Alabama holds off Auburn: No. 10 Crimson Tide survive thriller to punch ticket SEC Championship Game

The outcome sets up an Alabama–Georgia matchup in the SEC Championship Game for the fourth time since 2018. The Crimson Tide have never lost to Georgia in five previous conference title meetings. It will also be a rematch of Alabama's 24-21 win in Athens on Sept. 27 -- the Bulldogs' lone loss of the season.

A compelling subplot will be how the CFP Selection Committee views Alabama if it loses. While it seems unlikely the committee would punish the Tide for falling to a highly ranked opponent in a league title game, the mere possibility adds another layer of motivation for Alabama.

Alabama brought in former Miami receiver Isaiah Horton from the portal to serve as a secondary threat behind Germie Bernard and Ryan Williams. But against Auburn, the redshirt junior became the unit's lead playmaker. At 6-foot-4, he has the frame to be a natural red-zone target, and that's exactly what he was. Horton's three touchdown receptions marked a career high and helped stabilize a struggling Alabama passing attack.

The lasting image will be his go-ahead score with 3:50 remaining, but his best grab came earlier -- a toe-tap touchdown in the back of the end zone late in the first quarter.

Auburn didn't pick up a first down until its fourth possession, as quarterback Ashton Daniels opened just 1 of 6. But the offensive rut wasn't all on Daniels. Much of the blame fell on Auburn's pass-catchers, who were credited with five drops. There were several other moments when the Tigers' skill players failed to haul in catchable throws. The most costly came late in the third quarter, when a pass slipped through running back Omar Mabson's hands and into the arms of Alabama safety Bray Hubbard, halting a promising drive.

Sophomore speedster Malcolm Simmons provided a spark with a 64-yard catch that set up a game-tying touchdown in the fourth quarter. But the group's issues resurfaced in the final minute, when Cam Coleman fumbled at the Alabama 20-yard line as the Tigers were driving.

No. 10 Alabama survived an Iron Bowl thriller on Saturday night, outlasting Auburn 27-20 at Jordan-Hare Stadium to clinch its spot in next week's SEC Championship Game. The Crimson Tide squandered a 17-0 lead before delivering an 8-minute touchdown drive in the fourth quarter highlighted by a tenure-defining gamble from Kalen DeBoer.

With the score tied at 20 and four minutes remaining, the Crimson Tide's second-year coach opted to go for it on fourth-and-2 from Auburn's 6-yard line. The bold move paid off when Ty Simpson hit Isaiah Horton for a go-ahead touchdown. It was one of three scoring connections between the two as the Crimson Tide improved to 10-2 (7-1 SEC).

Even after the go-ahead score, Alabama still needed some late heroics to escape with the win. The Tigers were driving when star receiver Cam Coleman fumbled at the Alabama 20-yard line with 33 seconds remaining. Bray Hubbard fell on it to help secure the outcome.

The win marked Alabama's sixth straight in the series and improved the Crimson Tide to 30-1 when playing an unranked Auburn team. DeBoer is the first Alabama coach since Gene Stallings in 1990-91 to begin his tenure with a 2-0 mark against the Tigers.

Auburn (5-7) made it a bumpy ride for the Tide. Playing under interim coach D.J. Durkin, the Tigers rallied from a horrendous offensive start and tied the game at 20 with Jeremiah Cobb's 2-yard touchdown at the 11:43 mark. That's when the Crimson Tide embarked on their 15-play go-ahead drive.

Simpson finished 19 of 35 passing with 122 yards and three touchdowns. Jam Miller led the Crimson Tide in rushing with 83 yards on 15 carries before leaving the game in the second half with an injury.

3:50 4Q: Alabama 27, Auburn 20

Kalen DeBoer just faced one of the biggest fourth-down decisions of his coaching career as the Crimson Tide had a fourth-and-2 at Auburn's 6-yard line. He rolled the dice and the gamble paid off. Ty Simpson hit Isaiah Horton for their third touchdown connection of the game to inflict a crushing blow on the Tigers. The Crimson Tide are 3 for 3 on fourth down plays in this game. DeBoer's handling of that sequence now stands in start contrast to D.J. Durkin's decision to kick a field goal in a similar circumstance during the second quarter.

Jam Miller left with an apparent injury on Alabama's previous possession, leaving running back responsibilities largely to Daniel Hill. The sophomore back is picking up key yards as the Crimson Tide plunge into Auburn territory. Freshman back AK Dear is also in the rotation now and made a 6-yard reception earlier in the drive.

11:43 4Q: Auburn 20, Alabama 20

Auburn has completed a remarkable rally from a 17-0 deficit to tie rival Alabama 20-20 with 11:43 remaining. Jeremiah Cobb surged in from two yards out to cap off a drive highlighted by another huge play from Malcolm Simmons. The sophomore speedster went 64 yards on a third-and-11 play to set up the score. He is up to 143 yards receiving on three catches and is one of the few Tigers pass-catchers not yet credited with a drop. The Tigers have completed a masterful recovery from their woeful offensive start and have officially turned this into another classic.

End 3Q: Alabama 20, Auburn 13

Auburn was on the move in Alabama territory on its 11th play of the drive when Bray Hubbard intercepted Ashton Daniels on a play that could prove quite consequential. The play was yet another example of how underwhelming the Tigers' pass-catchers have been tonight. It hit Omar Mabson in the hands before fluttering to Hubbard, who returned to almost midfield. That play returned the momentum to Alabama entering the fourth quarter after Auburn had slowly chipped away at a 17-0 deficit and positioned itself for a potential game-tying score.

Mid 3Q: Alabama 20, Auburn 13

Alabama converted a couple of third downs and drew Auburn offsides on a fourth down play before the Tigers held firm in the red zone. Isaiah Horton continued his big game with a 16-yard snag. Jahquez Robinson was also called for roughing the passer on the play, which amounted to a 31-yard pickup for the Crimson Tide. But a big stand from Auburn ensued to keep this a one possession game.

14:00 3Q: Alabama 17, Auburn 13

Auburn just began the second half with a bang. Rolling to his right on third-and-11, Ashton Daniels found Malcolm Simmons down the right sideline for a 64-yard touchdown. That was the sort of explosive play that was missing for the Tigers as they clawed for every yard in the first half. It looked momentarily as if the play might be wiped off due to a penalty. But the flag was on the Crimson Tide.

Second half keys

Auburn's highly regarded receiving corps is struggling in the biggest game of the season. The Tigers have officially been credited with five drops, including two for Eric Singleton Jr. Those miscues — along with six penalties — have proven costly for the Tigers. Alabama's offense will also be seeking to regain its footing in the third quarter after a couple of three-and-outs to end the first half. The Crimson Tide appeared to be in form command after surging ahead 17-0, but the Tigers bowed up defensively, and Ashton Daniels started making plays with his legs to give Auburn some life. But field goals aren't going to get it done for the Tigers. If D.J. Durkin wants to make a statement, he needs to start rolling the dice and playing to win instead of playing it safe on fourth downs.

HALF: Alabama 17, Auburn 6

A 33-yard Auburn touchdown pass from Ashton Daniels to Malcolm Simmons was wiped off by an illegal formation penalty with 54 seconds left in the first half. The Tigers had five men in the backfield. That was a brutal break to wipe out the most explosive play of the game for Auburn. Consequently, the Tigers settled for a 43-yard field goal from Alex McPherson on the final play of the first half. The Tigers found something offensively to close the half, but they twice had to settle for field goals.

4:05 2Q: Alabama 17, Auburn 3

Auburn maneuvered all the way to the 3-yard line before being faced with a big decision. Instead of going for it, D.J. Durkin opted to take the points with a chip shot field goal from Alex McPherson. The Tigers already converted one fourth down play on that drive courtesy of an improved 20-yard scramble from Ashton Daniels. But didn't roll the dice again. Auburn gets the football to start the third quarter and will need to keep Alabama off the board here to close the half in order to make that cautious decision from Durkin appear wise.

11:28 2Q: Alabama 17, Auburn 0

Auburn is officially on the ropes after Alabama's second straight touchdown drive. The Crimson Tide set the Tigers up with the run and then finished it off with the pass. Simpson hit Isaiah Horton for his second touchdown grab of the game to cap a 6-play scoring drive. Jam Miller ignited the drive with runs of 20 and 17 yards. Simpson finished it with consecutive completions as he begins settling in against the Auburn defense.

End 1Q: Alabama 10, Auburn 0

Auburn's offense looked rejuvenated in D.J. Durkin's first two games as the interim coach, but the Tigers sputtered in the first quarter of the Iron Bowl. It wasn't until 26 seconds remained that they finally picked up a first down. As the second quarter arrives, Auburn has reached Crimson Tide territory for the first time. Alabama struggled offensively out of the gate but converted a couple of key third-and-short plays on its final drive of the quarter en route to scoring the game's first touchdown. The quarterbacks are a combined 8 of 21 passing for 47 yards.

Late 1Q: Alabama 10, Auburn 0

Unable to find a passing rhythm, Ty Simpson took off for a gain of 26 on a third-and-3 play to set up the game's first touchdown. His elusive scamper established Alabama on Auburn's 12-yard line. Three plays later -- on another third-and-short -- Simpson finally made it happen with his arm. He was in deep trouble, backpedaling away from pressure, and found Isaiah Horton in the back of the end zone for a 6-yard touchdown connection.

Ashton Daniels delivered a perfect strike to Brandon Frazier on a third-and-8 play. But Frazier couldn't hang on, resulting in a third straight Auburn three-and-out to open the game. Daniels is 1 of 6 and three different Tigers have been credited with drops. Auburn hasn't attempted a run with a back yet. Neither offense is in sync early in a game that has already featured six penalties and five punts.

Mid 1Q: Alabama 3, Auburn 0

After swapping punts with Auburn to start the game, Alabama was on the cusp of another quick punt when Kalen DeBoer rolled the dice on a fourth-and-1 play near midfield. The gamble paid off as a Ty Simpson keeper netted the first down. From there, a dose of Jam Miller runs put the Crimson Tide in field goal range, and Conor Talty opened the scoring with a 45-yard make. Alabama's passing attack is sputtering with Simpson completing just 3 of 9 passes for 14 yards through two possessions. However, it's a good sign for the Tide that Miller has been able to get some traction.

Alabama will get the football first inside Jordan-Hare Stadium after Auburn won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. Ty Simpson has been a little shaky as of late, but the Crimson Tide quarterback will have a chance to inflict the first blow under the lights in this highly anticipated Iron Bowl.

Oklahoma snapped Alabama's eight-game winning streak and handed the Crimson Tide their first SEC loss last week, but Alabama still has a strong shot at the SEC title game. The Tide need a win in the Iron Bowl and an upset in another key rivalry next weekend -- either Texas over Texas A&M or Mississippi State over Ole Miss -- to clinch a spot outright.

• Beat Auburn, Texas beats Texas A&M OR 
• Beat Auburn, Mississippi State beats Ole Miss OR 
• Beat Auburn; Win three-way tie with Ole Miss/Georgia based on SEC opponent winning percentage
2025 SEC Championship Game scenarios: Georgia clinches spot, Alabama and Ole Miss remain in contention

Brad Crawford

Auburn will be out to make history in the SEC's greatest rivalry on Saturday when the Tigers host No. 10 Alabama in a seismic showdown with far-reaching implications. Never in the Iron Bowl's expansive history has a top-10 Alabama team traveled to face an unranked Auburn team inside Jordan-Hare Stadium and lost. 

If that changes in 2025, the fallout will be dire for Alabama. The Crimson Tide looked like a near-lock to make the College Football Playoff just two weeks ago. Then came a loss to Oklahoma, which has eliminated Bama's margin for error as it heads into a venue where things are never easy. With a win, Alabama (9-2, 6-1 SEC) could reach the SEC Championship Game and cement its status as a CFP team.

However, a loss would leave second-year coach Kalen DeBoer with consecutive 9-win regular seasons and an 0 for 2 mark on reaching the 12-team playoff. Furor would intensify to an uncomfortable degree. The Crimson Tide enter as just 6-point favorites against their hated in-state foe, despite the fact that Auburn is 5-6 (1-6) and playing under interim coach D.J. Durkin.

But strange things tend to happen when this game is contested on the Plains. The Crimson Tide's last two wins at Auburn in 2023 and 2021 came by a combined total of five points against Tigers teams that finished just 6-7. Given the stakes and the narrow line, it would be no surprise if we're for another thriller in 2025.

Auburn played its best offensive game of the season in its first game following Hugh Freeze's firing. Though the Tigers fell 45-38 in overtime at Vanderbilt, they showed a new and more exciting gear with Ashton Daniels unleashed as the starting quarterback and offensive coordinator Derrick Nix calling the plays. Daniels rested in last week's win over Mercer to help preserve his redshirt year, but he'll be in the lineup against the Crimson Tide. Another beneficiary of Auburn's offensive progression following Freeze's firing has been receiver Cam Coleman. The star sophomore made 10 catches for 143 yards and a touchdown against Vandy.

After thriving as a clutch playmaker and fierce protector of the football during an 8-game winning streak, Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson has picked up a case of the "whoopsie daisies" as of late. He was intercepted and fumbled in the Crimson Tide's loss to Oklahoma and was also picked off twice in the first half of last week's win over Eastern Illinois. While Simpson's play unquestionably helped elevate Alabama after a stunning Week 1 loss at Florida State, his recent regression is a concern heading into the Iron Bowl. For better or worse, the verdict on his redshirt junior season will be rendered largely based on his performance against Auburn.

It's never happened inside Jordan-Hare Stadium before, but there is one example from this rivalry's illustrious history of a top-10 Alabama team losing to an unranked Auburn squad. It came in 2002, when a 7-4 Auburn team knocked off No. 9 Alabama 17-7 during Dennis Franchione's second and final season as coach. Bama was serving a postseason ban that year, which only magnified the Auburn game's significance as the barometer of a successful season. The Tigers jumped out to a 17-0 halftime lead and ended Alabama's five-game winning streak.

Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson has been a bit rickety as of late, but he's successfully navigated a number of tense situations involving serious game pressure and won't be rattled by this environment. Auburn's quarterback group doesn't bring the same winning pedigree, and while the Tigers are a threat to run the football, Bama's run defense has improved significantly in the season's second half. The Tigers will be able to move the football some, but the Crimson Tide are masters of creating big turnovers and coming up with clutch stops. If Simpson returns to form, Alabama can gain second half separation. Pick: Alabama -6