Alabama football makes Auburn fear the thumb with fifth straight Iron Bowl win

One image burned into the retinas of any millennial-or-older Alabama football fan is former Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville jubilantly walking off the field at Bryant-Denny Stadium in 2006 with his hand raised and all five fingers raised to celebrate Auburn's fifth straight win in the series.

On Saturday in Tuscaloosa, Alabama got its comeuppance, nearly 20 years in the making. Alabama beat Auburn in Kalen DeBoer's debut Iron Bowl 28-14 to finish the regular season 9-3 and keep its slim playoff hopes alive.

Alabama overcame four turnovers, three of which were by Jalen Milroe. Milroe fumbled twice and threw an interception while freshman WR Ryan Williams fumbled on Alabama's opening possession of the game.

But Alabama's offense hummed aside from the turnover. Milroe threw for 256 yards and added 104 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground.

Alabama's defense forced a couple of turnovers and came up big in the redzone to help the Crimson Tide to the victory.

3 Takeaways from Alabama's win over Auburn:

3. Germie Bernard stepped up with Ryan Williams struggling

It was a struggle early in the game for Alabama's talented freshman WR, Ryan Williams. He fumbled on the Tide's opening possession on his first reception of the game. The next time he got his hands on the ball was a brutal dropped touchdown off of a dime by Milroe. His third touch he slipped on a reverse and lost five yards.

But Germie Bernard stepped up and had a huge game. He led Alabama with 111 yards on seven receptions and made big catch after big catch to move the chains on third downs.

Third downs were huge for Alabama as the Tide went 12/18 on offense and held the Tigers to 4/12.

2. Alabama's defense came up huge

Auburn was able to find some success in between the 20s, but Kane Wommack's defense came up with clutch stops in the redzone.

Auburn had four redzone trips in the first half and managed just six points. Alabama forced a turnover-on-downs, and Auburn missed a chip shot FG. There was no bigger series in the game than right before the half when Alabama turned Auburn away at the goal line.

Jihaad Campell stuffed Auburn RB Jarquez Hunter, who was held to just 56 yards, and forced Hugh Freeze to attempt a field goal. Auburn cut the lead to 14-6, but Alabama came out of the locker room and scored touchdowns on its first two possessions to push the lead to 28-6.

Bray Hubbard picked a Hunter pass off on a double-pass with the game at 28-14, and then freshman Zabien Brown picked a Payton Thorne pass off late in the fourth quarter that ended any chance Auburn had.

1. Alabama trusted its running backs, which opened things up for Jalen Milroe

Unsurprisingly, Jalen Milroe was Alabama's leading rusher with 104 yards on 17 carries and three touchdowns. But he didn't lead Alabama in carries as, for the first time all season, DeBoer and OC Nick Sheridan trusted the running backs.

Jam Miller only averaged three yards per carry, but he ran the ball 28 times and kept Auburn's defense off-balance enough to open up running lanes for Milroe.

Fittingly, on Milroe's first touchdown of the game, it was him outrunning Auburn freshman LB DeMarcus Riddick who notably said Milroe wouldn't be able to get the corner on him. Video never lies, DeMarcus: