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Alabama football grinds down Auburn for Iron Bowl victory: Key takeaways
- Story byThe Tuscaloosa News
- Alabama football grinds down Auburn for Iron Bowl victory: Key takeaways
Alabama football took care of business in the Iron Bowl on Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium, taking down Auburn 28-14. It marks the No. 13-ranked Crimson Tide 's fifth straight win over Auburn in what was the 89th edition of the Iron Bowl.
Jalen Milroe scored a pair of touchdowns in the first half for Alabama , building an early lead 14-6 lead going into the half behind two Auburn field goals. The Crimson Tide came out of the break with back-to-back touchdown drives, Auburn's only response being a third-quarter touchdown.
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Here are takeaways and observations from Alabama (9-3, 5-3 SEC) vs. Auburn (5-7, 2-6).
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Alabama football turnovers slow Tide
Alabama's three turnovers against Oklahoma the previous week matched a season high. By halftime against Auburn, the Crimson Tide already had matched that.
The first came on Alabama's opening drive with a Ryan Williams fumble. Milroe found the freshman up the middle for a 19-yard reception, but Williams fumbled the ball on his way down. Williams also dropped what would have been a touchdown pass in the second quarter, getting behind the defense but allowing the ball to slip through his hands. Five plays later, Milroe threw an interception.
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Alabama's third turnover came from a Milroe fumble in the second quarter after taking a sack. The Crimson Tide finished the game with four turnovers, the final coming from a third-quarter Milroe fumble.
Defense efficiency gives Alabama football edge
The Alabama defense came to play, especially on third down and in the red zone.
The Crimson Tide held the Tigers to 2-of-9 on third downs in the first half and 0-for-1 on fourth down. One of those stops kept Auburn out of the end zone after Milroe's second-quarter fumble set the Tigers up at Alabama's 34. Auburn ran eight plays, including four inside the 10-yard line, ultimately being forced to settle for a field goal.
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The Alabama defense continued to dominate in the second half, Auburn finishing the game 4-of-12 on third down with a little more than 350 total yards of offense two two turnovers.
Mixed day for Jalen Milroe
It was a mixed day for Milroe, rushing for three touchdowns while turning the ball over three times. He finished the game 18-of-24 passing for 256 yards and one interception to go with 104 yards on the ground.
Anna Snyder covers high school sports and University of Alabama softball and football recruiting for The Tuscaloosa News. Reach her at asnyder@gannett.com . Follow her on X @annaesnyder2.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama football beats Auburn in Iron Bowl: Key takeaways
