Alabama Has More Life This Week in Iron Bowl Win

Jalen Milroe runs for 104 yards, three TDs to lead Bama past Auburn.

Nov 30, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) scores a touchdown against the Auburn Tigers during the third quarter at Bryant-Denny Stadium. / Will McLelland-Imagn Images

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Like with everything this season for Alabama, it wasn’t pretty. 

But an Iron Bowl win is still a win, and that’s what matters. 

The Crimson Tide responded to last week’s abysmal offensive effort against Oklahoma with much more determination and purpose in a 28-14 victory over Auburn, Alabama’s fifth straight in the series. 

The good outweighed the ugly, which there was plenty of – four turnovers and penalties that negated big plays. In the end, Jalen Milroe showed up to play with 104 rushing yards and three touchdowns and a 256-yard passing night. He was the difference. 

Three times this season Milroe was average, and Alabama lost all three games. When Milroe runs with purpose and determination, like he did in the Iron Bowl, good things usually happen. 

“I know there's always a play or two that you always want back, but he just continues to stay the course,” Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said of Milroe. “Throughout the course of the game, even the ones that were incomplete, he continues to be resilient, continues to just stay the course and helped us win the football game.” 

It took time for the offense to click. Milroe threw an interception and lost a fumble in the first half and he looked flat. It was a different Milroe in the second half. He led the offense on a nine-play, 75-yard drive to open the third quarter, and ended with a Justice Haynes touchdown run to put Alabama up 21-6. 

That opening drive of the second half saw an up-tempo offense hitting on big plays, including a 24-yard reception by Ryan Williams, a 14-yard catch by Germie Bernard and a 14-yard reception by CJ Dippre. 

After the game, Milroe acknowledged the student section at Bryant-Denny Stadium and also waved to the remaining fans. He acknowledged he and the team didn’t play as well as they could have, but they did achieve some goals in the win. 

“When we leave the field, there's always something more we can do,” Milroe said. “I know that there was definitely improvement we had this week with third down. We reached our goal, which is to be better than our last week.” 

Milroe was right. The Crimson Tide was 12 of 19 on third down, which extended drives and led to points. Alabama had five drives of nine or more plays, which helped it take a 36:35 to 23:25 edge in time of possession. 

It looked as if Milroe opened the door for an Auburn comeback after he lost a fumble, his second of the game, in the fourth quarter. When Bray Hubbard picked off a halfback pass, Milroe took control and led Alabama on a 13-play drive that took nearly eight minutes off the clock to end Auburn’s upset bid. 

“Him coming back after a couple plays there in the fourth quarter and making some big third-down throws, and helping make plays too, was big,” DeBoer said.