Jalen Milroe, Alabama made Auburn players and Hugh Freeze eat their words

Auburn football players and head coach Hugh Freeze had plenty to say in the leadup to the Iron Bowl against Alabama Football. When toe-met-leather and the chips were down on Saturday in Tuscaloosa, it was the Crimson Tide that had the last laugh as they let their play do the talking.

When the clock hit zero, the 2024 Iron Bowl ended just like the previous four had: with an Alabama victory.

It was actually Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze who got it started last week. He spoke about the Jekyll-and-Hyde nature of Jalen Milroe and about how Auburn had a shot to beat a "deeper" Alabama team a year ago. A not so veiled shot at the Tide not being what they used to be.

Freeze wasn't wrong about the two Milroes. We got both in the Iron Bowl. He turned it over three times while also throwing for 256 yards and running for 104 more. He was the catalyst for an Alabama offense that racked up over 450 yards of total offense. His turnovers are the only reason this game wasn't a laugher.

And if Freeze is right that this Alabama team wasn't as deep as last year's version, I suppose that means the Tigers took a substantial step back from a year ago. They played that Alabama team down to the wire; this result was never really in doubt in the second half.

Freshman LB DeMarcus Riddick was the biggest offender and a reminder of why Nick Saban never let freshmen speak to the media. He had a lot to say about Milroe, Ryan Williams, and his own hubris.

Riddick said Williams wasn't a special player, that he was faster than Milroe and wouldn't let him out of the box, and that he would not lose to Alabama during his time on the Plains.

Riddick was credited with two assisted tackles in Auburn's loss. He had his opportunity in the first quarter to back up his statement that Milroe wasn't faster than him. Milroe ran to the right end and was one-on-one with Riddick. Milroe ran past him with Riddick unable to bring him down as the Tide QB sprinted into the endzone for the game's first touchdown.

Freshman WR's Cam Coleman and Perry Thompson got in on the talk this week, too. Coleman called Tuscaloosa the next stop on Auburn's highly unsuccessful revenge tour. Thompson, a little used freshman, tweeted out a photo comparing passing statistics of Milroe and Auburn QB Payton Thorne:

No amount of trash talk could save Auburn from the fact that Alabama was the better team again. And no amount of talking could save the Tigers from a fourth straight losing season.