Tide stops streak, hands Auburn seventh loss of season with Iron Bowl shutout

TUSCALOOSA, Nov 30, 2008 (The Anniston Star - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- BPTTF | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- Through six long years, Alabama players and fans watched in dismay as Auburn added wins -- and yet another dreaded finger to a taunting Iron Bowl salute.

"Fear the thumb," and "One for the other hand" were just additional barbs of misery lobbed at Alabama faithful.

But Crimson Tide players discovered on Saturday evening that one trumps six.

Alabama players gloriously extended their index finger -- the recognized sign for No. 1 -- following a 36-0 drubbing of Auburn in the Iron Bowl.

Auburn might have had the six consecutive wins, but Alabama had something more precious -- No. 1 national status and a defined path toward the national title game.

Alabama quarterback John Parker Wilson took a knee as the final seconds ticked from the clock, then galloped toward midfield, holding the game ball aloft. Tide coach Nick Saban took a victory lap, celebrating with the Alabama faithful.

The streak had finally ended.

"It feels good to finally, you know, get that monkey off our backs," safety Rashad Johnson said. "We were totally more physical than those guys were and dominated them on both sides of the ball."

Senior center Antoine Caldwell said he barely had words to describe the emotions of finally recording a win against the Tigers, who ended their season at 5-7 and saw an eight-year bowl streak end.

"It's probably the highlight of my career," Caldwell said. "Just knowing those guys dominated us for so long, I really felt like this time was our time, this year. To get it done, it's an amazing feeling."

Being undefeated and playing for a Southeastern Conference championship against Florida in the SEC championship game were secondary concerns for Alabama entering the season.

"It was obviously a great win for our fans, and it was a great win for our players," Saban said. "We don't have a player on our team who has experienced this before, so that was our goal."

Top-ranked Alabama (12-0) thoroughly dominated the game, holding Auburn's anemic offense to just 170 total yards, while grinding out 412 -- including 234 on the ground. The Crimson Tide took advantage of a pair of third quarter Auburn turnovers in turning a close game into a rout.

Alabama handed Auburn its worst loss since 1996, when the Tigers lost 51-10 to Florida, as well as their first shutout since Southern California blanked the Tigers 23-0 in the 2003 season opener.

The Tide's margin of victory was the most since a 38-0 win in 1962.

Auburn threatened Alabama's 10-0 lead just before halftime, driving quickly down the field, but went to the locker room on a blocked field goal. Things never got better after that.

"All good things have to come to an end," Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said. "And it came to a screeching halt tonight. We needed them to make mistakes, and they didn't. We needed not to make mistakes, and we did."

The Crimson Tide won't have long to celebrate this win, with Saban's 24-hour rule about celebrating wins not extended -- not even for a most gratifying victory against Auburn. Tide players had already turned their attention toward Florida following the game.

"Still applies," senior center Antoine Caldwell said of the rule. "I'm moving on in my head already, getting ready. It's going to be another big game for us. Florida's got everything going in their favor. It's going to be a tough game for us, but we're going to be ready to play."

That ability to get ready for the next team has become a hallmark of Alabama this year.

"We haven't beat Auburn in a long time and it feels great, but part of our success is forgetting about the last game and focusing on the next game, and we've done a good job of doing that," said Alabama running back Glen Coffee, who torched Auburn for 144 yards.

Auburn put together its six-game winning streak on the back of a tenacious and unrelenting defense that attacked and put the Tide away when it had the opportunity. The Tigers had that chance in the early minutes of the first quarter, but the 2008 team couldn't duplicate the success of previous Auburn teams.

A small play turned the Tide, so to speak.

Facing a second-and-10 at its 5, Alabama got its spark from Coffee, who broke an arm tackle and rumbled 8 yards. Things seemed to click after that.

"Coming out of the goal line, when they let us come out of the goal line, we pretty much knew then we could do that during the whole game," Coffee said. "Usually when I break that first tackle, that's my thing I use to get going. When you get that feeling, everybody on offense does."

Coffee broke off a 41-yard scoring run in the second quarter for a 10-0 lead. Morgan Hull's 37-yard field goal attempt ended Auburn's best scoring threat. The Tide converted two third quarter fumbles into a 39-yard scoring pass from Wilson to Nikita Stover and a 1-yard Mark Ingram scoring run.

The Tide turned the game into a rout with Ingram's 14-yard scoring run, and then Alabama added insult to injury when backup quarterback Greg McElroy found freshman Marquis Maze for a 34-yard scoring pass in the final minutes, providing a preview to next season, perhaps.

Saban praised his seniors, whom he said bought into his plans and made this season possible.

"I'd like to say that when I came here, change was probably inevitable, but the growth that everybody has had was optional," Saban said. "Everybody had to buy into it, and I just want to say that the seniors that we have on this team were the key to changing the culture ... ."

The Tide continues to reap the benefits of buying into Saban, and will now try to take it to even higher levels.

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Auburn

Offense

Auburn threatened to score only once. The Crimson Tide overmatched the Tigers so badly that the visitors struggled just to move the football. The Tigers couldn't run the ball, either. Mario Fannin led the team in rushing with 28 yards on eight carries. As a team, the Tigers managed just 57 rushing yards and 170 total yards.

Defense

The Crimson Tide dominated the Tigers upfront, as evidenced by its 234 rushing yards. Auburn rarely pressured John Parker Wilson, allowing him to convert critical third downs. The Tigers were outclassed on defense, as well. Alabama averaged 4.7 yards per carry and seemingly moved the ball at will throughout the second half.

Special teams

Auburn's return game never got on track despite the fact the Tigers had several opportunities to return kickoffs. Tristan Davis' longest return came on the final kickoff of the game, but it was negated by a blocking penalty. Punter Clinton Durst avered 42.6 yards per punt. Kicker Morgan Hull had his only field-goal attempt blocked.

Strategy

Alabama seemingly had an answer for everything Auburn tried, whereas the Tigers seemed clueless. The Crimson Tide pressured Burns all evening, but the Tigers never found a way to slow the ambush. Defensively, nothing the Auburn tried kept Alabama from rushing for 234 yards.

-- Luke Brietzke

Alabama

Offense

Once again, Alabama's simple and powerful offense came through. Glen Coffee was a force, gaining 144 yards on 20 carries, and Mark Ingram complemented Coffee's day with 64 yards on 15 carries. Most importantly though, Alabama had no turnovers. John Parker Wilson had Alabama's lone fumble on a botched snap, but he quickly picked it up.

Defense

It's a great time for this unit to be playing its best football. Now make it four of its past five games where the Tide has held its opponents to less than 200 total yards. With offense-heavy Florida waiting for the Tide in the SEC Championship Game, Alabama's defense couldn't be playing better.

Special Teams

A missed extra point by Leigh Tiffin, one bad punt by P.J. Fitzgerald and no big returns by Javier Arenas diminish the performance of the unit. But Alabama held Auburn returners Tristan Davis and Robert Dunn in check. Even if the duo had put the Tigers in good field position, Auburn probably wouldn't do much.

Big Picture

Alabama just demolished its hated rival, winning its first game against the Tigers in six years. Also, the Tide appears to be playing its best football of the season as it heads to the SEC Championship Game against Florida. You really can't ask for much more right now if you're Alabama.

-- Josh Cooper

By the numbers

-3 -- Turnover differential for the Tigers. Auburn fumbled three times in the second half, and the Tide converted the turnovers into points.

1 -- Consecutive Iron Bowls won by Alabama. It was the first series win by Alabama since 2001.

1.9 -- Yards per carry average for Auburn. The Tigers rushed 30 times for a mere 57 yards against Alabama's third-ranked defense.

About Christa Turner

Christa Turner is the assistant sports editor for The Star. She is originally from White Plains and is a graduate of Auburn University.

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