Auburn has been far from the best this year, but No. 2 Alabama will still need some big plays on both sides of the ball to get the win in an emotionally-charged game on the Plains.

Regardless of Auburn’s abysmal season, this game has huge implications for the Tide. A win in Auburn will clinch the SEC West for Alabama. But if the Tide falls to the Tigers, and No. 19 Ole Miss pulls off the win in the Egg Bowl, the Rebels clinch the SEC West. And all because of that pesky September loss.

A victory over the Tigers also keeps Alabama’s playoff hopes alive, as long as they can get past the Gators in the SEC Championship.

But first things first, the Tide has to take care of business in the Iron Bowl.

Here are the five players to watch as Alabama faces Auburn on the Plains in Week 13.

1. CB Cyrus Jones: In his last two games, Jones has returned three punts for 184 yards and 3 TDs. And Auburn has the third-worst punt return defense in the FBS, so Jones will have another chance this weekend to make some explosive plays.

Jones has also been a standout on defense lately, with seven tackles, three of those for a combined loss of 13 yards against Mississippi State and Charleston Southern. Auburn is second in the SEC in tackles for loss allowed, so Jones will have to work a little harder for it this week, especially after his jab at the Tigers wide receivers.

2. RB Derrick Henry: Against a poor rush defense, Henry could make a heck of a statement in Week 13. He’s already rushed for 1,526 yards and 21 TDs in 2015, and that’s including three games in which head coach Nick Saban pulled him to give the backups some experience.

It’s no surprise Henry is the frontrunner in the Heisman race. He has been quietly consistent all season, and he has the opportunity to make the Iron Bowl his biggest game yet.

3. LB Reuben Foster: Alabama has the best passing efficiency defense in the SEC, and Foster is a big part of that. Against Mississippi State, Foster broke up two passes and hurried Bulldogs QB Dak Prescott twice. That kind of pressure should be a lot easier when facing the Tigers on Saturday, who are in the bottom of the pack in passing efficiency.

Foster has 52 tackles on the season, and 13 of those came in November. And he will also be key to stopping Tigers RB Peyton Barber and RB Jovon Robinson.

4. QB Jake Coker: Coker must be effective in the red zone this week. He is currently just 16 of 29 in red zone situations. And in Week 13 he’s going up against a good red zone defense. He’s faced better this season — Georgia, Wisconsin, Middle Tennessee, Mississippi State, Tennessee — and he’s come out with a win against all of them.

But this time it’s different. This time he’s facing a team with nothing to lose. He’s facing a team that thinks about winning this game all year long. He’s facing a brutal crowd that will yell and scream and do whatever it takes to disrupt his offense. Coker will have to remain focused on the task at hand to get out of Jordan-Hare with a win.

5. DL A’Shawn Robinson: Auburn has the best red zone offense in the SEC, and Alabama has one of the worst. Robinson will be one of the keys to turning that around this week and keeping the Tigers out of the end zone.

Robinson has 10 tackles in the last three games, and four and a half of those were for a loss. His defensive prowess is the reason he was named a finalist for the Outland Trophy, and it will be important against the Tigers.