Seat 26 ... Iron Bowl edition

We’re here at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on the campus of the University of Alabama set for the Iron Bowl. We’re currently 90 minutes from kickoff.

Can you feel it?

I’m writing this with a little bit of mixed emotions as one of my favorite coaches in the SEC, if not the country, announced his resignation as Mississippi State’s football coach.

I really like Sly Croom. I’m sure he’ll land on his feet soon.

Back to the Iron Bowl.
Auburn vs. Alabama. We’re ready. Are you?

Vegas thinks this won’t even be a game, making the Crimson Tide a 14-point favorite.
I don’t think that’ll happen. I picked Alabama to win, but Auburn will keep it within 14 points.

What do you think?

Who’s going to win and why?

Who’s got the edge in tomorrow’s Iron Bowl?

Because I’ve got no TNT for you today, I figured I’d let loose a sneak peak of one of the many things happening in tomorrow’s OA-News sports section.

For every home game, I break down the game, position by position and determine who has the overall edge. Because this is the Iron Bowl, I think it merits special treatment, even though it’s happening three hours (six if you’re counting traffic) northwest of Jordan-Hare Stadium.

As always, enjoy.

Quarterbacks
Kodi Burns may have more overall talent, more of a chance to make the big play and more potential, but John Parker Wilson has three more years of experience. That experience has led to him becoming one of the more effective quarterbacks in the SEC.
Edge: Alabama

Running backs
Both the Tide and Tigers use a three-back system. The team from Tuscaloosa has actually made it work.
Edge: Alabama

Receivers
Julio Jones has given the Tide and Wilson a legitimate weapon both downfield and across the middle, which it hasn’t had in years. Burns has missed a lot of passes this season, but Auburn’s receivers have dropped a lot of balls. They’ll also miss Tommy Trott.
Edge: Alabama

Offensive Line
Alabama boasts arguably the biggest and best five-man front in the country. Auburn’s has been average at best, and has by no means lived up its preseason expectations.
Edge: Alabama

Defensive Line
Terrence Cody is a large man. His occupation of two, or even three, blockers has enabled other Tide defenders to make plays and has paced the best rush defense in the conference.
Edge: Alabama

Linebackers
Josh Bynes can only make so many plays. Rolando McClain, and the rest of the Tide’s linebackers, have made more.
Edge: Alabama

Secondary
Auburn’s unit showed promise in limiting Georgia’s Matthew Stafford, but Rashad Johnson and Justin Woodall have picked off a combined nine passes. Three of those were returned for touchdowns.
Edge: Alabama

Special Teams
Though Leigh Tiffin has had his fair share of struggles, Morgan Hull could be making his first appearance as the Tigers’ field-goal kicker. Alabama’s Javier Arenas has emerged as one of the most dangerous returners in the country.
Edge: Alabama

Coaches
Nick Saban may be the best thing going right now, but Tommy Tuberville thrives in these situations. He also has six reasons to believe he has the advantage here.
Edge: AUBURN

Overall:
Yes, you can, perhaps, throw out all the records when Alabama and Auburn meet, but 11-0 versus 5-6 speaks for itself. Even the Tigers have to admit, it’d be quite a mammoth upset – one of the biggest in Iron Bowl history.
Edge: Alabama

5 questions for an Alabama beat writer

When it comes to everything Auburn, I’d like to assume that I’m considered a reliable source for information—or, a reliable source that can get you that information from a better source than myself.

But when it comes to that team up North that dresses in crimson, I’ll admit, I’m not your man.

The Dothan Eagle’s Ken Rogers, however, is that person. He’s been on the beat all season in happy-go-lucky Tuscaloosa, and is just chock full of Alabama knowledge. In the spirit of synergy, I asked him five questions about Saturday’s Iron Bowl, specifically focusing on the team he covers, and he responded with some informative answers.

1. No one thought that an SEC team could make it through the first 11 games without at least one loss, if not more. Simply put, what has put the Tide in this position?

Offensively, Alabama has stayed away from the catastrophic turnover that had been so evident the past two or three seasons. New offensive coordinator Jim McElwain simplified the offense for John Parker Wilson, whose maturity in not forcing second-and-long or third-and-long passes has paid off. Wilson is content to throw the ball away, even on third down, as he has seen the big picture that punting the ball away isn’t the worst thing that can happen on an offensive series.

Now, he is facing far more manageable down-and-distance situations because the veteran offensive line has really developed. Third-and-3 is easier on a quarterback than third-and-8.

Defensively, Alabama doesn’t have a lot of holes. The biggest difference is up front, where juco transfer Terrence Cody either shoves the line of scrimmage into the backfield or at least disrupts it. The key, however, is that Alabama has been able to control things up front and get pressure on the quarterback with four or five players, leaving six to cover in the secondary.

2. The numbers don’t exactly tell the story of Terrence Cody’s dominance on Alabama’s defensive line. Can you?

I know what you mean. Just seeing him take on two, then three blockers while either getting into the backfield or at least not giving ground just gets the other defenders fired up. It also takes people away from the linebackers, and Rolando McClain and Dont’a Hightower can cover a lot of ground without being blocked.

3. Many thought that this Alabama team is a year away and several still think this group is playing over their heads and will likely fall on its face against Florida in the SEC Championship. Why is that not the case?

Well, they still could. Florida has made a lot of good teams look bad this year. But Alabama’s physical style should at least keep it in the game. The Ole Miss defense is pretty physical, too, and they were able to get some stops against that tremendous offense. If Alabama’s offense could keep Tebow & Co. off the field, shorten the game and get the defense some rest, they’ll make it a four-quarter game.

4. Everyone knows how respected and successful of a coach Nick Saban is. How much credit does he deserve in this transformation?

Well, most of these guys have been to the Independence Bowl the last two years. Now they are undefeated, ranked No. 1 and will play in the national semifinal game (SEC Championship). Saban deserves credit not just for the turnaround on the field, but for changing the work habits that made those victories possible. Also, for a team that hasn’t known this kind of success this late in a season, they’ve been remarkably poised. Talent-wise, I’d be surprised if they matched up against the five or six teams directly below them in the polls, but they have certainly bought into Saban’s system.

5. Finally, we all know the old cliche that you can throw the records out for the Iron Bowl. But really, does Auburn stand a chance? What would have to happen for the one of the biggest upsets in Iron Bowl history to occur?

I think Auburn absolutely has a chance to win the game. The key is, does Auburn think it has a chance? Not many 5-6 teams, when facing the top-ranked team in the country, bring a six-game winning streak against that team. Protect the football, move the chains, don’t give up big plays and be great in the kicking game. That’s the recipe for every underdog, no, every football team in the country. That’s Bama’s formula, too. If only it were that easy…

Tomorrow’s notes today—the all-world high school phenom edition

Two plates full of delicious Thanksgiving goodness and two more, smaller plates of triangulated sweetness are nursing in between my ribs and belly button. It’ll be a while before I move from this chair.

It’s amazing how attached you can get to one piece of furniture for an extended period of time on the final Thursday in November.

From this here seat, though, I can make magic happen.

Exhibit A: Some holiday TNT—high in information, low on tryptophan.

Auburn DB’s aware of Jones’ capabilities
Members of Auburn’s secondary would be lying if they said they didn’t know what to expect from Alabama’s Julio Jones.

He was only one of the most highly touted recruits of the 21st century.

But those same members of the secondary aren’t ready to anoint the freshman wide receiver as the toughest matchup to date. That’s tough to do just two weeks removed from trying to shut down Georgia’s Mohamed Massaquoi and A.J. Green.

“Whoo man. I really don’t know,” cornerback Walter McFadden said. “A.J. Green, he’s a great receiver. I think he has quickness over Julio, but I can’t say right now because I haven’t went against him. He could be just as quick as A.J. Green when it comes to Saturday.”

All the Tigers have on Jones is a year’s worth of tape, but it’s plenty enough to know that Jones will be a difficult matchup, no matter who is guarding him or how many Tigers are running with him step for step.

Jones, at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, is significantly taller and bigger than McFadden and cornerback Jerraud Powers. He’s even bigger than both safety Mike McNeil and strong safety Zac Etheridge.

“He’s physical. He’s going to fight with you the whole game,” Powers said. “He’s going to push off. He’s going to get physical with you, so you’ve got to match that physicalness with him, and if not, he’s going to win every play.

“Other than that, he’s just a big-play receiver.”

Jones leads all Crimson Tide receivers with 43 catches for 687 yards and four touchdowns. He’s given fifth-year senior quarterback John Parker Wilson a target that hasn’t been seen in Tuscaloosa for years.

“He creates separation and makes big catches,” defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads said. “He’s a hand catcher. He catches the ball away from his body and thus away from the defensive player.”

BC-Mess? Depends who you talk to
If there’s anyone with a legitimate right to throw dirt on the current BCS system, it’s Tommy Tuberville.

But Tuberville, who seems to get reminded about his undefeated 2004 season that didn’t even get the Tigers invited to the BCS Championship on a weekly basis, has consistently held back on slamming the system.

“Someone is going to get left out as they always do,” Tuberville said Monday. “Sooner or later, we’re going to figure this thing out, but for now, this is the only opportunity that we have to get No. 1 and 2 to play at the end of the year.”

At 5-6 and needing a win just to eligible for a bowl such as the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La., Tuberville said he’s finding humor in this year’s potential BCS controversy and the teams’ respective coaches stumping for their team.

“It’s always interesting to hear things for the last few weeks and to hear different people complaining about when they get their foot into the ring,” Tuberville said. “It feels like they might have a chance to get in, but it might look like they get left out.”

Study buddies
Offensive play-caller Steve Ensminger and Kodi Burns each said they took advantage of their extra week of Iron Bowl preparation by watching every single Alabama game from this season.

Ensminger said he even watched a good amount from previous seasons to pick up tendencies of the Alabama secondary.

“It’s a chess match,” Burns said. “I think the more film I watch, the better prepared I’ll be for what they have.”

Tuning in
U.S. troops stationed around the world will be able to tune in to Saturday’s Iron Bowl.

In response to a number of requests from military personnel stationed overseas, including members of Alabama Air National Guard’s 117th Air Refueling Wing deployed in Kyrgyzstan, the game will be broadcast live on the Armed Forces Network.

Stuffed Tigers

Just received an e-mail from Todd Van Emst, ace photographer for all Auburn sports. He was on location for the recently served Thanksgiving lunch at Sewell Hall for the Auburn football team.

Here’s a rundown on the amount of food your Auburn Tigers tried to scarf down this afternoon:

- 4 roasts
- 10 turkeys
- 3 hams
- 8 pans dressing
- 12 boxes greens
- 3 sweet potato souffles
- 24 lbs of green beans
- 6 big bag carrots
- 12 lbs of cranberry sauce
- 5 bags broccoli
- 1 case each strawberry cloud cake, chocolate dream cakes,
- 4 lemon meringue pies
- 4 pecan pies
- 320 dinner rolls

Happy Thanksgiving!