score late to make it look worse than it was. Lindsay: Auburn loses, but covers. Caddy's never not covered, so either I jinxed it or it's magic. Either way, this game is closer than it has any business being on paper because it's the Iron Bowl. If there's anything we've learned the last three weeks, it's that this interim coaching staff has figured something out with this offense, this defense, and these players. Lance: Part of me thinks something weird is going to happen. Part of me thinks Alabama should blow Auburn out of the water. For fun, I'll lean into the weird. Auburn 23, Alabama 20 Jack: Reality tells me Alabama 35-13. But Coach Caddy and the energy he gives me as a fan - combined with the unity of this team due to his leadership - makes me feel like it’ll be much much closer. The caddy effect makes me say Auburn 21, Alabama 20 because Auburn will put their kicker voodoo back on the Bammers. Cooper: Alabama 35 - Auburn 10. I know Alabama isn’t playing as well as they have in years past, but I don’t see a way Auburn wins this one. Jeremy: I could optimistically see this being a close low scoring game. I think it would have to be for Auburn to win. I just don’t see us scoring 20 points despite Bama having a more porous defense than usual. I think there would have to be some very inspired play by Auburn up front. I have seen us struggle to run all season in years past and then get a push up front due to the adrenaline of the Iron Bowl. A turnover or trick play could change things, but I have Bama winning 20-10.

theplainsman.com Players to watch, keys to victory: Alabama - The Auburn Plainsman 7–9 minutes Coach Carnell "Cadillac" Williams has Auburn coming into rivalry week on a two game winning streak, both being victories at home. This Saturday, the Tigers will be heading to Tuscaloosa to take on No. 7 Alabama in the 87th Iron Bowl. This isn’t the usual Iron Bowl of years past with national championship stakes on the line, but that doesn’t mean there is nothing on the line this year. The Tigers will be playing for bowl eligibility and of course, bragging rights. Auburn had a strong rushing game last week against Western Kentucky because of the duo of Tank Bigsby and Jarquez Hunter. The Tigers put up 41 points and 374 yards of offense on the Hilltoppers, with 252 of those yards coming from the ground game. Bigsby and Hunter both averaged over six yards per carry and had over 100 yards rushing. Hunter also had the only passing touchdown for the Tigers, a mirrored version of a toss thrown by Williams in 2004. The Tigers’ defense have stepped up with three interceptions over the last three weeks, before then only having two on the year. Auburn also seems to have turned around a struggling rush defense by only allowing an average of 64 yards per game under Williams. There has been a defensive intensity with Williams at the helm, and Auburn’s defense will play a big part in the Iron Bowl this Saturday. Williams has brought some much needed energy to the program, but can he lead the Tigers to a win on the road in Tuscaloosa? Road games have not been pleasant to the Tigers this season. Auburn hasn’t won an away game since October of 2021, the last one coming against Arkansas. The only wins Williams has under his belt have been at home. Can he bring that energy on the road this week? Alabama head coach Nick Saban has only one loss at Bryant-Denny against Auburn, that loss being in 2010, a game that saw Cam Newton make a heroic effort to pull the Tigers back into contention. The Tide are looking to continue this dominance. Saban-led Alabama teams have averaged 41.6 points a game and allow an average of just 16.8 points at home against Auburn. If Auburn can win this game, the word upset is a massive understatement. Players to Watch Auburn Offensive line For the Tigers to have a chance this weekend, the offensive line will need to play their best against a stout Alabama defense. It’s important for them to keep the pocket clean for Ashford to find players down field. They will also be crucial for the establishment of the run game. In last year’s Iron Bowl, the Tide’s front feasted with six sacks and 15 tackles for losses. Williams will need to rally the line and have them motivated for this game. Ja’Varrius Johnson (WR) Johnson has been Auburn’s best wide receiver this year, leading the team in receiving, second in receptions and tied for touchdowns. He has been a good threat downfield for the Tigers, helping stretch the field for their offense. Auburn needs to hit Johnson early to get the Alabama linebackers off the line and open the run game for Bigsby and Hunter. Tank Bigsby (RB) The junior back’s workload has increased under Williams. Bigsby put up 110 yards rushing on 18 carries for two touchdowns last week. Since Williams took over as head coach, Bigsby has averaged 106.7 yards on an average of 18 carries. That comes as no surprise from a coach that was a former running back. Bigsby needs to carry this momentum into Bryant-Denny. Alabama Bryce Young (QB) This will probably be the last Iron Bowl Young will play in, with him most likely headed to the NFL after another strong season performance from the junior. Last year, he threw for 317 passing yards for two touchdowns with one interception. Young led the Tide to a fourth quarter comeback and won the game in overtime against the Tigers. He has been stellar at home, never losing in Bryant-Denny Stadium. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Auburn Plainsman delivered to your inbox Jahmyr Gibbs (RB) The offensive threat for the Tide has been Georgia Tech transfer Jahmyr Gibbs. He has 1,144 yards from scrimmage with nine total touchdowns on the year. He could have a big game against an Auburn defense that has had a lot of ups and downs this season. Look for him to be a major threat in the receiving game this weekend. Will Anderson Jr. (DE) Also looking like defensive standout for the Tide is Anderson, who will be heading to the draft this year. He hasn’t had as dominant of a year as he did last year, but that doesn't mean he isn’t a force on the line. Last year, he had one sack and three tackles for losses against the Tigers. This weekend he could be living in the Auburn backfield facing a lackluster offensive line. Keys to Victory Auburn What’s been effective for the Tigers on this two game winning streak has been simply just running the ball. They’ve limited their passing game and have run the ball 40+ times a game. The Tigers' offense has looked better when rushing the ball, playing into their strength. Alabama’s defensive front will be a tough bunch to hammer the run game on. That’s where the Tigers will need to look to the air to help increase rushing opportunities for Bigsby and Hunter. Auburn’s offensive line needs to keep the pocket clean and open up holes in the defense for the Tigers to be in this ball game. On the defensive side, Auburn needs to prevent Young from getting comfortable or escaping the pocket to create big plays. 'Bend not break' defense will be needed against the Tide. Another thing the Tigers should look to stop is the home momentum. Auburn should capitalize on Alabama’s weaknesses, such as their secondary. Set the tone early and bring that 'Go Crazy, Cadillac' energy. Overall, the Tigers are underdogs in this matchup and perfection is what is needed to take down Alabama at home. Alabama Alabama has owned Auburn at home under Saban, but the players shouldn’t let that go to their heads. This Auburn team has an aura around them that is just different. The Tide just needs to stay focused. The Tide’s offense needs to control the clock and keep the Tigers’ defense on the field. Let Bryce Young do his thing. Make smart play decisions in crucial moments, which they struggled with this season. Alabama’s defense can easily shut down Auburn’s passing game. Just focus on the Tigers’ backfield and don’t allow Hunter to get outside to the edge. Eliminate all momentum and energy by getting three-and-outs. Finally, the home field advantage is huge for the Tide. Bryant-Denny will be a factor in this game. Saban will have this team ready come Saturday. The 87th Iron Bowl is at 2:30 p.m. CST at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa. It will be broadcast on CBS. Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman. Jac Myrick | Sports Writer Jac Myrick is in his first year with the Plainsman. He is from Talladega, Alabama. Share and discuss “Players to watch, keys to victory: Alabama” on social media.

Phillip's Gameday Musings: Iron Bowl and coaching search Phillip Marshall 6–7 minutes The Iron Bowl is today at 2:30 p.m. at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Is anybody paying attention? On social media and even among those of us who cover this football team, the search for a permanent head coach has soaked up most of the attention. That’s an unfortunate byproduct of the modern landscape. Because it is important to have head coaches on campus and working when the transfer portal opens Dec. 5 and when the first national signing period opens Dec. 21, more coaches are being fired during the season so as to be prepared to move quickly when the season is over. That leads to a rush to hire coaches. Cadillac Williams has done a remarkable job of reviving energy and optimism in the Auburn football program. The Iron Bowl will likely be his last game as interim head coach. He and the players who have bought into him and his staff deserve better. It’s not anybody’s fault, really, but it is too bad they are being overshadowed. *** And here I go again, talking about the coaching search. Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin has been active on Twitter since sleeping on Thursday night’s 24-22 loss to Mississippi State. None of those Tweets have offered any real insight. If I had to bet my house, I’d still say Kiffin will be named Sunday. But I wouldn’t bet my house or bet much at all even if I was a betting man. Kiffin’s antics are somewhat troubling. This is serious business. But if Kiffin is named Sunday, most Auburn people will celebrate. Bur what if he doesn’t? What if he stays at Ole Miss? My feeling is that Auburn would turn to Hugh Freeze, but to be clear, that is not a prediction and certainly not a statement of fact. If not Kiffin or Freeze, who? That’s an extremely difficult question. Most have seen the names on our Hot Board. Could it be someone else? It could. A new name has gotten some legs in recent days. Brian Johnson, the 35-year-old Philadelphia Eagles quarterbacks coach and a former Florida offensive coordinator, could be somewhere in the mix. He is considered a rising star. Hiring an NFL coach is not like hiring a college coach. As I understand it, the only way he could leave the Eagles immediately would be for them to allow it. Would they do that in the middle of what could be a Super Bowl run? He is considered a rising star in the profession. I believe athletics director John Cohen knows exactly where he will go if he doesn’t offer Kiffin. We will know in a matter of days how it all is going to shake out. *** There are things I do know: Some of Kiffin’s antics have been bothersome to some at Auburn. The candidate Cohen chooses will have been thoroughly vetted, probably more thoroughly than any previous Auburn hires. Whoever Cohen hires, whether it’s who some people want or who some people don’t want, will be his choice. Take heart, it’s almost over. *** It’s a good thing fans don’t hire coaches. Nobody other than the latest national champion would ever be hired. I wonder how Auburn fans would feel about hiring a Power 5 coach who lost at least five games for four straight seasons and was 0-3 on the road against his biggest rival, losing all by double digits. I wonder how they would feel about hiring a coach with a losing career record. I wonder how they would feel about hiring a coach who was 0-4 against Auburn and had a 12-20 SEC record. I wonder how they would feel about only hiring assistant coaches for 75 years. The coaches above are Nick Saban at Michigan State, Gene Stallings at Texas A&M and Tommy Tuberville at Ole Miss. The program is Oklahoma. *** When athletics directors go in search of head coaches, they have to look beyond the record, beyond the outcomes of individual games. That’s why making too much of Ole Miss’ losses down the stretch is a mistake. If Ole Miss had made a two-point conversion and beaten Mississippi State or if it had finished off its last drive and beaten Alabama, Kiffin would be the same coach he is today. *** Can Auburn and Williams pull of an epic upset today? It’s a long shot, but hope springs eternal. I feel certain he and his players believe they can. To win, the Tigers must be able to successfully run the ball. If Alabama puts eight in the box, it will be significantly different than most anybody else putting eight in the box. What the Tigers can’t do is get into a situation where they have to throw the ball. If the Tigers can run enough to keep Alabama honest, have no turnovers, force some turnovers, get pressure on quarterback Bryce Young and hit a big play or two, they can make it a fourth-quarter game. Do that, and who knows what might happen? *** I don’t know what the point spread was when Auburn beat Alabama 14-13 in 1949 in what has long been considered the biggest upset in series history. But other than that possibility, an Auburn victory today would be the biggest Iron Bowl upset ever. *** 13COMMENTS It’s to be an interesting day in college football. It starts early with Ohio State playing Michigan. Both are unbeaten. TCU will try to finish a perfect regular season against Iowa State at home. LSU will try to keep its very real playoff hopes alive at Texas A&M, though the Bayou Bengals would also have beat Georgia in the SEC Championship Game. USC will try to do the same at home against Notre Dame. Clemson will try to keep its hopes alive at home against South Carolina. And, yes, Alabama will still have an outside chance if it beats Auburn and there is chaos elsewhere. In the SEC, for some reason I have a feeling Texas A&M will give LSU a fight in College Station. LSU had to fight for its life in a 13-10 win at Arkansas when the Razorbacks were without quarterback K.J. Jefferson. ">247Sports

Reports indicate Lane Kiffin, Hugh Freeze leading Auburn coaching search Lance Dawe ~3 minutes Twitter is not real life. Sometimes, that's hard to grasp. It has not been hard for Jon Sokoloff, who has rebounded better than most from his week of Twitter fame. According to Sokoloff (Sports Director of WCBI News and recipient of one of the best ratios of the 2022 college football season), his sources say the expectation is that Auburn’s next head coach will be either Ole Miss' Lane Kiffin or Liberty's Hugh Freeze. Sokoloff was about to catch another ratio from Kiffin again, but he quickly deleted his quote tweet of Jon saying "How many times are you going to change your story??? Great reporting Jon." There has been no news as to whether or not Kiffin's agent, Jimmy Sexton, has presented Auburn's official offer to him... there has also been no news on how Kiffin would have responded to said offer (if he were to have received it). We do not feel comfortable saying anything other than rumors that may fly over the next 24 hours could only just be rumors or smokescreens to distract from what is really going on. There is a lot of information being thrown out there. We do feel comfortable saying this - Liberty head coach Hugh Freeze has had minimal contact with Auburn up until this point in the process, per our sources at Auburn Daily. Whether or not he is a true contender for the job (and could be hired within the weekend) is not known. Several outlets have reported that they believe Auburn to make a move following the conclusion of the Iron Bowl on Saturday afternoon. Watch that space, folks. A side-by-side comparison of Lane Kiffin and Hugh Freeze at Ole Miss: Lane Kiffin Hugh Freeze Overall Record/Winning Percentage 23-12 (65.7%) 39-25 (60.9%) SEC Record/Winning Percentage 14-11 (56.0%) 19-21 (47.5%) Average Recruiting Class Rank No. 21 No. 19 Best Season 10-3 (2021) 10-3 (2015) For Carnell Williams' sake, I hope that this does not shape up to be one of the more forgettable Iron Bowls of the 21st century. And it has nothing to do with Auburn's sub-500 record. It's all about Lane Kiffin... and apparently now Hugh Freeze. Auburn kicks off against Alabama on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. central on CBS.

247sports.com What to Watch: Tigers vs. Tide for 87th Iron Bowl Mark Murphy 8–10 minutes Manage Join Live AUBURN, Alabama–After coming up agonizingly short in last year’s Iron Bowl game the Auburn football Tigers will travel to Tuscaloosa on Saturday to face their in-state rival. The visitors will be trying to become get back to .500 for the season and gain bowl eligibility while Alabama will try to keep alive its outside shot at moving into the College Football Playoff. The contest, which will be televised on CBS, will kick off shortly after 2:30 p.m. CST at Bryant Stadium. It is a venue where the Tigers have not won since 2010. In last year’s game the Tide won 24-22 in four overtimes at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Both teams come into the contest with two-game winning streaks. Alabama’s last loss was on November 5th, losing 32-31 in overtime at LSU. Since then Coach Nick Saban’s team has won at Ole Miss (30-24) and at home vs. Austin Peay (34-0). The Tide is 9-2 overall and ranked eighth in the AP Top 25 poll. Auburn’s last loss was also in overtime on November 5th. The Tigers fell 39-33 at Mississippi State. Since then Auburn has defeated Texas A&M 13-10 and Western Kentucky 41-17 to improve its record to 5-6. Heading into the 87th Tigers vs. Tide matchup Alabama leads the series 48-37-1. In games played at Tuscaloosa Auburn has a 7-6-1 record, but the Tigers’ last win as the road team was by the 2010 national championship team. With Auburn a three-touchdown underdog a lot of things will have go well for the Tigers to pull off the upset with interim head coach Carnell "Cadillac" Williams in charge. Here are some of the What to Watch keys: * Although Alabama hasn’t played as well as it did last year, the Tide’s offense has been quite productive averaging 40 points per game. With 2021 Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young at quarterback surrounded by plenty of talent, the Tide is averaging 40 points per game. The best way to keep Alabama from scoring a lot of points is for the Auburn offense to put together time-consuming drives. If the Tigers can do that and finish with touchdowns instead of field goals or some other result, that would enhance the upset possibilities and is a What to Watch factor when Auburn has the football. * The Auburn offensive line needs to play its best game of the season and not allow the running backs to have to deal with defensive penetration before they get to the line of scrimmage. The starting group features senior Brandon Council at center, senior Kameron Stutts at left guard, senior Alec Jackson at right guard, senior Kilian Zierer at left tackle and senior Brenden Coffey at right tackle. The Tigers need all of that experience to show up on the road in a rivalry game. When Robby Ashford is called on to pass the football the redshirt freshman will have a much better opportunity for success if he has a chance to throw the ball in rhythm. That will be a What to Watch factor on Saturday. * With Alabama’s defense likely to crowd the line of scrimmage if there are opportunities to make big plays the Tigers need to execute at a high level to make that happen. How well Auburn can do that is a What to Watch major factor. Ashford’s ability to keep his eyes downfield and find the open receiver will be a big deal on Saturday. Generally accurate on long-range throws and medium-range pass routes, the redshirt freshman has missed way too many short tosses, which could make it more likely for Alabama’s defense to play aggressively with blitzes with less concern about giving up a big play on a screen or other short pass route. * The Tigers need to take advantage of Ashford’s running ability whether it is on called plays or improvised plays. If Ashford, Tank Bigsby and Jarquez Hunter each have good days carrying the football that is a scenario that could enhance the Tigers’ chances of pulling off an upset. The rushing yardage, especially on third down or even fourth down plays, is a What to Watch statistical key for this year’s Iron Bowl. Auburn is 195.5 yards per game on the ground at 4.8 per carry. With Williams in charge as interim head coach the Tigers have run for 256 yards and four touchdowns vs. Mississippi State, 270 yards vs. Texas A&M and 252 yards and three touchdowns vs. Western Kentucky. Tank Bigsby leads the Tigers in rushing with an average of 81.8 per game. (Photo: Greg McWilliams, Inside the Auburn Tigers, 247Sports) * On the subject of running the football co-offensive coordinators Will Friend and Ike Hilliard have added new plays and formations since taking on new roles since the staff shakeup when Bryan Harsin was fired. In recent weeks we have seen some Wing-T looks, three running backs in formations and the traditional “I” formation with tight end John Samuel Shenker lining up at fullback. Will the Tigers have some more new looks this week and how effective will that be is a What to Watch factor. Alabama’s defense has been better defending the run than the pass. The Tide is allowing 108.8 yards per game on the ground at 3.1 yards per carry. * Auburn finally scored a defensive touchdown last week on a pick-six play by cornerback DJ James. The Tigers’ ability to do that again this week is a What to Watch key. For the season the Tigers have just five interceptions with two by Jaylin Simpson, one by Derick Hall, one by Keionte Scott and one by James. Alabama goes into the game with just five interceptions as well with no Tide player having more than one. Through 11 games the Tide defense has forced 12 fumbles and recovered seven with one for a touchdown. Auburn's opponents have fumbled 23 times with the Tigers recovering seven. * Alabama’s quarterback has a knack for avoiding the pass rush and turning a potential negative play into a positive one. That is a major reason he won the Heisman Trophy last season. Young has been sacked 16 times this season. On his other 25 runs he is averaging 10.2 yards per carry and with nine of those plays going for first downs and three others ending in touchdowns. Without his skills in this area the 2022 Alabama would have likely suffered several more losses. The Tigers have tackled better in recent games, a trend that needs to continue. It is a What to Watch factor whether it is on Young scrambles or other plays. * Alabama has returned two punts for touchdowns this season. Auburn’s punt coverage has been solid, something that needs to continue and it is a What to Watch key. Oscar Chapman is having another strong season for the Tigers. Only eight of the junior's 53 punts have been returned for a total of 53 yards and the Tigers are ranked 10th nationally in net punting at 42.13 yards. Additionally, the Tigers could really help their cause by making a big play or two on special teams. Auburn’s longest punt return is just 22 yards by Keionte Scott and the longest kickoff return is just 31 yards by Hunter. 2COMMENTS * Last, but probably not least, playing on what could be a slippery field on a rainy day could impact the game. Bryant-Denny Stadium’s grass playing surface has a history of being in bad condition late in the season when the Iron Bowl is played, especially on rainy days. How Auburn handles the conditions will be important. After having a major problem with turnover margin deficits much of the season, the Tigers are trending in a better direction, something they need to continue, and certainly something that could be a major What to Watch factor on Saturday. How to Watch/Listen to Iron Bowl 2022 ">247Sports

Mass shootings in the US: 2022 could be the second-highest year Janie Boschma ~3 minutes CNN — This year is likely to be the second-highest year for mass shootings in the United States on record, according to data compiled by the Gun Violence Archive, a non-profit that tracks gun violence incidents across the country. The Gun Violence Archive, like CNN, defines a mass shooting as one in which at least four people are shot, excluding the shooter. There have been at least 607 mass shootings through November 22 this year. That’s just short of the 638 mass shootings in the country at this point last year – the worst year on record since the group began tracking them in 2014. There were a total of 690 mass shootings in 2021. The United States is likely to soon surpass the total of 610 mass shootings in 2020, with more than a month left of 2022 to go. Tuesday’s massacre at a Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia, left six people dead and four more with injuries. That was just three days after five people died in a shooting rampage at an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado. In the past week alone, mass shootings have claimed at least 24 lives and injured 37 others in gun rampages across seven states, according to the Gun Violence Archive. There have been more mass shootings than days so far in 2022 – a trend that’s continued each year since 2019 – underscoring the growing prevalence of gun violence in American life. The pace of mass shootings in 2022 is part of a three-year uptick that began in 2020. Between 2019 and 2020, the total number of mass shootings all year jumped from 417 to 610. The number jumped again in 2021 to 690. In 2022 so far, at least 3,179 people have been shot in mass shootings, resulting in 637 deaths and more than 2,500 people injured. Through the same period in 2021, there were at least 3,267 people shot in mass shootings, resulting in 645 deaths, while in 2020 the numbers show 2,873 people shot with 463 deaths. So far in November, there have been at least 32 mass shootings across the nation resulting in more than 177 people shot and 43 dead. For the month of November 2021 through the 22nd, there were 36 mass shootings, resulting in 160 people shot, leaving 34 of those people dead. CNN’s Priya Krishnakumar and Dakin Andone contributed to this report.

my grandfather fought those bastards TWICE in both world wars and to see idiots like this hacks my lily. i am so glad he is not around to see this kind of crap.

thanksgiving eve i had a ribeye from logans. yesterday a good friend hooked me up with three paper plates full of goodies. he even brought me a couple of more plates from his family gathering. today i go to see one of my very best friends in the world. so i go pig out and will have food waiting on me when i head home. normally thanksgiving is the hardest holiday to get through. this year i feel particularly blessed.

we can speculate all we want but at the end of the day no one knows for sure how well kiff will do. i understand he is a quick fix but i refuse to lose site of championships and he will have to prove something to me. i am not anti kiff i am just being realistic. i will support whomever the next coach is until they show me they cannot get it done. and if OM is lagging on NIL then i hope that is a big different with him.

i have not read other responses but i imagine no one wants to put their life on the line for a stolen good. i mean 607 mass shootings this year alone. and me being cynical who wants to die for minimum or low wages? this is my take.

slim pickings today folks. here is our light show.......