Breaking: Deontae Lawson, Jaylen Key Set to Return for Iron Bowl

The Crimson Tide will bring back two starters on the defensive end for its regular season finale at Auburn.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Linebacker Deontae Lawson (ankle) and defensive back Jaylen Key (quad) will both return to action for Alabama in Saturday's Iron Bowl, sources tell BamaCentral.

Lawson has missed three games this season with injury — at Mississippi State, at Kentucky and this past week against Chattanooga. He has 52 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks in eight games as the Crimson Tide's middle linebacker.

Key has been sidelined for the past two weeks after sustaining a quad injury in Alabama's 42-28 win over then-No. 14 LSU on Nov. 4. Key has been a starter at safety all season alongside true freshman Caleb Downs. He has 46 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and an interception in nine games played.

Wide receiver Kobe Prentice, who missed last week's game, is also set to return for the Crimson Tide (10-1, 7-0 SEC). Linebacker Quandarrius Robinson will also be back for Alabama after suffering an injury late against the Mocs.

Wide receiver Ja'Corey Brooks remains out, with what is being called a shoulder injury. He has just three catches this season, despite having 866 yards and 10 touchdowns in his first two seasons in Tuscaloosa. In fact, it was Brooks that caught the game-tying touchdown in the 2021 Iron Bowl.

"This is a very special, competitive situation — the Iron Bowl," head coach Nick Saban said on Wednesday. "Auburn has a very good team. I know in rivalry games, things are always going to be very, very competitive. I don’t think records or any of that stuff really matters when it comes to what happens in this game."

Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. CT on CBS.

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