Alabama @ Auburn preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 24, 2018 ) Auburn 21, Alabama 52

Fifth-ranked Alabama has one final chance to boost its postseason aspirations when it visits No. 16 Auburn in the 84th edition of the Iron Bowl on Saturday. The Crimson Tide are ranked fifth in the College Football Playoff poll and need a win over the Tigers and help from others to land one of the four spots.

Alabama coach Nick Saban knows the importance of a victory per the CFP but also feels this game is of utmost importance on its own merits. "I think the Iron Bowl is one of the great rivalries in college football," Saban said at a press conference. "If you're a competitor, you love to play in games like this game this week and playing against a really good team. And maybe as it should be, a lot comes down to this game. It's kind of the season within the season, so to speak." Auburn is 2-3 against ranked teams this season and coach Gus Malzahn said the contests typically come down to a few plays. "We had opportunities. There are one or two things, and if we would've made those plays then we would've had a good chance to win or we would've won the game," Malzahn said at a press conference. "When you're playing, it's the top teams that have to make the plays to win the game. That's our goal for this one. We'll need to do that."

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Alabama -3.5.

ABOUT ALABAMA (10-1, 6-1 SEC): Sophomore quarterback Mac Jones has taken over for injured Tua Tagovailoa (hip) and passed for 275 yards and three touchdowns in last week's 66-3 win over Western Carolina in his second career start. "He's played well when he's had the opportunity to play, and I think the team has confidence in him," Saban said. "This is going to be the first game he has to play on the road, so it'll be a little different from that standpoint for him, in terms of game management, things that he has to do to be effective against a very good team." Senior safety Jared Mayden has a team-leading four interceptions while senior cornerback Trevon Diggs and junior safety Xavier McKinney each have three, with McKinney returning one 81 yards for a score against Western Carolina.

ABOUT AUBURN (8-3, 4-3): Quarterback Bo Nix has 14 touchdown passes to tie the school freshman record set by Stan White in 1990 and is just 50 yards from topping White's yardage mark of 2,442. The Tigers allow an average of 16.2 points per game and are receiving solid seasons from senior defensive tackle Marlon Davidson (7.5 sacks) and senior defensive end Derrick Brown (30 career tackles for loss) and the latter is a finalist for the Bednarik (top defensive player), Outland (top interior lineman) and Wuerffel (community service) awards. "He's playing as good of football as anyone in the country," Malzahn said of Brown. "I know that the Heisman (Trophy) is usually for offensive players and all that, but there can't be too many better players around the country that are better than him."

EXTRA POINTS

1. Alabama has won eight of the past 11 meetings and holds a 46-36-1 series edge.

2. Tigers sophomore RB JaTarvious Whitlow has just 151 rushing yards in the past four games since compiling a season-high 170 against Ole Miss on Oct. 20.

3. The Crimson Tide's DeVonta Smith (60 catches) has 1,120 receiving yards while fellow junior WR Jerry Jeudy (66 receptions) needs 67 yards to reach 1,000 for the second straight season.

PREDICTION: Alabama 45, Auburn 30