11/25/22 Auburn Articles

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Auburn vs. Alabama TV info, key matchups, what to watch for in Iron Bowl

Published: Nov. 25, 2022, 7:05 a.m.

6–7 minutes

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Auburn (5-6, 2-5 SEC) at No. 7 Alabama (9-2, 5-2)

When: 2:30 p.m. CT, Saturday

Where: Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa.

TV: CBS

Line: Auburn +22.5

This game will determine...

Beyond annual bragging rights in one of the most, if not the most intense rivalry in college sports, on the line for Auburn this week is bowl eligibility. The Tigers need a win to reach six on the year and secure a 10th consecutive bowl berth. This game doesn’t have the same stakes as it typically has, as neither Auburn nor Alabama has a clear path to a championship entering this game for the first time since 2007.

Read more Auburn football: 19 years after ‘Go Crazy,’ Cadillac Williams is set for another Iron Bowl moment

Cohesion of restructured offensive staff ‘uplifting’ for Auburn amid tumultuous season

DC Jeff Schmedding seizing opportunity with Auburn defense since Bryan Harsin’s firing

Three things to look for...

1. Can Auburn’s defense keep it up? After a historically bad stretch in the three games prior to Bryan Harsin’s firing — when Auburn’s defense was giving up 532.7 yards per game, 6.9 yards per play and 43.7 points per game — the Tigers have turned things around defensively. They’re holding opponents to 4.25 yards per play in November, which is ninth nationally and tops in the SEC. The pass defense is in the midst of its best stretch since 2019, limiting opponents to fewer than 6 yards per pass attempt, while the run defense is holding teams to 2.7 yards per carry. Up next is an Alabama offense that features the reigning Heisman winner in Bryce Young and is scoring 40 points per game (fifth nationally) while averaging 6.94 yards per play (15th nationally).

2. How much of a factor will Robby Ashford be? Auburn has leaned into its rushing attack in recent weeks, getting back to “big-boy football” on the backs of Tank Bigsby and Jarquez Hunter. The result has been a 2.6-to-1 run-pass ratio during that stretch, with Ashford attempting just 54 passes the last three games. The Tigers aren’t hiding the fact they want to run the ball against the Tide, but they’re going to have to throw it at some point — and the teams that have given Alabama the most trouble this season have been efficient through the air. When those opportunities arise, will Ashford deliver? He’s completing just 40 percent of his passes this month, with as many touchdowns (two) as interceptions while averaging just 4.7 yards per pass attempt.

3. Can Cadillac Williams make history? It has already been quite a run for Williams as Auburn’s interim coach. He has reinvigorated a wayward program, excited the fanbase and has Auburn playing winning football, as it heads into the Iron Bowl on the heels of back-to-back victories. He’s the first Black head coach in Auburn history, the first to win a game at Auburn and will be the first to coach on either side of the Iron Bowl rivalry (he’ll also be the first person from Auburn to play in and coach the Iron Bowl in the modern era). Williams is already the feel-good story of this season for Auburn, and while he hasn’t wanted to make it about himself, a win against Alabama — as unlikely as it may be — would be an all-time moment for Auburn, and a historic one for Williams.

RELATED: Auburn ‘playing with house money’ as big Iron Bowl underdogs: ‘Nobody gives us a chance in hell’

Key matchup

Auburn’s run game against Alabama run defense. Again, it’s no secret what Auburn wants to do offensively in this game; co-offensive Ike Hilliard said as much this week: The Tigers are going to lean on Bigsby, Hunter and a veteran offensive line to try to beat the Tide. Auburn’s run game has been top-five nationally in November, averaging 259.33 yards per game and 5.44 yards per carry (18th in FBS this month), while Bigsby and Hunter have posted back-to-back dueling 100-yard performances. Now they’ll try to crack an Alabama run defense that ranks 14th nationally in yards allowed (107.82), eighth nationally in yards allowed per carry (3.08) and has only given up two 100-yard rushing performances: Ole Miss’ Quinshon Judkins and Arkansas’ Raheim Sanders.

By the numbers

116.01 — Auburn’s defensive pass efficiency this season, which is 17th nationally and on pace to be the program’s best single-season mark since 2017.

Key injuries

Auburn — OL Nick Brahms out (retired), OL Tate Johnson out (elbow), OL Austin Troxell out (knee) QB Zach Calzada out (shoulder), Edge Eku Leota out (pectoral), K Anders Carlson out (knee), RB Jordon Ingram out (knee), WR Landen King out (redshirt), WR Tar’Varish Dawson Jr. out (transfer), DL Zykeivous Walker out (transfer), CB A.D. Diamond out (transfer), QB T.J. Finley out (shoulder), S Donovan Kaufman questionable (foot), DT Jeffrey M’ba probable (ankle), DT Marquis Burks probable (undisclosed), DL Marcus Harris probable (undisclosed).

Alabama — DL Justin Eboigbe out (neck), WR Aaron Anderson out (knee), LB Demouy Kennedy out (knee), DB Khyree Jackson out (suspended/transfer), RB Jahmyr Gibbs questionable (ankle), DB Eli Ricks questionable (head), TE Cameron Latu questionable (undisclosed).

Alabama player to watch

Will Anderson Jr., linebacker. A year after leading the nation with 17.5 sacks and 34.5 tackles for loss, Anderson leads the Tide with 14 tackles for loss and eight sacks this season. He’s top-20 nationally in both those stats this year, leading the SEC in stops behind the line of scrimmage and second in the league in sacks.

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

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Auburn Football

Lane Kiffin expects to return to Ole Miss, addresses Auburn job after Egg Bowl loss

Updated: Nov. 25, 2022, 9:19 a.m.|

Published: Nov. 24, 2022, 11:16 p.m.

Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin passes the ball to a player during warmups for the team's NCAA college football game against Mississippi State in Oxford, Miss., Thursday, Nov. 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)AP

NEW!

By

Tom Green | tgreen@al.com

Lane Kiffin kept it brief when asked about his future at Ole Miss after his team wrapped up its regular-season schedule.

Following the Rebels’ 24-22 loss in the Egg Bowl on Thanksgiving night, Kiffin was asked if he anticipates being Ole Miss’ coach next season, even if he is offered the job at Auburn. His response was two words.

“I do,” he told reporters in Oxford, Miss.

Read more Auburn football: 19 years after ‘Go Crazy,’ Cadillac Williams is set for another Iron Bowl moment

Cohesion of restructured offensive staff ‘uplifting’ for Auburn amid tumultuous season

DC Jeff Schmedding seizing opportunity with Auburn defense since Bryan Harsin’s firing

Kiffin’s name has been associated with the Auburn opening since new Tigers athletics director John Cohen began his search on Halloween, with Kiffin long viewed as the top candidate to replace Bryan Harsin, who was fired after going 9-12 in 21 games. Speculation surrounding Kiffin’s candidacy has grown in the last week as the regular season has wound down.

He was asked about the Auburn opening after last weekend’s loss to Arkansas, saying he didn’t know if he was the Tigers’ top candidate, then again on Monday during his weekly press conference to preview the Egg Bowl. During those remarks, Kiffin — who has said he doesn’t discuss such things during the season — joked about making a “pine box” speech like Tommy Tuberville infamously did in 1998 before leaving Ole Miss for Auburn, or a line like the one Nick Saban delivered in 2006 about not being the next coach at Alabama shortly before he left the Miami Dolphins for the Tide. He also expressed his satisfaction with his current situation at Ole Miss, where he signed a new four-year deal last December that is paying him $7.25 million this season, good for the 11th-highest paid head coach in college football.

Kiffin then took umbrage with a local television reporter in Mississippi who reported Monday evening that Kiffin was heading to Auburn on Friday despite the job not being offered at that point. Kiffin took to Twitter to issue his own “report” while shooting down the one from Jon Sokoloff of WCBI in Columbus, Miss. After Thursday’s loss, Kiffin addressed that situation, saying he had to hold a team meeting to address Monday’s “falsely reported” news.

“I had to have a team meeting to say his article was wrong,” Kiffin said. “...So, yes, I had to deal, had to have a team meeting because of that. They don’t, when there’s other stuff in chat rooms and all that stuff, but when a reporter writes it, that changes the game with it.”

Kiffin declined to go into specifics of the meeting, beyond telling his players the report was inaccurate.

He was also asked Thursday night if he expects to sign another contract extension with the Rebels after a report surfaced last week that Ole Miss offered Kiffin a new contract and raise to remain in Oxford. Kiffin is in his third year with Ole Miss and has gone 23-12 during that time, including an 8-4 mark this season, as the Rebels lost four of their final five games after a 7-0 start.

“I don’t know,” Kiffin said. “I mean, I’ve signed three. Does a fourth one mean you’re never leaving? So, I don’t know. I’m much more focused and worried about the game than whether you sign another contract. And I’m not acting ungrateful for that, but again, everybody thinks you sign another contract, well, a year ago you said the same thing, and then here we are again.”

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

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Alabama vs. Auburn: Prediction, pick, spread, football game odds, live stream, watch online, TV channel

The Iron Bowl is featured as the SEC on CBS Game of the Week with the regular season coming to a close

By Barrett Sallee

21 hrs ago • 4 min read

 

 

 

 

Getty Images

No. 7 Alabama looks to end its season on a high note on Saturday afternoon when it hosts rival Auburn in the Iron Bowl in the SEC on CBS Game of the Week. The Crimson Tide won't represent the SEC West in the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta next weekend, but a state championship over the Tigers is something that every Alabama coach emphasizes throughout the year. 

The Tigers have had a frustrating year that resulted in the dismissal of coach Bryan Harsin on Oct. 31. But interim coach and Tigers legend Carnell "Cadillac" Williams has sparked much-needed life into the program, won two straight games and has made a case to take over the job on a full-time basis. A win over Alabama would certainly go a long way toward strengthening that case. 

What will happen on Saturday afternoon? Let's preview the game and make picks straight up and against the spread.

Alabama vs. Auburn: Need to know

Looking ahead?: Alabama has been out of the SEC West title hunt since mid-November, which isn't normal for a program that is accustomed to not only competing for the conference title but the College Football Playoff. That prompted reporters to ask star players if they've thought about opting out of Alabama's bowl game, including star quarterback Bryce Young.

"As far as me thinking about my future, I take everything one day at a time," he said. "So all I've been focused on throughout the year has been the next opponent, and obviously, this is huge. This is a huge game. This means a lot to me, to people in the entire state, to us as a team. This is a huge game, so all I think about is today. How can I be the best version of myself today to get ready to put myself in the best circumstances, how we as a team can do that, and that's all my head's focused on."

It certainly looked like Young backed it up last weekend. He was 22 of 30 for 264 yards and two touchdowns last week vs. Austin Peay before Jalen Milroe came in to finish the game. That was in a meaningless game against an FCS opponent, not the battle for state bragging rights. Alabama's players know how much this game means, so don't expect them to mail this one in during their last game in Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Ground and pound: Running backs Tank Bigsby and Jarquez Hunter have each topped the 100-yard mark in Auburn's last two games, which not only coincided with wins but a return to old-school football that interim coach Williams was successful with when he was a player for the Tigers from 2001-04. Bigsby and Hunter have done this despite not having much of a downfield passing threat from quarterback Robby Ashford. 

 

Alabama has given up more than 180 rushing yards in three of its last four conference games with the outlier being against a Mississippi State team that uses its short passing attack as a substitute for running the ball. This isn't a typical Alabama defense, and if Auburn is going to pull the upset, it's going to have to take advantage with its newfound dedication to the rushing attack.

Tryout?: Rumors have swirled surrounding Auburn's next head coach, and most of them haven't focused on Williams. But that could change if he springs an upset over Alabama. "Cadillac" has won two of his last three games and will pull out all of the stops in his first -- and perhaps, only -- Iron Bowl coaching experience. 

Does the idea of an upset seem crazy? On the surface, yes. But Auburn was a 20.5-point underdog going into last season's Iron Bowl yet took the Crimson Tide to four overtimes before John Metchie III broke their hearts. Expect plenty of fireworks from the Iron and Blue as they look to spring one of the biggest upsets of the season.

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

 

 

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Per Auburn Live On3 "sources":  "If Auburn can’t reach a deal with Kiffin soon, sources continue to tell Auburn Live that Cohen will move on to the next candidate, and will do so quickly. Liberty’s Hugh Freeze, Penn State’s James Franklin, Oregon’s Dan Lanning, Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson are some names to watch, if Kiffin remains at Ole Miss."

https://www.on3.com/teams/auburn-tigers/news/lane-kiffin-addresses-auburn-job-speculation-following-egg-bowl/