Numbers that Matter: Auburn at Alabama-sn

It’s going to be hard to top last year’s Iron Bowl. How did that one end again?

The stakes are the same for No. 2 Alabama (10-1), which is in the middle of the hunt for the four-team College Football Playoff. No. 15 Auburn (8-3) is playing a role of the spoiler, this time in Tuscaloosa.
Who has the advantage in the Iron Bowl? Let’s take a closer look at the Numbers that Matter.

Series

Auburn won the first meeting 40-16 in 1893, and the schools have played every year since 1948. Alabama leads the series 42-35-1, and the Tide also own the longest win streak in the series at nine from 1973-81.

Nick Saban vs. Auburn

Between head coaching stops at LSU and Alabama, Nick Saban is 6-6 against Auburn. He’s 2-1 at Tuscaloosa, the last a 49-0 win in 2012.

Gus Malzahn vs. Alabama

Malzahn has coached in four Iron Bowls, three as an offensive coordinator with the Tigers from 2009-11 and one as a head coach last year. Auburn averages 297.3 total yards of offense in those games, but the Tigers racked up 393 total yards last season. Auburn is 2-2 in those games.

Spotlight player: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama

Is Cooper the best player on the field? He had six catches for 178 yards in last year’s loss to the Tigers, including a 99-yard touchdown reception. The Tigers have allowed 15 TD passes in SEC play this season, so Cooper will get his chances to prove it.

On the spot: Cameron Artis-Payne, RB, Auburn

Tre Mason rushed for 164 yards in last year’s win against the Tide. Here’s a simple stat to follow. Auburn is 2-0 against ranked SEC teams (LSU, Ole Miss) when Artis-Payne rushes more than 100 yards. The Tigers are 0-2 against ranked SEC teams (Mississippi State, Georgia) when he doesn’t. Artis-Payne has to come through.

Key matchup: Blake Sims vs. Nick Marshall

Of course, the quarterbacks will be the focus Saturday. Sims is getting his first taste of the Iron Bowl, but it helps he’s in the comforts of home. Sims averages 10.5 yards per pass attempt with 14 TDs and two interceptions at home this season. Marshall, meanwhile, is working through a late-season funk in which he has two TDs and two interceptions the last three weeks. Marshall totaled 262 yards and three touchdowns in last year’s win against Alabama.
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X-factor: Lane Kiffin

The focus in Alabama games tends to drift toward Kiffin. Will he get too cute with Malzahn on the other sideline? The Crimson Tide have a 55:45 run/pass ratio this season. Will Kiffin stick with that formula against the Tigers?

Stat that matters: Turnovers

Alabama has committed just five turnovers in seven Iron Bowl under Saban. The Crimson Tide have forced 13 Auburn turnovers in those games. Last year, Alabama didn’t commit a turnover but still lost. Auburn won’t be as lucky on the road.

Magic number: 19

Alabama has lost just three games in Tuscaloosa since 2010. In those losses to Auburn (2010), LSU (2011) and Texas A&M (2012), the Crimson Tide averaged just 19 points per game. If Auburn holds Alabama to less than 20 points, the Tigers could pull the upset.

In-game trend: Rushing yards

The Crimson Tide averages 240.5 rushing yards per game at home this season, and is holding opponents 63.5 rushing yards per game. Florida is the only team that averaged 4.0 yards per carry at Bryant-Denny Stadium this season.

Did you know?

Alabama has won 15 straight games at home, and the Crimson Tide is outscoring opponents 650-103 in those games.

Bottom line

It’s still the Iron Bowl, so it’s not like Auburn can’t go into Alabama and win. It will come down to the quarterbacks, and four of the last seven in this series have been decided by seven points or less. Auburn is 3-1 in those games. If it’s close, the Tigers have a chance. But the odds favor Alabama getting their revenge at home.

Gene Stallings, Rudi Johnson Join Us on Talk Back for Auburn-Alabama-athlon

Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Auburn Tigers Game Preview and Prediction

Can Alabama avoid the upset?

YES!

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Iron Bowl the final home broadcast for Alabama legend-sds

Sitting high atop Neyland Stadium in the visitor’s broadcast perch, where the wedged-in University of Alabama radio team was preparing to broadcast the Crimson Tide’s game against Tennessee this season, Tom Roberts reflected on some of his previous trips to Knoxville.

There had been a lot of them over the years, which always had the same determining factor for how good of a trip it would be. That included the first one in 1966, when Roberts was working as the assistant sports editor of the Crimson White student newspaper.
“We left Tuscaloosa at 7 a.m. in a pouring rain, and it rained all day and all through the game,” he said. “That was the one we won when Gary Wright, right down here, kicked it wide right, and we beat the Vols.
“It was wonderful.”
While that game was also highlighted by a 14-play drive led by renowned quarterback Kenny Stabler, with kicker Steve Davis making a 17-yard field goal with 3 minutes and 23 seconds to go for an 11-10 final score, little did Roberts know that it was just the beginning of an illustrious career with Alabama football.
From national championships to highlight after highlight after highlight, Roberts has been there for them all, along with the various coaches and standout players. From being the network’s statistician, a position that he held until turning it over to his son Brian in 1998, he’s nearly the only thing that they all have in common.
“In the summer of ’79, Charlie Thornton called me and said, ‘Tommy, we need someone to do scores on the network. Would you be interested?’ I tell people all of the time, after I got up off the floor I said, ‘Yes! I’ll be happy to do it.’ I never asked what it would pay or if they would pay for my travel or anything. I was just excited to be on the radio network.”
For years Thornton was Alabama and assistant athletic director and Alabama’s chief fundraiser, but perhaps best known as being a co-host of the Bear Bryant Show. Meanwhile, Roberts’ “day job” at the time was at WVTM-TV in Birmingham, where over the years he served as a producer, assignment editor, assistant news director, news and sports anchor/reporter. He continued to work in the news and sports departments until taking over as the station’s news director from 1994-99.
On Saturdays, though, he was at Bryant-Denny Stadium or wherever the Crimson Tide was scheduled to play, and his enthusiasm has never waivered.
Nevertheless, when Alabama hosts Auburn this week it’ll be Roberts’ last home game in the broadcast booth. At the end of this season he’s retiring as Director of Broadcasting at Crimson Tide Sports Network, a role held since 1999.
While some know him as the host of the game-day broadcast, the pre-game and halftime shows, and the man behind the microphone for both “Hey Coach” and “The Nick Saban Show,” Roberts has also been the network’s key person behind the scenes as well.
He’s the one who has worked out the contracts with all of the radio stations throughout the state and region to carry Crimson Tide broadcasts – from Nashville to Apalachicola, Fla. — which annually brings in millions in revenue.
“He’s been our leader both on the air and off, seemingly forever,” said Eli Gold, who is now in his third decade as the voice of the Crimson Tide. “He’s done it all, he’s been part of it forever,”
“There’s nobody who doesn’t know Tom Roberts’ voice. We’ll miss him.”
In turn, Roberts will the others on the broadcast team as well, especially the dinner buddies. Among the things the Crimson Tide radio road crew is especially known for eating at the most desirable restaurant the night before road games. At many places they don’t even need a reservation any more.
“I’m going to miss the atmosphere on the road,” Roberts said. “I’ll won’t miss the trips. I’ll miss eating. We have a great place to eat in every town we go to. I’m going to miss those.”
Well, Roberts still plans to eat well, just in different circumstances as he and his new wife hope to travel a lot, but also spend more time with their families. Many of the stories he could tell would be worth a lot more than any tip he could leave.
Among the scores of prized memories the national championship games stand out, including Alabama’s win over Miami for the 1992 title and the dominating victory over Notre Dame at the end of the 2012 season. There’s all the venues, the bowls he’s worked, and the games against that “other” traditional opponent as well.
“Wins over Auburn come in there pretty close, too, because they are the rival, and after Cam Newton in Tuscaloosa it became No. 1 on my list,” Roberts said. “Tennessee had always been No. 1 to me. It’s kind of 1 and 1A, now.”
Roberts doesn’t know yet when and where his last game broadcast will originate, only that it’ll be over the next couple of months depending on how well the Crimson Tide finishes up this season. Perhaps it’ll be at a bowl game, but he can’t help but wonder what being part of the inaugural College Football Playoff would be like, with semifinal games at the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, and then the championship at A&T Stadium in Texas.
“Obviously I’d love to be playing Jan. 12th in Dallas,” Roberts said. “It would be so wonderful to close it out with a national championship. But if we don’t it won’t be the end of the world because I’ve seen so many great teams, great coaches, great players down through the years. It’s fun regardless.”
Outside of that?
“A win over Auburn,” he answered as a final wish. “You’d love your last regular-season game to be a win over the arch-rival.”
So for now Alabama’s 34-20 victory on Oct. 25 is holding him over: The final time he made the trek to Tennessee, sat in that radio booth and watched the fans in orange try and deal with another loss.
“It is fun to win them, and this place, Tennessee is the most fun of all,” he said. “It’s so much fun to win in this stadium.”

Inside the Numbers: Alabama has a history of bouncing back-sds

It’s the game that needs no introduction: the Iron Bowl. This year, Auburn visits Bryant-Denny Stadium to renew the Alabama state rivalry. Last year, Auburn shocked the Crimson Tide with a late return touchdown, and Alabama will be looking for revenge this year.

Before the game, let’s take a look at the vital statistics for this year’s matchup.

THE GOOD

• 2. Alabama is second in the nation in rushing defense, and they’ve only allowed two rushing touchdowns all year. Auburn’s offense is predicated on its zone-read running attack, and Alabama should be up to the task of slowing it.
• 564.7. The Crimson Tide are just about unstoppable at home, racking up 564.7 yards of total offense on average in game played at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Auburn is giving up 412 yards per game on the road, and with the way their defense has played of late the Tide could be in for a big day.
• 0. Since Nick Saban came to town, Alabama has not lost two straight games to any one opponent. Auburn rebounded from a 49-0 knockout in 2012, and given the Crimson Tide’s history they’ll be ready to bounce back in a big way from last year’s gut-punch loss.

THE BAD

• 6. Kicking has been a problem all season for Alabama, and they’ve missed at least one kick in six of their last seven games. No one is likely to forget the legendary fashion in which last year’s game ended, with Auburn returning a missed field goal for the winning touchdown. Saban will have some reservations about trying any long field goals in this one.
• -1. Alabama has a negative turnover margin this year, with one more giveaway than takeaway. Auburn’s offense has sputtered in recent weeks because they haven’t been able to hold onto the ball, with eight turnovers in November. The Crimson Tide will need to be able to take advantage of the Tigers’ shaky ball handling.
• 0. Saban has yet to beat Auburn when the Tigers have had Gus Malzahn on staff. Malzahn was the offensive coordinator of the Cam Newton-led 2010 national champions, and last season was his first year as the head coach at Auburn. Saban is 4-3 against the Tigers in his first seven years at the helm in Tuscaloosa.

Five interesting things Nick Saban said this week …sds

Like usual, University of Alabama coach Nick Saban had some interesting things to say this week as the Crimson Tide geared up to face rival Auburn on Saturday (7:45 p.m. ET, ESPN):

The moment he figured out how big the Iron Bowl is was when he realized:
“The past is never dead when it comes to this game.”
On Alabama’s barrage of injuries this season:
“This is probably the most guys we’ve had nicked up.”
On technology:
“I don’t Google … I don’t know how. I don’t know what you would do.”
On Saturday’s game against Auburn:
“I think that execution still becomes the number-one goal. The team that can be the most exact in how they execute and keep their discipline, play with great emotion but also have poise in what they do. This doesn’t really matter much about who’s favored, ranks or rankings, and of that kind of stuff because rivalry games get determined by the team that can stay focused on what they need to do to execute and do it for 60 minutes in a game.”
On Thanksgiving:
“I think a lot of us run around in this world thinking about what we don’t have. But I think this is a really, really good time for everybody to just take a minute and give thanks for what we do have, because most of us have quite a bit to be thankful for. I hope that everybody has a very happy thanksgiving and spends time with their family. We’ll give thanks for all the wonderful things that we’ve been blessed with.”

Saban’s philanthropic focus remains on helping kids-sds

Although University of Alabama coach Nick Saban always calls it his favorite day of the year, he’s smart enough to have his wife Terry out in the forefront and speak first at the Nick’s Kids Giveaway Luncheon. Although it’s an annual event held in The Zone-North at Bryant-Denny Stadium that essentially marks the end of summer for the Crimson Tide, Terry often gets emotional when she takes the podium. This year was no exception as she began by saying, “I can hardly stop smiling,” and seemed to be particularly thankful about the things that have recently changed in their lives, including becoming grandparents for the first time.
So after suggesting that there are now “Nick’s Kids” and “Nick’s Kids’ Kids,” she consequently decided to let everyone in on a housekeeping issue that could certainly qualify as a good problem to have.
“Our house now needs to be painted,” she said to hundreds of children and staff workers for various local charities who were enjoying themselves as well. “We’ve never lived anywhere long enough for our house to be repainted. That’s a blessing.”
For some, so was the luncheon, which has become more than just a Tuscaloosa tradition in the month of July.
The Nick’s Kids Foundation actually goes back to before he took over the Crimson Tide in 2007, and began in 1998 when Saban was the head coach at Michigan State. The non-profit organization followed him to stops at Louisiana State and with the Miami Dolphins, but has always been dedicated to supporting children, family, teacher and student causes.
It’s also not named after the coach, but honors the memory of his father, Nick Sr. Most Crimson Tide fans know the famous story of the community leader in West Virginia who not only coached the youth football team still known as the Idamay Black Diamonds, but scrounged up the money to buy a used bus that he drove to the surrounding areas to pick up all the kids for practice.
The field that they play on is now known as Nick Saban Field, and not because of the guy who’s won national championships. Additionally, last year Pop Warner announced that its first named scholarship fund would be the Nick Saban Sr. Scholarship, with recipients determined by academic achievement and demonstration of leadership qualities on and off the field.
“Our motivation for this really comes from my dad,” Saban said. “It has been our family’s commitment to keep the legacy alive by what he started to try and help young people and give them a better opportunity to be successful. That is certainly why we are here today.”
This year the Sabans distributed $440,000 to 125 organizations from throughout the region, and more than $600,000 overall.
That was up from $415,644 in 2013 and brought the total since the Sabans arrived at the Capstone to more than $3.5 million, not including another $1 million earmarked for tornado relief. While the foundation has raised money and helped serve as facilitator for those post-April 27, 2011 recovery efforts, it helped spearhead the 15 for 15 Home Building Project with Habitat for Humanity of Tuscaloosa.
The money is raised year-round through the annual Nick’s Kids Golf Tournament in June, speaking engagements by both the husband and wife (some of which happen while the football season is ongoing), as well as individual donations.
The golf outing, in which the coach plays one hole with every foursome, marks another important point on the calendar for Saban as it’s always held right before he goes on vacation.
This last time when he arrived at Old Overton Golf Club in Vestavia Hills just outside of Birmingham he was in typical Saban fashion thinking about ways to improve the event and organization.
“We went to the Dick Vitale thing this year, Jimmy V (Foundation), it raised over 2 million dollars for pediatric cancer,” said Saban, who made a $50,000 donation at the May gala in Sarasota. “I’ve been pretty satisfied so far with what we’ve been able to do, but after seeing that and seeing the kids, this is something we’d like to do even more in the future.”
Nevertheless, the luncheon itself has taken on a life of its own over the years, as its always held after the coach has the freshmen players over to the house for some boating and inner tube rides right before training camp opens. The speeches are short, and lines can get a little long, but instead of mailing out the donations the coach makes a point to meet, shake hands and have a photo taken with everyone involved.
Saban also takes time to sign more than the checks, but autographs as well, along with numerous players. This year’s contingency was the largest yet and included Arie Kouandjio, Jalston Fowler, Christion Jones, Robert Foster, Austin Shepherd, Ryan Kelly, Brian Vogler, Landon Collins, Jarrick Williams, DeAndrew White, Blake Sims, Derrick Henry, Geno Smith, Maurice Smith and Dalvin Tomlinson.
“Happiness comes from doing something of significance, and it really comes from doing something of significance for someone else,” Saban said. “I would really like to thank all of the people here today that work with the children who really provide the leadership to affect them, so they have a better chance to live a quality life. They really do care about these young people, and they really do serve them every day.
“Those are the people who really should be the heroes here today.”
A final highlight of the luncheon is also its lasting image, when the Sabans do a group photo with all kids in attendance, which requires the photographer to have both a very wide lens and a ladder to get everyone in the shot.
On this occasion, though, they had some extra pictures taken of the family, and one with just their granddaughter, Amélie.
“It’s really special to us,” Saban said.