PRESS PICKS IRON BOWL: Panel repeats prediction of Bama victory
STAFF REPORT
The 88th Iron Bowl is here.
Let the hand-wringing begin.
It’s natural for fans to feel pressure about this rivalry, even if most have never played a down in this game. Funny, players who have seem to take this all in stride and have a lot of respect for the game and the opponent, no matter which side they are on.
But the game sometimes brings out the best and worst on both sides. Lately, Auburn has been hard to beat at its home base, no matter what the difference is in the point spread. Two years ago, the Crimson Tide was a 20-point favorite and needed four overtimes to pull out the win.
Auburn has a 4-4 record at Jordan-Hare Stadium since Nick Saban took over the Alabama football program.
Alabama also has a three-game winning streak in the series, something it hasn’t had since Paul “Bear” Bryant was coach. That streak reached nine games before his final regular season game in 1982, a loss to the Tigers in Birmingham. He retired a few days later and coached his last game in the Liberty Bowl in Memphis before passing away on Jan. 26, 1983.
Members of the Press Picks panel pick Alabama, overwhelmingly, to win this year’s Iron Bowl.
Doug Amos (ESPN The Ticket - 107.5 FM)
Another Iron Bowl in Auburn means one thing - expect there to be some level of craziness. Auburn enters the game following a hard-to-figure loss to New Mexico State and Alabama with its site set on returning to the College Football Playoff. having won nine straight. Like most of the series' matchups at Jordan-Hare this will be a fourth-quarter game, with Alabama finding a way late to pull it out. The Tide and heads to Atlanta with its national championship dreams still intact… Alabama 27, Auburn 20
Mike Peacock (River Region Sports)
A week ago I really thought Auburn might be building toward another classic Iron Bowl in Jordan Hare. Momentum was boiling. Then someone forgot to pay the power bill and they were embarrassed at home. No doubt they will be recharged, but, like a Tesla, the charge only lasts so long. Alabama pulls away late…. Alabama 38, Auburn 28.
Michael Butler (WTLS Radio)
Alabama has won four of five in the series, but we know of the struggles in Jordan-Hare. Despite last week, this AU team is feisty enough on defense to keep the Tigers around into the second half. We have seen a major shift with the Tide offense however Jalen Milroe has become one of the nation's best quarterbacks. The difference is his ability to make plays. Auburn has not made enough with Thorne and Ashford.
Don't be surpised if this is an ugly win, but I expect an Alabama win regardless. You can throw out the record books if you want, but the better team usually wins in this rivalry... Alabama 27, Auburn 17
Rick Hendrick (WFXS 95.1 The Fox)
It’s very cliche but with this game you can “throw away the record books “ and with the game being in Auburn the emotions will be high but in the end I think Alabama will pull off the win … Alabama 38, Auburn 33
Tim Gayle (River Region Sports/Montgomery Independent)
it will be close. It always is at Jordan-Hare. It doesn’t matter how good or how bad one team or the other might be. Bama and Auburn will go into the half time locker room in a tight game and Alabama will find a way to win it in the fourth quarter. It’s a plan that has worked for 11 years or the last time the Crimson Tide won a lopsided game in Auburn…. Alabama 30, Auburn 20
Mike Tankersley (River Region Sports/WTLS)
Well, there goes the Iron Bowl. Momentum was building toward a very decent Alabama-Auburn spectacle but New Mexico State "killed" that notion. Jalen Milroe puts a stamp on his remarkable season by leading the Tide to a rare, relatively easy win at Jordan-Hare… Alabama 38, Auburn 14
Barry McKnight (SportsRadio 740 /Voice of Troy Trojans)
The Tide is significantly better at every position and will have the need to rack up "style points" to present to the CFP Committee. They'll score as much as they possibly can (and that's a lot)! Alabama 44, Auburn 13
Graham Dunn (River Region Sports/ WTLS/Voice of ASU Hornets)
I’ll admit I’m somewhat torn on how this one might go. Auburn doesn’t have the horses to beat Alabama but there have been a few instances when it didn’t have enough and still found a way to scare the pants off of the Crimson Tide. There have been other instances where Alabama hasn’t played well and ended up being in a close game when it wasn’t supposed to be. I feel comfortable picking the Tide to win but not so much the point differential. The bookmakers call this about a two-touchdown spread. I’ll go below that, at least a little… Alabama 28, Auburn 16