The Alabama Crimson Tide are wrapping up their college football regular season with the classic Iron Bowl clash against Auburn on Saturday. This weekend’s game will also be Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer’s first appearance at Jordan-Hare Stadium since taking control of the program following legendary coach Nick Saban’s retirement.
After a massive 56-0 win over Eastern Illinois last week, DeBoer reflected on what it means to visit Auburn for his first Iron Bowl road experience. In his eyes, every game brings its own importance and unique atmosphere.
“I think every game is its own game,” DeBoer said. “I understand what the history of this rivalry is – home, away – doesn’t matter. It’s about this one game. Pouring everything into it you’ve got. Our guys will do that. We’re gonna be going into an SEC environment. It is our rival. It’s got, again, a lot of history to it.”
DeBoer later mentioned that the program won’t let outside noise dictate their approach. He clarified that the team’s mindset and preparation throughout the week will remain the core focus heading into the game.
“We’re just gonna focus on our preparation. The things that matter to us is what our mindset is, and what the week looks like as far as the work.”
Based on long-standing rivalry history, Alabama can expect a physical and emotional battle. DeBoer earned his first career win over Auburn last season, and now the Crimson Tide are aiming to secure their sixth consecutive win in the Iron Bowl.
Fox Sports Analyst Sounds Alarm For Kalen DeBoer’s Alabama Ahead Of Iron Bowl
Alabama is 9-2 this season, including a 6-1 record in the Southeastern Conference. A win against Auburn on Saturday would officially lock Alabama into the SEC Championship Game, and so this game is even more crucial for DeBoer’s squad.
Fox Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt stressed the high stakes on Thursday’s episode of his show. Klatt warned that Alabama cannot afford to slip.
“If they lose to Auburn, watch out,” Klatt said. “And miss the playoff for the second straight year in his first two years in Tuscaloosa? Nope. They are not gonna be happy about that.”
Klatt also explained why Auburn may actually benefit Alabama on the field.
“I said Oklahoma was a bad matchup for Alabama a couple of weeks ago, and we were right,” he added. “And Auburn is… not a bad matchup. In fact, it’s a great matchup for Alabama.”
The high-voltage Iron Bowl showdown is set for 6:30 p.m. CT on Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
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