No. 1 Alabama, No. 15 Auburn Contest 2014 Iron Bowl
Can T.J. Yeldon and the Alabama Crimson Tide secure a berth in the SEC title game?
Bitter rivals meet under the lights Saturday night as No. 1 Alabama hosts No. 15 Auburn in a game that’s for more than just the Foy-ODK Sportsmanship Trophy.
Kickoff at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. ET.
The Crimson Tide enters this latest installment of the Iron Bowl knowing that a win will secure an all-important berth in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game.  That’s not the only thing driving the Tide forward though.
Nick Saban’s side will also be looking to exact some revenge from the side that spoiled its championship hopes a season ago.
Out of title contention, Auburn will simply be looking to spoil the Tide’s season once more.
The Story So Far
Alabama (10-1, 6-1 SEC) opened the season sitting just behind Florida State on bookmakers’ lists of national championship odds. Now, with one game left to go in the regular season, the Crimson Tide is sitting pretty at the top of the College Football Playoff rankings. That could change after Saturday.
Nick Saban’s side enters Saturday’s game knowing a win will mean a trip to Atlanta next weekend for the SEC title game. A loss could open the door for Mississippi State, the only other SEC West team still alive in the SEC race.
The Bulldogs will contest the Egg Bowl earlier in the day knowing a win over Ole Miss in Oxford will pile the pressure on Alabama. A loss means Alabama goes to Atlanta regardless of Saturday night’s result.
After getting to the National Championship Game a season ago, Auburn (8-3, 4-3 SEC) enters the final week of the season with little to play for but pride.
The Tigers remained in contention through October and into November, but back-to-back losses to Louisiana State and Texas A&M put paid to any hopes the side had of a) going to the SEC title game, and b) earning one of the four College Football Playoff berths.
Rather than dismiss Saturday’s game as unimportant, Gus Malzahn will have his team well and truly prepped for a game that could never be considered unimportant. What’s more, history favors the Tigers in this one.
Head-to-Head
Since the Iron Bowl was first held in 1893, Alabama has built up a 42-35-1 advantage over Auburn, with the majority of games having been played in Birmingham,
In recent years the two schools have taken to hosting the game at their home stadiums. Since the switch was made permanent in 1999, Auburn has earned a 9-6 advantage in the series.
Furthermore, the Tigers are 5-2 when playing in Tuscaloosa.
Alabama won 49-0 the last time the two sides met at Bryant-Denny Stadium (Nov. 24, 2012), and has won two of the last three head-to-head meetings in the stadium.
Auburn stole the show a season ago in the ‘Kick Bama Kick’ game, with Chris Davis returning Adam Griffith’s missed 56-yard field goal attempt 109 yards for a game-winning touchdown, ruining Alabama’s season in the process.
Injury Report
Auburn is without defensive end Carl Lawson, out indefinitely with a knee injury.
Alabama has lost both running back Kenyan Drake (ankle) and linebacker Ronnie Clark (Achilles) for the season, while another linebacker, Denzel Duvall (ankle) is out indefinitely.
Check out the full injury list
Will Nick Marshall and the Auburn Tigers repeat last year’s upset of Alabama?
Betting Report
Below you’ll find Betting Sports’ breakdown of odds and betting trends.
Auburn Tigers vs. Alabama Crimson Tide odds for 11/29/2014
Moneyline: Alabama (-350) opened as the favorite over Auburn (+298) on the moneyline. That advantage has slipped slightly as kickoff approaches.
Alabama has won four of the last six head-to-head meetings, but Auburn has won five of the last seven head-to-head games played at Alabama.
Spread: The spread opened at 7 and has climbed as high as 9.
Both Alabama (2-8-1 ATS) and Auburn (4-7-0 ATS) have struggled against the spread this season.
Alabama is 2-4-0 ATS at home and 2-8-1 ATS when playing as the favorite.
Auburn is 1-3-0 ATS on the road and 1-1-0 ATS when considered the underdog.
Auburn is 1-5-0 ATS in its last six games, while Alabama is 1-5-1 ATS in its last seven.
Auburn is 6-3-0 ATS in its last nine head-to-head meetings with Alabama.
Total: The total opened at 53.5.
Both Auburn (5-6-0 O/U) and Alabama (4-6-0 O/U) have favored the under this season, although neither has done so definitively.
The total has gone under in 10 of the last 15 head-to-head meetings, including six of Auburn’s last seven trips to Alabama.
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