The Iron Bowl is arguably the best and most heated in-state rivalry in college football.

On top of the SEC West often being on the line, it’s a source of bragging rights for the dozens of Alabama products who play for either the Crimson Tide or Auburn. Montgomery native and junior linebacker Mack Wilson was asked Tuesday about that aspect of the rivalry, especially after Alabama’s 26-14 loss to the Tigers last season.

Wilson said the response from him and receiver Henry Ruggs III, also from Montgomery, is quite simple — “We won the national championship, so it don’t matter.”

Indeed, the Crimson Tide still went on to claim a College Football Playoff berth and beat Georgia in the national championship game. But the Iron Bowl still means something for Alabama natives like Wilson, who went on to explain how he and his teammates handle the smack-talking that follows the annual rivalry game.

“It’s something that we enjoy,” he said. “We don’t ever really get too sensitive about the situation. They beat us fair and square (last year), so when we talk about the game, I just say things we did wrong and things we could have done well. It’s nothing to just brag about. It’s something we probably talk among each other about.”

No. 1 Alabama (11-0, 7-0 SEC) can exact revenge against Auburn (7-4, 3-4) when the SEC West rivals meet at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday in Tuscaloosa.