Auburn vs. Alabama: Who has the edge?

The rivalry between Auburn and Alabama has intensified immensely over the last several seasons.

The battles between the squads of Auburn’s Bruce Pearl and Alabama’s Nate Oats have provided quality entertainment since 2019 and brought the rivalry to levels last seen during the Sonny Smith-Wimp Sanderson era in the 1980s. However, no game in this historic series has been greater than the one that will be played Saturday at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa between the No. 1 Crimson Tide and the No. 2 Tigers.

Saturday’s game will mark the first time in history that a No. 1 vs. No. 2 game has happened between SEC programs, which indicates how well each team has developed in recent years.

“I don’t think many people would have picked Auburn and Alabama to be that team,” Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said this week of the matchup. “And yet, you know, since 2017 and 2018, Alabama and Auburn have won eight championships. I guess, over the last eight years, it’s kind of run through the state of Alabama.”

Which team has the upper hand? Here’s how Auburn and Alabama stack up ahead of Saturday’s clash in Tuscaloosa.

AUBURN

ALABAMA

22-2 (10-1)

Record (SEC)

21-3 (10-1)

No. 2

USA TODAY Coaches Poll ranking

No. 1

No. 1

AP Poll ranking

No. 2

No. 1

KenPom ranking

No. 6

84.8 (No. 3 in SEC)

Points per game

90.5 (No. 1 in SEC)

67.7 (No. 5 in SEC)

Points allowed per game

78.5 (No. 16 in SEC)

38.4 (No. 5 SEC)

Rebounds per game

44.2 (No. 1 in SEC)

13-2

Quad-1 record

8-3

Johni Broome (18.1 PPG)

Leading scorer

Mark Sears (17.8 PPG)

Bruce Pearl (467-220)

Head coach (career record)

Nate Oats (234-100)

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This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: Auburn vs. Alabama: Who has the edge?

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/auburn-vs-alabama-edge-200117849.html

Author : Auburn Wire

Publish date : 2025-02-14 20:01:00

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