Bama 49 Auburn 27. Commentators, journalists, and people in general who talk about the "Iron Bowl" crack me up with the old overused cliché that "you never know what is going to happen!". When Auburn has a losing record you know what is going to happen... every time. Auburn has beaten Alabama with a losing record in 1901, 1902, and 1949. It has never happened in the modern history of football and well before. In fact it has rarely even been close when Auburn has a losing record. Now Bama teams with losing records have beaten Auburn but that is pretty rare as well. The better team usually wins in this series. The only exceptions are a really good Auburn team beating a really good Bama team that is slightly favored. Those are for the most part the only "upsets" in this series.
This year was no exception. A much better Bama team handily beat an inferior Auburn team. There really was never any doubt. As Sun Tzu says "every battle is won or lost before it is fought". This battle was won by Bama in the previous four years of recruiting. Auburn had no chance. Except for Derrick Hall and maybe Tank Bigsby or Jarquez Hunter there is not one player on Auburn's roster that would come close to starting for Bama. Some Auburn fans might argue for a few more players but I disagree. Bama is superior to Auburn at just about every position. The build up to the game was just depressing for me and the game went exactly the way I thought it would go. This is Auburn's final exam each season on it's recruiting the previous four years and as it has more times than not, Auburn FAILED.
There was only one surprise in this game and that was again the relentless spirit of Carnell Williams. I have seen Auburn pretty much quit many times after Bama took a commanding lead. That did NOT happen this time and that is a FACT. How can I say that for sure? Easy, even being completely dominated Auburn rushed for the most yards ever against a Nick $aban coached team, 318 YARDS (!!!). It is just unbelievable Auburn could do this when the Tigers had NO passing game. I know football has changed but a solid Bama defense could not stop Auburn from running when they had NO passing attack. They not only did not have a passing attack but had one of if not the lowest rated offensive line in the history of the program. Auburn just kept pounding the Tide even facing certain defeat.
As time ran out though it was just another disappointing end to another disappointing season. They just keep adding up since Auburn's last conference title... 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2021, and now 2022. You can add the unbelievably bad condition of Auburn's roster right now and the future looks bleak. Even if you add a good coach and even considering it is easier to rebuild a roster now, it is still going to take some time to build this program back. Any mistakes made will only increase the time needed... It is just a tough time to be an Auburn Tiger. There is really not much else to say about another season to forget outside Carnell William's inspiration. It now all comes down to who Auburn selects to be the next head coach of the Tigers.
Auburn will face this final exam next season and it already looks decided as well. The only question right now appears to be how much progress will this program have made before then?
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