Live Updates: No. 3 Alabama Football at the 2021 Iron Bowl
AUBURN, Ala. — The Iron Bowl.
That's all that needs to be said in the state of Alabama, and people know exactly what's at stake. It's one of the biggest rivalries in sports (the biggest to many people in this state), and it's almost time for the 86th edition of the Iron Bowl.
Alabama locked up the West with the win over Arkansas on Saturday, and Auburn is riding a three-game losing streak heading into the rivalry game. That doesn't mean it will be easy for the Crimson Tide in Jordan-Hare on Saturday.
Even though Auburn doesn't have much left to play for outside of determining a bowl destination, they can still play major spoilers to Alabama's College Football Playoff chances.
For live drive updates, check out our Fanalytix graphic here.
Follow along throughout today's game for live updates, stats and analysis from Jordan-Hare Stadium as the Crimson Tide take on the Tigers.
4OT - Alabama Possession
- FINAL: Alabama 24, Auburn 22
- Alabama 2-Point Conversion: Young's pass complete to Metchie at the pylon for the game-winning conversion. Alabama
4OT - Auburn Possession
- Finley's pass falls incomplete. Alabama will take over with an opportunity to end the ballgame.
3OT - Auburn Possession
- Auburn 2-Point Conversion: Finley's pass finds Shenker. Auburn 22, Alabama 22.
3OT - Alabama Possession
- Alabama 2-Point Conversion: Young's pass complete to Metchie. Alabama 22, Auburn 20.
- Auburn calls its only timeout of the period.
2OT - Alabama Possession
- Alabama Scoring Drive Summary: 4 plays, 5 yards, no T.O.P.
- Alabama Field Goal: Reichard hits a 38-yard field goal. Alabama 20, Auburn 20.
- Auburn calls its only timeout of the period.
- Young's pass incomplete to Metchie. 4th and 5 at the 20. Alabama will attempt a field goal.
- Young's pass complete to Metchie, gain of 5. 3rd and 5 at the 20.
- Young's pass falls incomplete to Metchie. 2nd and 10 at the 25.
2OT - Auburn Possession
- Auburn Scoring Drive Summary: 4 plays, -7 yards, no T.O.P.
- Auburn Field Goal: Patton hits a 49-yard field goal. Auburn 20, Alabama 17.
- Finley is sacked for a loss by Wright. 4th and 17 at the 32. Auburn will attempt a field goal.
- Bigsby is tackled for a loss by LB Christian Harris. 3rd and 13 at the 28.
- Bigsby carries the ball for no gain. 2nd and 10 at the 25.
OT - Auburn Possession
- Auburn Scoring Drive Summary: 6 plays, 25 yards, no T.O.P.
- Touchdown Auburn: Finley finds King for the 5-yard touchdown pass. The extra point is good. Alabama 17, Auburn 17.
- Bigsby is tackled in the backfield for a loss. 3rd and Goal at the 5.
- Bigsby carries the ball for a 1-yard gain. 2nd and Goal at the 3.
- Finley's pass complete to Hudson who is taken down at the 4. First and Goal Auburn.
- Finley's pass to Robertson complete for a gain of four. 3rd and 3 at the 18.
- Finley's pass to Bigsby complete for three yards. 2nd and 7 at the 22.
OT - Alabama Possession
- Alabama Scoring Drive Summary: 5 plays, 25 yards, no T.O.P.
- Touchdown Alabama: Young finds Bolden alone in the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown pass. Extra point by Reichard is good. Alabama 17, Auburn 10.
- On 2nd and 5, Sanders carries for no gain. 3rd and 5 at the 7.
- Young finds Metchie for a gain of 12 yards. 1st and 10 at the Auburn 13.
- Sanders is hit at the line of scrimmage for no gain. 2nd and 10 at the 25.
- Alabama will have the ball first after Auburn wins the toss and elects to go on defense. Alabama will be headed towards its own end zone, opposite the Auburn student section.
Fourth Quarter
- End of Regulation: Alabama 10, Auburn 10
- Auburn kneels the football and will take the game to overtime.
- Auburn downs the kickoff in the end zone for a touchback. The Tigers will being their drive on their own 25-yard line with 0:24 seconds left in regulation.
- Alabama Scoring Drive Summary: 12 plays, 97 yards, 1:11 T.O.P.
- Touchdown Alabama: Young finds Brooks at the pylon for a 28-yard touchdown. Extra point by Reichard is good. Alabama 10, Auburn 10 with 0:24 left in the game.
- Young is flushed forward and his pass is incomplete. 3rd and 10.
- A miscommunication causes Young's pass to fall incomplete in the end zone. 2nd and 10 with 0:33 left to play.
- Young finds TE Jahleel Billingsley for a 14-yard gain. 1st and 10 at the Auburn 28 with 0:38 left.
- Young's pass falls incomplete. 4th and 7 at the 42 with 0:43 left.
- Auburn takes its second charged timeout of the half. It will be a 30-second timeout.
- Young's pass incomplete. 3rd and 7 at the Auburn 4 with 0:48 seconds left.
- Young carries the ball again at the 42. 2nd and 7, 0:53 left.
- Young's pass complete to Brooks at the Auburn 45.
- Young carries the ball and scrambles out of bounds nine yards down the field. 2nd and 1 at the 34.
- Young's pass complete to Metchie. 1st and 10 at the 25. 1:10 left to play.
- Young's pass falls incomplete again. 3rd and 10, 1:27 to play.
- Young's pass on 1st and 10 is incomplete. 2nd down.
- Auburn downs the punt a the 3-yard line. Alabama will have 97 yards to go to tie the game with 1:35 left on the game clock.
- Bigsby is taken down for a loss of four yards. Alabama takes its final timeout with 1:43 left on the clock. Auburn will punt.
- 2nd and 11, Bigsby rushes for a gain of 10. 3rd and 1 at the Alabama 37.
- Bigsby rushes for a loss of one yard, Alabama calls its second timeout with 1:54 to play.
- On 4th and 1, Sanders is stopped short of the line to gain. Auburn takes over on downs with 2:00 left to play.
- On 4th and 1 at the Alabama 46, Auburn calls its first timeout of the half.
- On 3rd and 2, Young's pass is complete to Metchie for a gain of 27. 1st and 10 Crimson Tide at its own 37.
- Sanders remains at running back while Robinson is still on the sideline.
- On 3rd and 14 at the Alabama 39, Auburn fails to convert as Finley's pass falls to the ground. Auburn punts the football and it is downed at the 2-yard line. 1st and 10 Crimson Tide with 4:47 left to play.
- On 3rd and 7, Daniel Wright makes an interception. However, Turner is called for roughing the passer. 1st and 10 at the Auburn 35.
- Auburn takes over at its own 25 after the touchback. Bigsby rushes around the left for a gain of 22 to the Auburn 47. 1st and 10 Tigers.
- Alabama Scoring Drive Summary: 7 plays, 46 yards, 3:06 T.O.P.
- Alabama Field Goal: Will Reichard hits a 30-yard field goal. Auburn 10, Alabama 3 with 8:44 left to play in the game.
- On 3rd and Goal at the 7, Young is sacked at the 12. Alabama will attempt a field goal.
- Robinson is back in the medical tent with an apparent ankle injury.
- Sander carries again, this time for five yards and a first down at the Auburn 9.
- Sanders hurdles a defender for a gain of eight yards.
- Robinson breaks through the line and rushes for 37 yards to the Auburn 21, but is dinged up on the play. 1st and 10 Alabama. Knighten is also down for Auburn, but is able to get up and walk off the field under his own power.
- Turnover: On Auburn's first play of its drive, a tipped pass is intercepted by Josh Jobe. 1st and 10 Crimson Tide at its own 42.
- Alabama fails to convert on 4th and 2 due to a bad snap. Auburn takes over on downs at its own 39.
- Young's pass to Robinson complete for a gain of 17. 1st and 10 at the Auburn 43.
- Fourth down. Auburn is forced to punt. Bolden receives the football at the 30 and returns it 12 yards. A late flag will bring the ball back to the Alabama 26. 1st and 10 Crimson Tide.
Third Quarter
- End of the Third Quarter: Auburn 10, Alabama 0
- That will be the end of the third quarter.
- Another false start pushed Auburn back again, this time to the 5. 3rd and 24.
- Finley's pass complete to Hunter for a gain of 43 yards. However, Auburn is called for holding, bringing the ball back to the 10-yard line. 3rd and 19.
- False start called on Auburn. That will make it 2nd and 17.
- Turnover: A bad snap results in a failed field goal attempt on fourth down, recovered by Auburn at its own 19.
- Alabama sophomore OL Seth McLaughlin is now at center for Alabama. Chris Owens is at right tackle.
- Young's pass complete to Metchie for a gain of 26 yards and a first down at the Auburn 18.
- Finley has left the medical tent but is still limping on the Auburn sideline.
- Young's pass complete to TE Cameron Latu for 14 yards and a first down at the Auburn 46.
- The punt is fielded by Auburn in the end zone for a touchback. Alabama takes over at its own 20-yard line.
- Finley is hobbling on the sideline and heads to the Auburn medical tent. He appeared to be struggling on the sideline after being taken down by McKinstry.
- McKinstry sacks Finley for a 13-yard loss. That will make it 4th and 18 at the Alabama 33. Auburn will punt, but takes a delay of game penalty first to give its punter more room at the 38.
- Alabama is called for a face mask. Mathis is down with an injury and after a delay, runs over to the Alabama medical tent.
- Turnover: Young's pass sails high over the Alabama receiver and is intercepted by Auburn's Bydarrius Knighten. Auburn takes over at the Crimson Tide's 45-yard line.
- Emil Ekiyor Jr. continues to block after getting his helmet knocked off, negating a 15-yard rush by Robinson, who is back in the game. It will be 2nd and 13 for Alabama.
- Touchback on the ensuing kickoff. Alabama will start its drive on its own 25-yard line.
- Auburn Scoring Drive Summary: 4 plays, 5 yards, 1:30 T.O.P.
- Auburn Field Goal: Ben Patton hits a 33-yard field goal. Auburn 10, Alabama 0 with 11:43 remaining in the third quarter.
- Auburn fails to convert on 3rd and five. Field goal attempt upcoming for the Tigers.
- A short punt and a 19-yard return will put Auburn in excellent field position. 1st and 10 Tigers at the Crimson Tide's 21.
- Robinson is able to walk off the field under his own power, albeit slowly. Alabama will be forced to punt as it is now 4th and 20.
- Young is sacked at the 5-yard line despite Bolden being completely alone for the duration of the play at the first-down marker. Robinson is injured on the play.
- Metchie returns the kickoff from the 3 and is taken down at the 15. 1st and 10 Crimson Tide.
- Alabama will receive the football to start the second half.
Halftime Notes
- Alabama finished the first half with just 68 total yards on offense. In the air, the Crimson Tide had 70 yards but rushed for a total of -2 yards in the first half.
- Bryce Young finished the first half completing 6-of-16 passes for 70 yards, with no touchdown or interceptions. Auburn QB Finley finished 10-of-16 for 98 yards and a touchdown.
- On the ground, Brian Robinson Jr. rushed eight times for 19 total yards. Auburn's Tank Bigsby led the Tigers with 20 yards on 12 carries.
- Penalties were an interesting phenomenon in the first half, with Alabama being called for six penalties for 64 yards while Auburn was called for three for 28 yards.
- Defensively, Will Anderson Jr. leads Alabama with five total tackles, including a sack. Dallas Turner also recorded 1.5
Second Quarter
- Halftime: Auburn 7, Alabama 0
- Auburn takes it third and final timeout of the first half with 0:46 left on the game clock. It will be 3rd and 10 for the Crimson Tide at its own 9-yard line.
- Phidarian Mathis sacks Finley, making it 4th and 15. Auburn will punt. Bolden makes the fair catch at the Alabama 9-yard line. 1st and 10 Crimson Tide with 1:23 left in the first half.
- James Burnip punts the ball for the Crimson Tide, fair caught at the Alabama 45. 1st and 10 Tigers in Crimson Tide territory.
- Young is sacked again, this time by Derick Hall. 4th down.
- Damieon George is called for an illegal block in the back after Young scrambles for eight yards. It is now 2nd and 28.
- Young is sacked for an eight-yard loss by Smoke Monday. 2nd and 18.
- Young scrambles seven yards for the first down. 1st and 10 at the Crimson Tide's 36.
- Alabama is called for a delay of game. It will be 1st and 15.
- The kickoff sails through the end zone, and Alabama will take possession at its own 25-yard line. There is 6:50 remaining in the second quarter.
- Auburn Scoring Drive Summary: 4 plays, 39 yards, 2:12 T.O.P.
- Touchdown Auburn: Finley's pass is complete for a 15-yard touchdown pass to Hudson. Extra point is good. Auburn 7, Alabama 0
- Finley completes a pass to Demetris Robertson. 1st and 10 Tigers at the Crimson Tide's 15-yard line.
- Turner records his second sack of the game, and it'll be 3rd and 15 for Auburn at the Alabama 44.
- The ruling on the field is confirmed. Williams will now be out for the remainder of the game. 1st and 10 Auburn at the Crimson Tide's 39-yard line.
- Jameson Williams is called for targeting after tackling Ja'Varrius Johnson. The previous play is under review.
- Pass intended for Metchie on 3rd and 10 falls incomplete, and the Crimson Tide will once again have to punt. So far in this game, Alabama is 1-6 on third down. Auburn is 2-7.
- Auburn's punt bounces through the end zone. Alabama will take control at its own 20-yard line. 1st and 10 Crimson Tide.
- 1st and 10 Tigers at their 40-yard line after a pass interference call on Jordan Battle. Auburn uses its second timeout after the play.
- Young is shoved out of bounds for a loss of two more yards and goes down out-of-bounds. Despite some fairly aggressive taunting and looming over Young by the Auburn sideline, there is no sideline warning. Alabama is forced to punt. Auburn will take over at its own 25-yard line.
- Young is sacked for a loss of two yards. 3rd and 12.
- Alabama calls a timeout before the play clock can expire in a 2nd and 10 scenario. Both the Crimson Tide and the Tigers have two timeouts left.
- Young's pass complete to WR John Metchie III for 11 yards and a first down.
- Finley is sacked by Turner, which brings up a fourth down. That is Alabama's second sack of day. Bolden fields the punt at the Crimson Tide 29-yard line. 1st and 10 Alabama.
- Auburn gets called for holding and the ball moves backwards. 1st and 20 from the 15.
- Alabama punts the football, fair caught by Auburn at its own 25.
First Quarter
- End of the First Quarter: Alabama 0, Auburn 0
- Auburn will have to punt again as Finley is tackled short of the line to gain on third down. Oscar Chapman shanks the punt, but it still sails to the 30-yard line. 1st and 10 Alabama.
- Another fantastic catch, this time by Shenker, is good for an Auburn first down.
- Alabama will punt the football after failing to convert on 3rd and 1. Auburn makes the fair catch at its own 12. 1st and 10 Tigers.
- Young's first completion of the game is good for 34 yards to Jameson Williams. 1st and 10 Crimson Tide at its own 41.
- Bryce Young is sacked for a loss of eight yards. 2nd and 18 on the Auburn 7.
- Through two drives on defense, Anderson leads Alabama with four tackles, including a sack.
- Auburn will be forced to punt after failing to convert on third down. The Tigers are 2-of-4 on the day. Bolden calls for the fair catch at the Alabama 15. 1st and 10 Crimson Tide.
- Shedrick Jackson makes a remarkable catch to convert on third down.
- A face mask by LB Dallas Turner gives Auburn a first down on what would have been a fourth down. 1st and 10 Tigers at their own 26.
- Alabama has gone three-and-out on its first drive, like its Auburn counterparts. The punt is downed by McKinstry at the 3-yard line. 1st and 10 Tigers deep in their own territory.
- Will Anderson Jr. sacks T.J. Finley for a loss on the play. Auburn will be forced to punt from inside its 5-yard line. Slade Bolden fields the ball at the Auburn 48, calling for the fair catch. 1st and 10 Crimson Tide in Auburn territory.
- Ga'Quincy 'Kool-Aid' McKinstry gets the start at corner for the Crimson Tide.
- Hunter returns the kickoff from the 2-yard line and returns the ball to the 28. However, an unnecessary roughness penalty on Auburn moves the ball back to the 13. 1st and 10 Auburn.
- Alabama has won the opening coin toss and will defer to the second half. Auburn will take possession on the opening kickoff.
Pregame
- Both teams have cleared the field and the Auburn marching band has just wrapped up the National Anthem. We are now just minutes away from the kickoff of the 2021 Iron Bowl.
- Today's officials:
- Referee: Alex Moore
- Umpire: Tom Quick
- Linesman: Gary Jayroe
- Line Judge: Chad Lorance
- Back Judge: Ron Turner
- Field Judge: Phillip Davenport
- Side Judge: Sean Petty
- Center Judge: Jason McArthur
- Nick Saban and Alabama football have arrived on The Plains:
- Auburn set up a memorial for Alabama sportswriting legend Cecil Hurt, who passed away last week due to complications with pneumonia:
How to Watch Alabama vs. Auburn
Who: Alabama at Auburn
When: 2:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 27
Where: Bryant-Denny Stadium
TV: Fubo.TV (Start with a 7-day free trial), CBS
Opening line per SI Sportsbook: TBD
Series: The Crimson Tide and the Tigers have met a total of 85 times, with Alabama holding a 47-37-1 advantage in the series. Alabama has won nine of the last 13 in the series, but the Tigers have won three of the last four games in Jordan Hare including the two most recent matchups in Auburn in 2017 and 2019.
Auburn is the opponent that has beaten Alabama more than any other team while Nick Saban has been the coach since 2007, but all five of those Auburn teams had at least nine wins.
Last time out: Alabama beat Arkansas 42-35 in Bryant-Denny Stadium. Bryce Young set an Alabama record with 559 passing yards. Jameson Williams and John Metchie III nearly had 200 receiving yards each, and the defense got stops when it needed to for Alabama to hang on and clinch the win and the SEC West.
Read More
For Auburn, the Tigers blew a double-digit lead for the second week in a row. After being up 14-0 on South Carolina in the first quarter in Columbia, the Gamecocks came back to win 21-17. Auburn is without starting quarterback Bo Nix for the rest of the season, and TJ Finley was starting at quarterback in his place and went 17-32 for 188 yards. Running back Tank Bigsby was a workhorse in the loss with 164 yards on 22 carries.
SEC Schedule
All times CT
Thursday, Nov. 25
No. 12 Ole Miss at No. 25 Mississippi State, 6:30 p.m., ESPN FUBO.TV
Friday, Nov. 26
Missouri at No. 21 Arkansas, 2:30 p.m., CBS FUBO.TV
Saturday, Nov. 27 | All times CT
No. 1 Georgia at Georgia Tech, 11 a.m., ABC FUBO.TV
Florida State at Florida, 11 a.m., ESPN FUBO.TV
No. 2 Alabama at Auburn, 2:30 p.m., CBS FUBO.TV
Vanderbilt at Tennessee, 2:45 p.m., SECN FUBO.TV
No. 16 Texas A&M at LSU, 6 p.m. ESPN FUBO.TV
Kentucky at Louisville, 6:30 p.m., ESPN2 FUBO.TV
Clemson at South Carolina, 6:30 p.m., SECN FUBO.TV