Jeremy Johnson: Johnson fails to lead Auburn to Iron Bowl win

Derrick Henry ran for almost 300 yards, as Alabama ground out another dominating victory against rival Auburn.

The Auburn Tigers were competitive in this year’s Iron Bowl, especially in the first half, holding Alabama to only field goals and taking on a couple to the scoreboard themselves.

The 6-foot-3, 242 pound back had another elite game, rushing 46 times (another Alabama record) for 271 yards and one touchdown. Facing a 3rd and 12, quarterback Jeremy Johnson launched a deep pass to Jason Smith, who tipped the football to himself at full speed before finally bringing it in, and running into the end zone for a touchdown.

Sure, the 16-point win makes the bettors who took the Tide in Las Vegas happy, but a late touchdown aided that margin once the game was out of reach. Alabama is 6-5 against the spread this year, including two “losses” in blowout wins over Middle Tennessee and ULM. “Thinking back on it, I was like ‘What in the world is that guy doing?”

Fans of all kinds have traveled the distance just to be on the plains for the huge rivalry when the Auburn tigers play the Alabama Crimson Tide.

“It’s always pretty quiet at the store, until halftime and at the end of the game”, she said. If they lose this game, it will be the end to a long and hard season (mercifully). “I was just doing my job and trying to win games”, Grifftih said.

“It’s awesome, because when I screw up he picks me up”, Jake Coker said.

“Basically to us that is a win”, said Auburn sophomore defensive back Stephen Roberts. Alabama tacked on a fifth Griffith field goal early in the fourth quarter, then sealed the game with the steady Henry diet. “I thought they would be more dominating”, said one fan. After an Auburn drive ended in a missed 48-yard field goal with 1:24 left, Alabama moved quickly.

Henry tied Herschel Walker and Bo Jackson for the most 200-yard games in a season in SEC history after recording his fourth in his last five conference contests. “They’ve got a lot of good players and they’re all capable of making the play, but certainly that play reminded me of the play they made against Georgia”.

The Tide will play No. 10 Florida next week at the Georgia Dome for the SEC championship and a second straight berth in the playoffs. “They got season tickets to Auburn games in the cheerleading section so they can sit there and watch me”.

Alabama has more recent national championships, yes, but Auburn will always own a tiny corner of the Tide mind. This year is anyone’s game even though the Tide sit at No. 1 and Auburn has been down all season.

And the fact is, when Alabama took possession of the ball at its 19, ahead 22-13, with 7:49 to play, the Tide needed to bleed the clock. He’s been a force and a fearless leader under-center for his team and it paid dividends on this play against the Tide’s biggest rivals.