It looked like Hugh Freeze might pull off a major upset and ruin Alabama's playoff chances in his first bid as Auburn's head coach in 2023, but Jalen Milroe and the Crimson Tide offense came close to thwarting that in the final minute of the game.
Milroe cemented his place in Iron Bowl lore when he pulled off the most unlikely play in college football history – a 31-yard run on fourth down with 32 seconds left – to put Alabama in the lead and pull away from the brink of defeat to win the game.
Alabama beat Auburn in four straight games for the first time since winning nine straight from 1973-1981. The Crimson Tide haven't lost in the Bryant-Denny Iron Bowl since 2010, and Karen DeBoer has a chance to extend both streaks in her first season as Alabama's head coach. Freeze will be looking to turn things around in Year 2 when the teams meet to close out the 2024 regular season in one of the greatest rivalries in sports.
Here's an early look at what the 2024 Tigers could look like.
Freeze ran dynamic offenses during his tenures at Ole Miss and Liberty, but struggled in his first season at Auburn. The Tigers finished 92nd in total offense last season and 124th in passing with 162.2 yards per game. So the return of Peyton Thorne as Auburn's starting quarterback could be viewed as both a positive and a negative.
Thorne had a good spring to solidify his role as the starter after rushing for 1,755 yards and 16 touchdowns last season after transferring from Michigan State. Thorne will be surrounded by talented skill position players, led by senior running back Halkace Hunter, a 2023 class who rushed for 909 yards.
Auburn also returns senior Rebaud Fairweather, one of the nation's best tight ends. Fairweather led the Tigers with 394 yards receiving and six touchdowns last season. At wide receiver, Auburn will rely on a lot of new faces. Freeze has landed two of the top receiving prospects in the 2024 class, five-star wide receivers Cam Coleman and Perry Thompson. The school also added three receivers through the transfer portal.
Up front, the offensive line will be anchored by center Connor Liu, who was named a Freshman All-American last season, along with returning starters left guard Dillion Wade and right tackle Izavion Miller.
Auburn returns key starters at every position group on defense, but they also need significant improvement from 2023. Tackle leader Eugene Assanti returns for his senior season after recording 86 tackles last year and scoring a fumble return touchdown against Texas A&M. Seniors Austin Keyes (30 tackles, two sacks, three TFL in 2023) and Jalen McLeod (50 tackles, 5.5 sacks in 2023) also bring experience at the position, with McLeod playing more on the edge in a hybrid position.
Defensive end Keldrick Faulk performed well as a freshman last season, earning SEC All-Freshman honors, and will look to continue that momentum in 2024. Auburn also welcomes new defensive line recruits in Trill Carter, a transfer from the University of Texas, and Gage Keyes, a transfer from the University of Kansas.
Three of Auburn's five 2024 picks come from the defensive backfield. Senior cornerback Keionte Scott is the lone returning starter. He was fourth on the team with 42 tackles and second with five passes defensed. Texas transfer Jaelin Thompson was the defensive MVP of Auburn's spring game, and junior Champ Anthony should start at the star position.
Auburn's 2024 schedule has an odd layout: The Tigers play five straight games at home in September, then don't return to Jordan-Hare until a game against Vanderbilt on Nov. 2. The week before playing Alabama, the Tigers host Texas A&M at home.
Both Alabama and Auburn are accustomed to playing non-Power Four teams in the week before the Iron Bowl. Last year, the Tigers lost to New Mexico State, which worked against them.
Alabama is never ignored on Auburn's schedule, and the Tigers often perform at their best in late-season rivalry matchups.
Auburn finished with a losing record in Freeze's first season, but they have more talent and accomplishments in 2024. But the Tigers have another tough schedule ahead of them, and as always, a lot of attention will be on the Iron Bowl.
Despite some improvements, Alabama is a better overall team and more talented than Auburn. Crazy things tend to happen when the Crimson Tide travels to Auburn, but this year's Iron Bowl will be held in the familiar surroundings of Bryant-Denny Stadium, giving Alabama an even bigger advantage.
date: November 30
time: to be decided
tv set: to be decided
position: Bryant-Denny Stadium
Series History: Alabama leads 50-37-1
Last meeting: Alabama came back in the final minute on a touchdown pass from Jalen Milroe to Isaiah Bond on fourth-and-goal from the 31-yard line, beating Auburn for the fourth straight time. The Crimson Tide held on in the final seconds to win, 27-24.
coach: Hugh Freeze, second year, 6 wins, 7 losses
Offensive Coordinator: Derrick Nicks
Defensive Coordinator: DJ Darkin
2023 Record: 6-7 (3-5 sec)
2023 Rankings: Total offensive power (92nd), total defensive power (47th)
Returning starter
14 (6 offensive players, 6 defensive players, kicker, punter)
Featured Players
RB Halkez Hunter, WR Cam Coleman, TE Rivaldo Fairweather, DE Keldrick Faulk, LB Eugene Assante, CB Keionte Scott, K Alex McPherson
Top Newcomers:
Freshman wide receiver Cam Coleman is one of the top prospects in the country and should be an immediate impact player for the Tigers. He was the Auburn A-Day Offensive MVP.
The biggest question
Can Auburn's two new coordinators make big changes?
position: Auburn, Alabama
Founded: 1856
Registration: 33,015
nickname: Tigers
color: Orange and Blue
mascot: Obie
Last time they beat Alabama: 2019
Last SEC Winner: 2013
Defending SEC West champions: 2017
National Championships: 2 (1957, 2010)
Playoff appearances: none
Conference Championship: 12- 2013, 2010, 2004, 1989, 1988, 1987, 1983, 1957 (SEC), 1932 (Southern), 1919, 1914, 1913 (SIAA)
Bowl Record: 24-21-2
Players who didn't make a bowl appearance last season: 2022
Heisman Trophy: 3 (Pat Sullivan 1971, Bo Jackson 1985, Cam Newton 2010)
2024 NFL Draft:
Ranking the last four recruiting classes: No. 10 (2024), No. 18 (2023), No. 21 (2022), No. 80 (2021)
September 1: Alabama A&M
September 7: California
September 14: New Mexico
September 21: Arkansas
September 28: Oklahoma
October 5: Georgia
October 19: Missouri
October 26: Kentucky
November 2: Vanderbilt
November 16: Monroe, Louisiana
November 23: Texas A&M
November 30: Alabama
