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A spirit that is not afraid

All we do is win

Sophomore running back Onterio McCalebb stiff-arms Bacarri Rambo. (Charlie Timberlake/Assistant Photo Editor)
Sophomore running back Onterio McCalebb stiff-arms Bacarri Rambo. (Charlie Timberlake/Assistant Photo Editor)

The Auburn football team heads to Tuscaloosa Nov. 26, with hopes of continuing its national championship run.

Auburn currently sits at 11-0 and 7-0 in the SEC.

The Tigers' most anticipated game of the season comes with its challenges.

Alabama currently ranks fourth nationally in scoring defense, giving up only 13.4 points per game.

The most points a team has scored on the Tide is 21.

Coach Gene Chizik said he has a plan for his team during its bye week.

"There is a fine line of balance in there between trying to make sure that you are prepared enough, but yet again, we are a little bit of a tired and beat up football team," Chizik said. "So, they have to regroup a little bit, and we have to get healthy."

The Crimson Tide currently holds a 19-game win streak in Bryant-Denny Stadium and plays Georgia State Thursday night.

Alabama running back Mark Ingram said he loves playing at home.

"The fans are so special," Ingram said. "They're important. They make it hard for the other team to have success, being how loud they are.

"Just how hard it is for the other team to communicate, it helps us a lot. The energy of playing in front of them is something we all look forward to."

Alabama returned eight offensive starters from last year's national championship season.

One of those is the school's first Heisman Trophy winner, Ingram.

Ingram missed the first two games of the season to undergo knee surgery.

Since his return, Ingram and fellow running back Trent Richardson have combined for half the team's touchdowns.

Richardson injured his knee in the loss to LSU and is currently questionable to play.

Alabama head coach Nick Saban said Richardson is practicing with the team this week.

"He actually wanted to play in the last game, but we didn't feel like he'd practiced enough or he was ready enough," Saban said. "I still think we have to evaluate that day-to-day."

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Georgia State is in its first season as a program, but Alabama isn't taking anything for granted.

""We know that every game we play is important," said Robert Lester, Alabama defensive back. "Every player in college is an athlete and can make plays.

"We can't look ahead to Auburn and look past Georgia State because they could sneak up and beat us, which obviously wouldn't look good."

This year's game will mark the 75th meeting between the two teams.

Alabama leads the all-time series 40-33-1.

In the SEC, Alabama ranks fourth in total offense, averaging 430.30 yards per game.

While Auburn's No. 2 rank is intimidating to some teams, Alabama is 13-4 against the Associated Press Top 25 over the past three seasons and 8-2 against AP top-10 teams.

For Auburn, defensive lineman Mike Blanc and defensive end Michael Goggans are suspended for the first half of the Iron Bowl because they were ejected late in the Georgia game.

"Just really disappointed in that," Chizik said. "That's a lot of reflection on us as coaches, and I am embarrassed by it. That's not who we are. That's not the way we carry ourselves."

Auburn is looking at its first bye week since the season opened Sept. 4.

Many players look forward to the free time.

"I'm probably going to do a little hunting," said Lee Ziemba, a senior offensive lineman. "I need to catch up on some school work and just start studying up on our next opponent."


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