Following ESPN College GameDay's fourth Iron Bowl appearance, the Auburn Tigers fell 42-14 to the No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide in the 76th annual rivalry game Saturday.
The loss marked the Tigers' first home defeat since the 2009 Iron Bowl, snapping a 14-game home win streak that was tied for fifth-longest in program history.
After each team failed to gain a first down on their opening possessions, the first score of the game came in Alabama's second drive with a 41-yard pass to receiver Kenny Bell from quarterback AJ McCarron.
The Tigers (7-4, 4-3 SEC) again failed to complete a first down on their next drive, and a 10-yard punt by sophomore Steven Clark set the Tide up at Auburn's 35 yard line. Alabama (11-1, 7-1 SEC) scored on the next play with a pass down the sideline to tight end Brad Smelley, bringing the score to 14-0.
Auburn put up their first points with four seconds remaining in the first quarter, as sophomore defensive end Corey Lemonier forced a McCarron fumble that was recovered in the end zone by sophomore tackle Kenneth Carter.
Alabama led the Tigers 24-7 at halftime after scoring on a five-yard pass to running back Trent Richardson with 9:11 in the second quarter and after a 30-yard field goal from kicker Jeremy Shelley.
Last year's Iron Bowl went into halftime with the same score, but Auburn was unable to pull together another come-from-behind victory even after junior running back Onterio McCalebb excited the crowd with an 83-yard touchdown return on the opening kickoff of the second half. It was the first kickoff return for a touchdown by an Auburn player in the Iron Bowl.
After a 28-yard field goal on Alabama's next possession to bring the score to 27-14, the Tigers began their first drive of the half having gained only 30 yards of total offense and a single first down.
The Tigers' two drives in the third quarter netted a total of eight yards, the second ending with a turnover on downs on the Alabama 47 yard line.
While the Tide's drive following the turnover ended with a punt to Auburn's nine yard line to end the third quarter, sophomore quarterback Clint Moseley's third-down pass was intercepted by cornerback Dee Milliner and returned 35 yards for the Alabama score. McCarron's pass to wide-open tight end Michael Williams for the two-point conversion brought the score to 35-14.
Alabama scored again on a 15-yard rush by running back Jalston Fowler with 6:40 remaining in the game. The touchdown was set up by a 57-yard run by Richardson.
Auburn trails Alabama in the overall series 34-41-1 following the 42-14 defeat. The Tigers had gone 7-3 against the Tide in the last 10 meetings before Saturday's loss.
Alabama remains a 2011 BCS National Championship hopeful following their win.
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