Regardless of rankings, regardless of future bowl games and playoff berths, the stakes for the Iron Bowl are both simple and infinite. If you can give your fans an edge over the opposition at every cookout,

Put down the turkey leg and pumpkin pie. The Iron Bowl is here. Alabama and Auburn have been bruised and battered in a scrappy SEC, but fans have plenty to keep them thankful in 2024. The Crimson Tide remain part of the College Football Playoff conversation.

If Alabama can stop the run and force Auburn into must-pass situations, there are opportunities to be had. However, Alabama had one combined sack (against Tennessee) in its three losses, due in large part because it didn’t force those teams into many third-and-long situations.