Auburn just a bump in the road for the Alabama steamroller
It seemed inevitable, Alabama’s 30-12 victory Saturday over Auburn. Sure, strange things have happened in the Iron Bowl. Punt, Bama, Punt and Kick Six, of course.
But those Auburn teams of 1972 and 2013 finished fifth and second in the country, respectively. This Auburn team isn’t nearly as good even at full strength, and the Tigers were simply too beat up, too outmanned to stand much of a chance against any very good team, let alone one as great as Alabama.
As intense as this rivalry is — second to none in any college sport — the Tigers ultimately were just another minor obstacle in the path of this Crimson Tide machine, which rolled along to its 24th consecutive victory.
The fact that the streak nearly ended back in September when the Tide trailed Ole Miss 24-3 in the first quarter seems as ancient as life before the internet. It’s easy to think the Crimson Tide keep winning because they have NFL talent all over the field.
But to think that it’s merely about talent would be to misunderstand what the Alabama program is all about. To win 24 consecutive games — including one national champion with a good chance for another — takes more than talent alone.
“When you hold each other accountable, then you can do that,” said linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton. “Coaches hold coaches accountable. Coaches hold players accountable. Players hold players accountable. So, accountability.”
Alabama coach Nick Saban tried to balance keeping the bigger goals — an SEC championship and another run at a national championship —in sight without losing appreciation for a perfect regular season, just his third in 10 seasons in Tuscaloosa.
“The consistency in performance, that’s the most difficult thing for any team now, especially college players,” Saban said. “To be able to sustain that in the season. Really, really pleased and proud of our players that we’ve been able to do that. We’ve had some really difficult games against some really good teams.”
Here came the expected and unspoken “but …”
“It’s not going to stop here,” Saban continued. “We’ve got more challenges. Florida’s got a really good team. They’ve got good all-around players, so it’s going to be another tough test for us. Hopefully, we can get some guys healthy enough that we’ll have a representative team to play in that game.”
By winning the East, Florida has the privilege of being Alabama’s next victim. It’s like winning the lottery and getting a free IRS audit. The SEC Championship Game will be played Saturday in Atlanta and that’s now considered almost an afterthought.
Alabama has become so dominant that it has reduced the SEC Championship to almost an exhibition game. Even if Florida somehow wins, Alabama is considered a lock to land one of the four spots in the College Football Playoff. In fact, the Tide might not even lose its grip on the top seed.
“I hate it when you say that,” Saban said. “I hate it when they put that on TV, radio, internet, any kind of communication. Look, I’m really proud of our team. But really, the legacy of the team still lies ahead in terms of what they can accomplish and what they can do. So I don’t want to minimize the fact I don’t think it’s a significant accomplishment to have an undefeated season.
“But I also think that there’s a lot more out there for this team in terms of an SEC championship, which we still hold in very high esteem. I think it’s a great accomplishment for any team so that’s our next focus and that’s the next thing we want to focus on. Then, whatever happens from there happens from there.”
Hamilton said being 12-0 “don’t mean nothin’.”
“Coach Saban always tells us, ‘You can’t do anything about the past,’ ” Hamilton said. “So what’s the point of harping on being 12-0? That’s not going to get you a championship.”
“This is like being in a playoff,” Saban said. “You can’t really fall in love with what you just did. You got to look to the next challenge. As proud as I am of the team and what they’ve accomplished, I know how important it is for all of them and for us as coaches to try to do the best we can to help them finish the season and accomplish some other things that are pretty significant as well.”
The first half was kinda sorta close. At least, as close as a game could be when one team outgains the other 263-31 in total yards. That had little to do with what Auburn did, though, and more to do with Bama’s mistakes. Those mistakes included:
▪ A poor punt by the usually dependable J.K. Scott, and punt covering, resulting in a 58-yard return by Stephen Roberts. That set up Auburn’s first of four field goals.
▪ Two interceptions thrown Jalen Hurts. They were not necessarily great plays by Auburn, just terrible mistakes by Hurts. The interceptions set up Auburn’s next two field goals
▪ A targeting penalty called on Tony Brown when he blindsided Trey Williams on a punt return. The penalty yardage was inconsequential. The bigger issue was, coupled with an injury to cornerback Marlon Humphrey, it left the Tide secondary depleted, especially with Eddie Jackson already out for the season with a broken leg.
It all added up to a statistical oddity. Alabama dominated the first half but led only 13-9. The second half was the expected mismatch.
Florida might have a little better chance than Auburn. The Gators are at least healthier on offense. The playoff is too far away and too murky to assess just yet. That will come in time. For now, a perfect season should be appreciated.
This story was originally published November 26, 2016 at 10:02 PM with the headline "Auburn just a bump in the road for the Alabama steamroller."