Rankin & Stevens predict Iron Bowl outcome

Because even though your man Gus can’t seem to figure out who is well enough to ride the Bus this week – Auburn is still an actual SEC program with an awfully strong running game. For the competitors in the game, they probably enjoy this competition, this kind of rivalry as much as any game that they play. Freshman Malik Miller returned to practice this week after missing the last five games with a knee injury, though it’s not assured that he’ll be ready to go. I’m with them. I think Alabama is gonna hang half a hundred on Coach Boom’s former mighty defense this weekend. They’d likely move into the top 10 after beating the nation’s No. 1 team, and the only scenario where Florida might pass them is if the Gators won out, beating both Florida State and Alabama.

Coach Gus Malzahn said Tuesday that he doesn’t know if Pettway will be 100 percent Saturday for the 16th-ranked Tigers but that he will play.

Kamryn Pettway (36) runs for a touchdown in the second half. Alabama has statistically the best offense Auburn has faced this season, but the Tigers have kept nine of 11 opponents to fewer than 19 points this season, and the other two scored 29 each.

“He was angry, because Saban’s always angry”, Tomlinson said.

Auburn gets to rest some of its players that will be key in next week’s regular-season finale while picking up its eighth win of the season. Which way to you think we’re going?

Sophomore running back Bo Scarbrough hasn’t seen the field for the past two games while healing from a nagging knee injury suffered against LSU three weeks ago. Auburn leads the SEC in rushing offense with 297.8 yards per game. There was a military helicopter flyover before the game against Mississippi State, while last week against Chattanooga, paratroopers were part of the pre-game ritual.

15 Auburn concluded its 2016 home slate by defeating Alabama A&M 55-0 to record its first shutout since August 30, 2008.

Montgomery Advertiser columnist Duane Rankin and Auburn beat writer Matthew Stevens talk about Saturday’s Iron Bowl and the status of Auburn running backs and quarterback Sean White.

Pettway, the team’s leading rusher despite playing in just eight of the 11 games, is coming off a leg injury sustained on his final carry of the win over Vanderbilt.

With all of that said, it’s awfully hard to go against the Tide here. “Everybody is ready to play, and everybody is buying into our togetherness”.

The Iron Bowl kicks off at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 26 in Tuscaloosa.

“He’s fine if he does what he’s supposed to do – he’ll be fine this game”, Saban said Monday.

While Auburn has not allowed a rushing touchdown since the Texas A&M game and just four all season, Hurts has scored on the ground in five straight SEC games.

“We don’t want to flush him out and make him throw on the run because now you have a double-edged sword in that he doesn’t have to throw it and he can run real fast and far”, Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele said.