The 89th edition of the Iron Bowl will commence Saturday as Alabama hosts Auburn at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The matchup will feature two talented freshmen from Alabama, with in-state bragging rights at stake.
Ryan Williams
At just 17 years old, Williams has taken the college football world by storm in his freshman season.
He made a name for himself at Saraland High School, earning honors as Alabama’s Mr. Football and Alabama Gatorade Football Player of the Year in 2022 and 2023. Williams, ranked as a 5-star recruit and previously the No. 1 recruit in the class of 2025, reclassified to the class of 2024 last December, forgoing his senior season of high school football.
Williams first committed to Alabama in October 2022 as a sophomore in high school. Williams later de-committed from Alabama in the wake of former head coach Nick Saban’s retirement, but he re-pledged his commitment on Jan. 24 after an official visit on Jan. 20 with head coach Kalen DeBoer and staff.
“He was a priority right off the bat,” DeBoer said on “The Paul Finebaum Show” in October, adding that Williams being an in-state product ensured that he and staff “made a trip down there as quickly as we possibly could.”
Williams’ instant impact at Alabama has been a major part of the Crimson Tide’s success this season. Williams scored five touchdowns in Alabama’s first three contests, notably taking two catches for 139 yards and two touchdowns against Western Kentucky.
Against Georgia, Williams made six receptions for 177 yards and a touchdown. His 75-yard touchdown catch with 2:18 remaining ultimately clinched the win for Alabama in a 41-34 barnburner victory over the Bulldogs.
Williams continued his impact for Alabama with 85 combined yards and two total touchdowns in a losing effort to the Vanderbilt Commodores, 40-35. Since this performance, however, Williams has yet to find the same success, with defenses prioritizing him in coverage.
Williams will look to make an impact for Alabama in his first Iron Bowl. It will be a family affair, as Williams’ father, Ryan Williams Sr., played at Auburn.
Cam Coleman
Coleman, like Williams, is a dynamic wide receiver with game-changing abilities. Coleman played high school football at Central High School in Phenix City, Alabama, where he helped win the Alabama class 7A state championship as a senior.
He recorded strong numbers in his senior season, catching 61 passes for 1,372 yards and scoring 18 touchdowns. Coleman’s performance earned him a 5-star rating on multiple recruiting sites, ranking as the No. 1 player in Alabama and No. 5 overall in the class of 2024, per 247 Sports.
Coleman committed to Texas A&M before flipping his commitment to Auburn last December following the departure of former Aggies head coach Jimbo Fisher.
Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze said at SEC media day that he “loves” Coleman, adding that he believes Coleman has “the physical stature of the NFL guys right now.
Coleman has been an impact player for the Tigers in his freshman season, recording 30 receptions for 520 yards and 7 touchdowns. Coleman most recently starred in Auburn’s upset win over then-no. 15 Texas A&M, recording 7 receptions for 128 yards and 2 touchdowns, against the school for which he once previously pledged to play.
After the upset win over the Aggies, Coleman and the Tigers will be vying for in-state bragging rights and the chance to earn bowl eligibility.
Alabama will look to bounce back after a poor performance at Oklahoma with a fifth straight win over Auburn in the 89th edition of the Iron Bowl on Saturday. Kickoff is at 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC.
