Perhaps something about Alabama football's last touchdown in a 28-14 Iron Bowl win over Auburn incensed the Tigers . Or maybe it was something said or done earlier in the annual clash of archrivals; when it comes to retribution in football, memories are long and tempers are short. But on the first play from scrimmage after Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe punched in a 17-yard touchdown run to make the score 28-6, more punches ensued.
With 6:54 remaining in the third quarter, Auburn QB Payton Thorne threw a swing pass incomplete to the left side. Tigers wide receiver Cam Coleman drove UA defensive back DeVonta Smith to the Auburn sideline with a block, and continued to try to put Smith on his back well out of bounds. Smith took exception. Alabama safety Malachi Moore took exception, as well. And a skirmish ensued that involved not only players on the AU sideline but Alabama defenders who got involved as well.
Iron in the fire, as it were.
Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said this about the melee:
"I saw the first part of it and I thought ... I understand there was a piece where we didn't handle it probably as well as we needed to. I don't want to get into it too much. I know there was something that prompted it, but that's about all I know," DeBoer said. "It was on the other sideline, so you can't see a lot. It certainly got them a little bit of momentum with those (penalty) yards they got after that. But it's an emotional game. It builds up to this and the game itself, and the back and forth with a lot of momentum swings. It's not OK, but I understand where the emotions were on both sides. A lot of people over there, so it was hard for me to tell what was really going on."
Although Coleman clearly could've been flagged, the outcome was two personal fouls on the Crimson Tide : one on Smith, the other on Moore, although only one of the two penalties was enforced. The drive resulted in Auburn's only touchdown of the game.
Tuscaloosa News columnist Chase Goodbread is also the weekly co-host of Crimson Cover TV on WVUA-23. Reach him at cgoodbread@gannett.com. Follow on X.com @chasegoodbread.
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This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: What Alabama football's DeBoer said about Iron Bowl sideline fight
