Alabama Football: Game Prediction No. 1 in ‘Iron Bowl 2019’ Series

The greatest rivalry in college football is set to renew this Saturday in Auburn, Alabama. For Alabama football, they need to win and win big to keep playoff hopes alive. For Auburn, they need to win to keep Gus Malzahn off what is becoming a perpetual hot seat.

This is not the game Alabama football fans had envisioned when the season kicked off in Atlanta back in August. This was supposed to be Tua’s final statement in a Heisman winning campaign. It should have been a lesson for a young Bo Nix by a veteran and explosive front seven.

Unfortunately, that isn’t what the season had in store for the Crimson Tide. Injuries ravaged the linebacker corps starting with star LB Dylan Moses and Joshua McMillon, and transfers depleted already thin depth along the D-line and OLB positions. Not to mention the devastating season-ending injury to Tua just two weeks ago.

Now, the 2019 Iron Bowl has become the final (and really only) test for a young Mac Jones to prove that Alabama is still one of the four best teams in the country even without Tua Tagovailoa under center. Defensive injuries have plagued the Tide all year and now they have to face Gus Malzahn’s offense.

To be successful against a Gus Malzahn offense you must have eye discipline and maintain gap integrity on every play. Two things that are usually weaknesses of young defensive players.

Something that does play in the Tide’s favor is that Auburn’s QB has struggled to maintain consistency throughout 2019. At times Bo Nix has looked like a 5-star recruit. Other times he has looked confused and uncomfortable.

The strength of Alabama’s front seven are the two edge rushers Terrell Lewis and Anfernee Jennings. This bodes well for the Tide as getting pressure on Nix will be key for Alabama’s chances Saturday.

Jennings will be especially important. His leadership and experience will be key to stopping the misdirection and trick plays that are a staple of Malzahn’s offense.

The offense will be tough to contain, but the biggest strength of the 2019 Auburn Tigers is their fearsome front seven. It is probably the best D-line in the nation led by Derrick Brown.

The Alabama football offensive line will have its toughest test of the season in keeping Mac Jones upright against Brown and company. Jones is comfortable when the pocket is clean, but we haven’t seen him react much when the pocket collapses and he has to improvise. Expect a heavy dose of double teams and RB chips to keep Brown at bay, and even that may not be enough to keep him from harassing Mac.

I expect Sark to keep the gameplan simple. There will be a lot of quick and easy throws to our explosive wideouts that allow them to try and make plays in space. Which they have done all season.

Auburn’s secondary is vulnerable and if Bama can keep Brown in check, Mac and the Four  Horsemen will make enough big plays to win the game. With that being said here is how I see the final score shaping up on Saturday,

I think the front seven of Auburn keeps them in the game but a mistake by Bo Nix gives Alabama football a short field and is ultimately the difference in the game.

Would a four-point win over Auburn be enough for the selection committee to put Bama in the top 4? Probably not. Alabama football would need some help from Georgia, Oklahoma, and Utah to cement their place in the playoff, but a win is a win. Especially in the Iron Bowl.

Editor’s Note: Leading up to the game, there will be additional Iron Bowl predictions by other members of the Bama Hammer staff.