Alabama's DeBoer, Auburn's Freeze See Iron Bowl as Chance for Redemption

The Auburn Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide both lament missed chances in 2024, but the Iron Bowl presents another chance at redemption.

The Iron Bowl offers Hugh Freeze and his Auburn Tigers the chance to extend the season and end on a high note. / Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer and Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze are singing similar tunes of seasons that haven't lived up to expectations for either storied program.

It's safe to say that lots and lots is riding on Saturday's game for both embattled coaches who have suffered mightily this year to get things really going. Auburn can somewhat salvage a lost season with a win over Alabama, while the Crimson Tide must win to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Funnily enough, it's DeBoer who sounds a lot like his coaching compatriot Freeze, especially when he laments rather wistfully about his team's puzzling struggles.

Last week against Oklahoma it was a case of Bama shooting themselves with three turnovers, and you have to admit that sounds eerily similar to what Freeze and his young Auburn team have gone through this season. 

"It's disappointing because I feel like we've done a good job of building up over the last month, really the consistency in all areas," De Boer said during media availability this week. "[It] really starts with winning the turnover margin, that's been ways where we've gotten momentum, we've started fast because of it, we've held teams to field goals, we gave up really the one touchdown... so some of those things were still in play." 

Freeze has also suffered greatly due to a blight costly turnovers and the nagging inability to close out the close games. That depressing narrative changed last Saturday after four overtime periods against Texas A&M, so the hope is that the positive momentum carries over to this Saturday in Tuscaloosa. 

Of course, the Iron Bowl traditionally dictates that form, standings, and past bragging rights tend to get thrown out the window.

Having said that, De Boer is determined to mine for an discernable edge via some of his veteran players who don't know what it's like to lose to Auburn.

"Just already talking about it yesterday in the team meeting, you can already feel [the] leadership stepping up really talking about what this game means to them, what this means to us, what it means to everyone on both sides," De Boer said.

"365 days in the year, ever since I've been here, I think I hear about it everyday. So understand what it means, the excitement, and we have to put and learn from last week and be better because of it and turn the page.

"You know, do everything we can to be successful on Saturday, find a way to win."

On the flip side, coach Freeze is well aware that getting the weighty Bama monkey off his back is of paramount importance, especially when you figure in the future aspirations of the entire program.

"To sit in this seat and to lose one like we did last year still doesn't sit right," Freeze admitted on Monday. "I know that the Auburn faithful had to endure that, and we want to change that feeling in this building and for our great fan base in this state."

It will come as absolutely no surprise for anyone to know that pride is very much at stake, you might also suggest that Freeze and Auburn are swinging for the fences a little more freely all of a sudden.

Drawing a line in the sand against Alabama means packing away last year's crushing disappointments, and of course that would also open up further possibilities to extend what has often been a topsy-turvy season.

A win gets the Tigers in a bowl while simultaneously ending Alabama's chances at the College Football Playoff.

"We had a shot to win it, so we have to find a way to keep ourselves in it and give us a chance to win and try to change that and start making it a regular expectation," Freeze declared.