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Posted: 4:22 PM Nov 17, 2006
Last Updated: 4:22 PM Nov 17, 2006
Reporter: The Associated Press
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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) - The 15th-ranked Auburn Tigers have been
pouncing on the Crimson Tide early, and that's a big reason why
they've won four consecutive Iron Bowls entering tomorrow's rivalry
clash.
There was last year's sackfest, when Auburn defenders seemed to
be lining up in Alabama's backfield at times.
Then there was that 80-yard touchdown romp by Carnell Williams
on the first play in 2003, and an early 51-yard run by unknown
freshman Tre Smith a year earlier.
Alabama fullback Tim Castille says the Tigers always jump out
fast, and the Tide can't ever rebound. But Castille says it's going
to be different this year.
"They can talk about that four-year thing all they want to," he says, "but I'm going to be ready come 2:30 Saturday."
That's been the kind of tough talk coming from the Tide camp all
week.
Who wouldn't have a bit of an attitude after enduring one-thousand-825 days of gloating from Auburn fans flush with such a rare string of success against 'Bama?
Then there's the "Fear the Thumb" talk.
Auburn hasn't had a five-game Iron Bowl winning streak since 1954-58, and the Tigers would love to flash that thumb at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Auburn still has an outside shot to win the S-E-C Western Division with a victory, but that would take lots of help. Arkansas would have to lose to Mississippi State and L-S-U, and L-S-U would have to win out.
Auburn would win the three-way tiebreaker despite losing to the
Razorbacks because of a better division record and a win over
LSU.
The Tigers are worrying more about the state title than the SEC crown. The math is a lot simpler.
Auburn linebacker Will Herring put it this way: "This is the
game that counts. This is the game that everybody's waiting on. You
can put everything behind us that's happened this season. It's
going to be a great game, a hard-fought game, and history's going
to be made Saturday."
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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