Iron Bowl Boasts Typical High-Stakes Trappings

The Alabama-Auburn game has its standard trappings of a Heisman Trophy candidate, a national title contender and the unrelenting passion of feuding neighbors.
No. 2 Alabama can clinch the SEC West title with a victory in Saturday night’s Iron Bowl.
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Defending SEC champion Auburn has been reduced to the spoiler role after two straight stumbles in league games. The Tide is a 9-1/2-point favorite but the game still has the same hold on the state.
Alabama coach Nick Saban says both sides will play with a high intensity “and that’s what makes it a great football game.”
His team is No. 1 in the College Football Playoff rankings. Tigers coach Gus Malzahn says they’re trying to “finish this thing as strong as we can.”
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