Ahead of yet another important Iron Bowl, Kirk Herbstreit took the time to talk with us about some keys to the game.
When you talk about rivalries in college football, of course, one of the first ones that come to mind is the annual Iron Bowl contested between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Auburn Tigers. This SEC West showdown is one of the more well-known in the sport, and oftentimes can carry some national championship implications along with it.
Well, this year, the Iron Bowl means just about everything as it pertains to the national championship.
Alabama and Auburn are set to clash on Saturday, with the Crimson Tide heading to The Plains carrying an unblemished record of 11-0 on the season, while the Tigers will play host to their rival at 9-2, but are rolling towards the end of the season, including a recent demolition of then-No. 1 Georgia.
With this pivotal matchup coming on Saturday in Auburn, ESPN College GameDay analyst Kirk Herbstreit took the time to talk to us about some keys to this year’s battle, beginning with Auburn being in possession of one of the most underrated skill players in the country.
“Number one, you have Kerryon Johnson for Auburn. He’s probably the most underrated back in the SEC — maybe in the country this year,” Herbstreit said. “He is so key to their success and what they do with [Jarrett] Stidham throwing the football.
“I think for Alabama, with its defense and the injuries it’s sustained in recent weeks, even though there’s been some talk about getting a guy or two back, how they are able to defend against the run and lock down Kerryon Johnson to get to Stidham into some obvious passing situations I think will be big.”
With over 1,100 yards on the season, there’s no question Johnson is the fuel that makes the Auburn engine run. But when it comes to Alabama’s side of things, well, we all know head coach Nick Saban has a sophomore quarterback that can get the job done when needed.
“I think for Alabama, it’s all about Jalen Hurts,” the ESPN College GameDay analyst said. “Hurts likes to throw the ball to someone like Calvin Ridley, but he also likes to create.
“This Auburn defense is athletic and they’re aggressive. Defensive coordinator Kevin Steele did such a great job two weeks ago against Jake Fromm in the win over Georgia, but this is a totally different animal with Jalen Hurts. Can Auburn prevent Hurts from getting outside and keeping plays alive?
“If Alabama wins, we’ll look back and see three or four plays where Hurts just made plays with his feet and arms combined.”
Usually, the question that most want to be answered coming out of this game is which team is better. However, with the construction of the College Football Playoff, fans want to know whether or not we could see both the Tigers and the Tide make an appearance in the final four come New Year’s Day.
“As far as both teams getting in, I think the only way that’s potentially even a discussion is if Auburn wins the game, kind of like the ‘Kick Six.’ A grand finish at the end — something where it comes down to Auburn winning a really close game and Alabama looks really good in defeat,” Herbstreit said. “And then, Auburn goes on to defeat Georgia. I think that’s the best way the committee could look at an 11-1 Alabama team and let them in.
“They don’t have the best resume. You couldn’t say, ‘hey, they beat seven ranked teams;’ you won’t have that argument. You’ll just be able to say collectively, as a committee, that they’re one of the best teams in the country. Don’t look at resume, it’s just what we think.”
The 2017 edition of the Iron Bowl between Alabama and Auburn takes place on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on CBS.
Herbstreit has always had a great relationship with the folks from Allstate, and this season is no different. This year, Herbstreit is working with Allstate on their “All Hands In” program, which brings fans together to help build a permanent playground at a local elementary school. Also, through Allstate’s #sweettalk initiative, Herbstreit is encouraging fans to say something nice about opponents on social media, where they could earn a trip to the National Championship Game using both #sweettalk and #sweepstakes.