Kalen DeBoer and Hugh Freeze had wildly different Saturday nights in Week 13. Traveling to Oklahoma, Alabama was downed by the unranked Sooners, falling 24-3.
DeBoer said he was “extremely disappointed” and “frustrated” after the Norman loss.
“We’ve just gotta play better. We’ve gotta be better in all ways,” he said.
Freeze, however, picked up his biggest win yet as head coach at Auburn. Taking on No. 15 Texas A&M in front of the Tigers’ home crowd, the game went into four overtimes before Auburn emerged victorious.
These momentum shifts for both teams come at a very important time. Heading into Week 14, only one game remains on the regular season schedule — the Iron Bowl.
In terms of coaching against rivals, Freeze and DeBoer have similar respectable records.
During his time as head coach of Ole Miss, Freeze was 3-2 against archrival Mississippi State, including a 31-17 upset over the then-No. 4 Bulldogs in 2014. At Auburn, Freeze nearly pulled off another upset over a rival in 2023. The Tigers fell short to Alabama 27-24 last season after the Crimson Tide miraculously converted a fourth and goal from the 31-yard line to take the lead with less than a minute to play.
DeBoer, while not having participated in a historic SEC rivalry yet, was consistent against rivals at Washington.
DeBoer’s Huskies defeated No. 6 Oregon and Washington State in 2022 and 2023. In addition to the regular season, Washington played Oregon again in the 2023 Pac-12 championship, winning 34-31 to become 5-0 against main rivals as head coach of the Huskies.
While both coaches likely have what it takes to compete with their rivals, Saturday’s game will depend on whose coaching style prevails.
DeBoer’s offense in 2024 has been largely predicated on the quarterback run, relying on Jalen Milroe’s rushing ability in virtually every game. Milroe’s legs are effectively the heartbeat of the offense.
However, the Milroe rushing reliance goes both ways for Alabama. Despite rushing over 100 yards twice this season, Milroe has been held under 15 yards four times, with three of those games making up Alabama’s only losses on the season. The defensive game plan should be simple for Freeze. If Auburn wants a chance to beat Alabama, it must contain Milroe’s running.
DeBoer’s squad should be salivating over the idea of the quarterback run being the deciding factor against Auburn. Milroe is undoubtedly the most versatile running quarterback the Tigers have faced this season, something that Freeze is likely not looking forward to.
Auburn had struggled to stop the run in its three games against dual-threat quarterbacks this season. Against Texas A&M in Week 13, Aggie quarterback Marcel Reed rushed for 66 yards. In Week 5, the Tigers faced off against Oklahoma’s Michael Hawkins Jr., who ran for 69 yards and a touchdown. The problem was even worse the week before for Auburn, as Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown.
Freeze’s offensive game plan against DeBoer’s defense likely will be centered around a run-pass balance. Auburn seemed to find that balance against Texas A&M last week, with Tiger running back Jarquez Hunter rushing for 130 yards and three touchdowns and quarterback Payton Thorne passing for 301 yards and two touchdowns.
Freshman wide receiver Cam Coleman also had his best game of the season, totaling 128 receiving yards and two touchdowns. If DeBoer wants to limit the Auburn offense, he needs to find a way to get the most out of his young secondary and banged-up front seven. Auburn has a proclivity for turning the ball over, ranking 114th out of 133 FBS teams in turnovers lost.
With the game set to be played in Tuscaloosa, DeBoer and Freeze understand the magnitude of the matchup.
“That’s going to be a game the whole state, us, Auburn, pour everything into,” DeBoer said. “Just such great history over the years. It’s a big game. A big game for a lot of reasons.”
Freeze shared this sentiment.
“I mean, if you’re needing extra motivation in the Iron Bowl, you’re probably not ready for it,” Freeze said.
Alabama and Auburn will face off on Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT. The game can be streamed on ABC.
