Iron Bowl analysis by CBS' Gary Danielson: 'Alabama has more cards than Auburn'
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Jon Solomon | jsolomon@al.com By Jon Solomon | jsolomon@al.com
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on November 26, 2013 at 12:18 PM, updated November 26, 2013 at 2:09 PM
Auburn runs Gus Malzahn's hurry-up, no-huddle offense. Alabama possesses Nick Saban's NFL-style blueprint that can win in different ways.
The first winner-take-all Iron Bowl for the SEC West title exemplifies how college football teams can succeed with different methods, said CBS Sports analyst Gary Danielson, who will call Saturday's game between No. 1 Alabama and No. 4 Auburn.
"I think that's kind of the intriguing part of this football game," Danielson said. "Alabama has about six different ways to win and most teams only have one or two paths to win. And I think that's probably the case for this football game. Auburn has one path, and I think their path is unique because of the style and way they run the ball. If you're going to play blackjack, Alabama has more cards than Auburn."
Danielson's two keys to this Iron Bowl: Alabama's experience in big games coupled with the pressure it faces, and which team imposes its will when Auburn tries to run against Alabama.
This is Alabama's eighth game involving two top-10 teams in the past three seasons as the Crimson Tide goes for a third straight national championship. Auburn will be playing its first game involving two top-10 teams since the 2011 BCS Championship Game against Oregon.
Alabama players "almost yawn and say they've had 30 of these games in their career," Danielson said. "They've been through this a lot. Concurrently, the pressure is all on them. Auburn no doubt is playing with house money and they should be the looser team going into the game."
The most compelling matchup figures to be Auburn's physical, downfield running style through different formations against Alabama's disciplined defense. Auburn ranks second in the country in rushing at 320.3 yards per game; Alabama is fourth stopping the run at 91.4 yards.
That matchup is an avenue for one team to control the game and impose its will, Danielson said.
"It does appear to me that Alabama takes so much pride in stopping offenses -- especially stopping teams that can run the ball -- that they get down on themselves as a coaching staff and players if teams are able to run the ball consistently on them," Danielson said.
Danielson said Alabama is uniquely put together to slow Auburn's running game. The blueprint is having defensive linemen who are committed to doing their job and not seek the glory of making tackles in the backfield, he said.
"Auburn is very athletic on the their offensive line and they're very impressive watching them block," Danielson said. "Their offensive tackle (Greg Robinson) is as good as any I've ever seen. They get to the second level. If the Alabama defensive line can keep (linebackers) C.J. Mosley and Trey DePriest clean, Auburn doesn't have a chance."
To prepare for calling Saturday's game, Danielson said he watched a tape of former Tennessee defensive coordinator John Chavis' unit against Malzahn's first Auburn offense in 2009. The reason: The Vols had an elite safety in 2009, Eric Berry.
"You have to have a safety who can tackle (against Auburn)," Danielson said. "You can't be right every time. Alabama has two of the best-tackling safeties in football. There is a wild card of play-action pass. All you have to have is a couple passes hit early, and just like Texas A&M (in its 49-42 loss to Alabama), you get a team that maybe over-adjusts for fear of giving up the big play."
Auburn's defense gives up yards and often tightens in the red zone. The Tigers rank 69th in total defense at 406.9 yards per game, but 14th in red-zone defense. (Alabama ranks 42nd in red-zone offense.)
Because Auburn goes 10 deep with defensive linemen, Danielson believes the Tigers shouldn't be worn down against Alabama's running attack late in the game like most teams.
"They'll be able to take the punishment better than most defensive lines," Danielson said. "They're not big at linebacker. They're small at safety. They do not have big, physical players in the back seven. I can just imagine McCarron turning on that tape and watching how Georgia threw on them and say, 'Coach, we cannot be stopped by them.' It would be going out of character by Alabama and a bit dangerous. All you need is miss a couple throws and a ball bounces off the hands. I'll be curious to see how Alabama attacks."
If Alabama wins, either Missouri or South Carolina would be tough matchups in the SEC Championship Game for the Crimson Tide to reach Pasadena, Danielson said.
"Alabama is going to earn their trip to the national championship," he said. "As comfortable as their schedule was on the front end, the back end is very difficult."
In Danielson's mind, a one-loss Auburn would not jump undefeated Ohio State into the BCS Championship Game, although the Buckeyes could certainly lose a game.
"How can you have the best conference in college football not be represented?" Danielson said. "But I didn't invent the BCS. I don't think that would be fair to Ohio State. I also don't think it would be fair to Florida State if Jameis Winston is declared ineligible (due to the results of an ongoing rape investigation) and some committee or voters decide that we now know the remaining 85 guys are not good enough to play. That would be just as unfair in my mind. Everybody else around that program has earned the right to play for the national championship with or without Jameis Winston."
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