In the 81st meeting of the Iron Bowl, No. 1 Alabama (12-0, 8-0 SEC) led No. 13 Auburn (8-4, 5-3) by two scores with 3:04 to go in the third quarter, failing to seize control of the contest all afternoon. Yet, all it took was one play for quarterback Jalen Hurts to lock the Tigers in their cage in a 30-12 win.
On a 4th-and-4 at the enemy’s 38-yard line, Hurts rolled right and flung a dart to receiver ArDarius Stewart, who maneuvered his way into the end zone. Stewart ended the contest with a team-high in receptions (10) and receiving yards (127).
The touchdown not only put confidence into the freshman, but the fan base as well. The 6-foot-2, 209-pounder delivered a perfect ball to the wideout, allowing him to turn around and sprint down the sideline in stride. Overall, he was a crisp 9-for-11 in the second half following an indecisive start. Additionally, Hurts continued to exhibit his big-play ability in a critical game, which blended perfectly with his offensive line’s dominance at the line of scrimmage.
By far Jalen Hurts' best throw of the day to Ardarius Stewart for the touchdown. #AUBvsBAMA https://t.co/dbxsFXltCg
— JAiHAWKFLY℠ (@JAiHAWKFLY) November 26, 2016
Over the final two frames, the Crimson Tide outrushed the Tigers 134-41, including 83 yards from tailback Bo Scarbrough. Although Scarbrough ranks fourth on the team in carries this season, head coach Nick Saban showed an abundance of confidence in the sophomore. He undoubtedly delivered with 90 yards on 17 carries (5.3 YPC), wearing down Auburn’s front-seven, especially on the last series. On a 15-play, 58-yard possession, Alabama milked the final nine minutes off the clock with several designed runs to officially declare an undefeated regular season, its first since 2009.
For Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn, his unit failed to establish its well-respected ground attack throughout, as they were outgained 203-66 overall. Entering the matchup No. 5 in the nation in rushing yards per game, the Tigers’ fast-paced offense was stymied by an overwhelming group on the opposite side of the ball. Defensive lineman Jonathan Allen played a large role in their struggles, accumulating two tackles for a loss.
In the first half, though, viewers were treated to a chaotic snoozefest. Auburn posted just 26 yards on seven drives but used valuable field position off a punt return and a pair of interceptions to muster three field goals. For Alabama, it scored 13 points in spite of Hurts’ two picks to cornerback Daniel Thomas, along with three fumbles, all fortunately recovered by the Crimson Tide offense. The mistakes evidently handcuffed offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin’s normally-exhilarating play calls.
austink: Daniel Thomas with his 2nd interception of the game! #Auburn #C… CBS College Footb… https://t.co/LCelBzVYcz pic.twitter.com/pKx7ZGYISc
— FanSportsClips (@FanSportsClips) November 26, 2016
Nevertheless, the 17-year collegiate coach still dialed up a marvelous gameplan, putting his young signal caller in position to succeed once he found his confidence. The Tide finished with a 45:39 run-pass ratio, aiding Hurts’ 27-for-36, 286-yard performance through the air. He also accounted for three touchdowns, including a two-yard dash to open up the third period.
Even if Alabama were to be upset by No. 15 Florida in the SEC Championship game next Saturday, the College Football Playoff selection committee wouldn’t dare eliminate the most frightening team in the conversation from the madness on New Year’s Eve. Could you blame them?
