Alabama Hopes To Do What No Other Team Has: Stop Cam Newton

Auburn at Alabama—Iron Bowl 2010

The talk surrounding the Iron Bowl really began after Alabama destroyed Georgia State 63-7 on Thursday. Now, neither team has a game left before it. The focus is completely on the rival opponent.

You can pretty much throw the season records out the window. How well each team has played to this point is irrelevant. Everything comes down to this game.

Can Alabama salvage its season with a win over the Tigers? Will Auburn's quest for perfection continue?

                                                          The Iron Bowl

Date	Winner	Score	Site
Feb. 22, 1893	Auburn	32-22	Lakeview Baseball Park, Birmingham
Nov. 30, 1893	Auburn	40-16	Riverside Park, Montgomery
Nov. 29, 1894	Alabama	18-0	Riverside Park, Montgomery
Nov. 23, 1895	Auburn	48-0	Tuscaloosa
Nov. 17, 1900	Auburn	53-5	Montgomery
Nov. 15, 1901	Auburn	17-0	Tuscaloosa
Oct. 18, 1902	Auburn	23-0	West End Park, Birmingham
Oct. 23, 1903	Alabama	18-6	Highland Park, Montgomery
Nov. 12, 1904	Auburn	29-5	West End Park, Birmingham
Nov. 18, 1905	Alabama	30-0	West End Park, Birmingham
Nov. 17, 1906	Alabama	10-0	Birmingham Fair Grounds
Nov. 16, 1907	Tie	6-6	Birmingham Fair Grounds
Dec. 4, 1948	Alabama	55-0	Legion Field, Birmingham
Dec. 3, 1949	Auburn	14-13	Legion Field, Birmingham
Dec. 2, 1950	Alabama	34-0	Legion Field, Birmingham
Dec. 1, 1951	Alabama	25-7	Legion Field, Birmingham
Nov. 29, 1952	Alabama	21-0	Legion Field, Birmingham
Nov. 28, 1953	Alabama	10-7	Legion Field, Birmingham
Nov. 27, 1954	Auburn	28-0	Legion Field, Birmingham
Nov. 26, 1955	Auburn	26-0	Legion Field, Birmingham
Dec. 1, 1956	Auburn	34-7	Legion Field, Birmingham
Nov. 30, 1957	Auburn	40-0	Legion Field, Birmingham
Nov. 29, 1958	Auburn	14-8	Legion Field, Birmingham
Nov. 28, 1959	Alabama	10-0	Legion Field, Birmingham
Nov. 26, 1960	Alabama	3-0	Legion Field, Birmingham
Dec. 2, 1961	Alabama	34-0	Legion Field, Birmingham
Dec. 1, 1962	Alabama	38-0	Legion Field, Birmingham
Nov. 30, 1963	Auburn	10-8	Legion Field, Birmingham
Nov. 26, 1964	Alabama	21-14	Legion Field, Birmingham
Nov. 27, 1965	Alabama	30-3	Legion Field, Birmingham
Dec. 3, 1966	Alabama	31-0	Legion Field, Birmingham
Dec. 2, 1967	Alabama	7-3	Legion Field, Birmingham
Dec. 3, 1968	Alabama	24-16	Legion Field, Birmingham
Nov. 29, 1969	Auburn	49-26	Legion Field, Birmingham
Nov. 28, 1970	Auburn	33-28	Legion Field, Birmingham
Nov. 27, 1971	Alabama	31-7	Legion Field, Birmingham
Dec. 2, 1972	Auburn	17-16	Legion Field, Birmingham
Dec. 1, 1973	Alabama	35-0	Legion Field, Birmingham
Nov. 29, 1974	Alabama	17-13	Legion Field, Birmingham
Nov. 29, 1975	Alabama	28-0	Legion Field, Birmingham
Nov. 27, 1976	Alabama	38-7	Legion Field, Birmingham
Nov. 26, 1977	Alabama	48-21	Legion Field, Birmingham
Dec. 2, 1978	Alabama	34-16	Legion Field, Birmingham
Dec. 1, 1979	Alabama	25-18	Legion Field, Birmingham
Nov. 29, 1980	Alabama	34-18	Legion Field, Birmingham
Nov. 28, 1981	Alabama	28-17	Legion Field, Birmingham
Nov. 27, 1982	Auburn	23-22	Legion Field, Birmingham
Dec. 3, 1983	Auburn	23-20	Legion Field, Birmingham
Dec. 1, 1984	Alabama	17-15	Legion Field, Birmingham
Nov. 30, 1985	Alabama	25-23	Legion Field, Birmingham
Nov. 29, 1986	Auburn	21-17	Legion Field, Birmingham
Nov. 27, 1987	Auburn	10-0	Legion Field, Birmingham
Nov. 25, 1988	Auburn	15-10	Legion Field, Birmingham
Dec. 2, 1989	Auburn	30-20	Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn
Dec. 1, 1990	Alabama	16-7	Legion Field, Birmingham
Nov. 30, 1991	Alabama	13-6	Legion Field, Birmingham
Nov. 26, 1992	Alabama	17-0	Legion Field, Birmingham
Nov. 20, 1993	Auburn	22-14	Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn
Nov. 19, 1994	Alabama	21-14	Legion Field, Birmingham
Nov. 18, 1995	Auburn	31-27	Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn
Nov. 23, 1996	Alabama	24-23	Legion Field, Birmingham
Nov. 22, 1997	Auburn	18-17	Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn
Nov. 21, 1998	Alabama	31-17	Legion Field, Birmingham
Nov. 20, 1999	Alabama	28-17	Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn
Nov. 18, 2000	Auburn	9-0	Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa
Nov. 19, 2001	Alabama	31-7	Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn
Nov. 23, 2002	Auburn	17-7	Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa
Nov. 22, 2003	Auburn	28-23	Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn
Nov. 22, 2004	Auburn	21-13	Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa
Nov. 20, 2005	Auburn	28-18	Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn
Nov. 18, 2006	Auburn	22-15	Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa
Nov. 17, 2007	Auburn	17-10	Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn
Nov. 18, 2008	Alabama	36-0	Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa
Nov. 27, 2009	Alabama	26-21	Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn

Keys to Victory

Alabama: The Tide have arguably the best rushing attack in college football. Returning Heisman winner Mark Ingram is a force. Throw in Trent Richardson, who might be just as good, and it's easy to see why Alabama's rushing attack is so terrific.

That rushing attack must take pressure off Greg McElroy. Auburn's defensive front can get pressure without additional blitzing. If Alabama can get time to throw, McElroy can scorch the Tiger's secondary.

There isn't anyone in the Auburn secondary who can cover Julio Jones. Not only could Jones have a career day against the horrible pass defense, but Darius Hanks and the other receivers could as well.

For Alabama it all comes down to stopping Cameron Newton. Alabama will need its strong linebacker unit to have a career performance as Newton can easily beat the first level of defenders.  But, 'Bama's beleaguered secondary will have to step up to allow those linebackers to contain Newton.

Auburn may be undefeated and going to the SEC Championship, but Alabama is undefeated at home this season. Nobody has come into Tuscaloosa and beaten the Tide. The Tide need to use the home-field advantage for all it's worth. 

Auburn: Gus Malzahn has been very effective with the offense. Last year Auburn gave Alabama some things to focus on early. The Tigers showed them looks they'd never seen. Despite the team being better this season, it will need to show 'Bama something different.

Cameron Newton has been the engine for Auburn's offense. He has been the one thing that nobody could stop. Alabama has the defense to stop Cam, so the offense might want to get him the ball in some of the more creative ways we've seen over the season.

Auburn has good running backs. It will need to use them with the no huddle offense to wear down the Alabama defensive front. Micheal Dyer is a powerful runner, his center of gravity is so low that it makes him hard to tackle. Auburn needs to feed him the ball early and often. 

Everyone in the country has been amazed by Cam's scrambling ability. Auburn fans also know how well he can throw. I've seen him compared to Tim Tebow. The fact is he's better than Tebow. He's more athletic and he throws better. Auburn will need to test the Alabama secondary.

Alabama had a blue print for beating Tebow. The Tide had a defensive package that didn't allow him to run. That was done with the linebackers, and defensive line, not so much the secondary. The only real weakness on the Tide defense is that secondary. Auburn has to run the football early against Alabama to force the 'Bama secondary into man coverage.

Auburn needs to keep its defense off the field. The longer the defense stays out there, the longer Alabama has to find the holes in it. The Tigers' linebackers will have to help in pass defense, without being caught out of position. The depth isn't there in the secondary to load up the defensive backfield.

The Auburn defense needs to get pressure on McElroy. When he's under constant pressure he's not effective. Nick Fairley can apply the type of pressure to force the Tide to run. Auburn won't consistently beat the Tide running backs, but Bama can't beat Auburn with running alone. If Fairley shuts down the passing with the blitz, Auburn will win.

If Fairley is getting to McElroy, Alabama will be going to the quick pass. When they make that pass the blocking is usually good—despite the secondary being suspect, Auburn cannot give them the eight to 10 yards they seem to always allow other teams.

Without steady penetration by the Auburn defense, Alabama won't be stopped. However even if they beat the Tigers' defense, they'll still have to stop the offense, and nobody has done that in eleven games.

 Newton's Law of Winning Football Games

September			Passing							Rushing
Gamedate	Opp	Result	Att	Comp	Pct	Yds	YdsAtt	TD	Int	Att	Yds	Avg	TD
09/04	ARST	W 52-26	14	9	64.3	186	13.3	3	0	15	171	11.4	2
09/09	@MSST	W 17-14	19	11	57.9	136	7.2	2	1	18	70	3.9	0
09/18	CLEM	W 27-24	14	7	50.0	203	14.5	2	2	17	68	4.0	0
09/25	SC	W 35-27	21	16	76.2	158	7.5	2	0	25	176	7.0	3

October			Passing							Rushing
Gamedate	Opp	Result	Att	Comp	Pct	Yds	YdsAtt	TD	Int	Att	Yds	Avg	TD
10/02	LAMON	W 52-3	19	14	73.7	245	12.9	3	1	1	-11	-11.0	0
10/09	@KY	W 37-34	21	13	61.9	210	10.0	0	1	28	198	7.1	4
10/16	AR	W 65-43	14	10	71.4	140	10.0	1	0	25	188	7.5	3
10/23	LSU	W 24-17	16	10	62.5	86	5.4	0	0	28	217	7.8	2
10/30	@MS	W 51-31	24	18	75.0	209	8.7	2	0	11	45	4.1	0

November			Passing							Rushing
Gamedate	Opp	Result	Att	Comp	Pct	Yds	YdsAtt	TD	Int	Att	Yds	Avg	TD
11/06	TNCHAT	W 62-24	21	15	71.4	317	15.1	4	0	8	24	3.0	1
11/13	GA	W 49-31	15	12	80.0	148	9.9	2	1	30	151	5.0	2