BEST GAME: 2010 Cam Newton comeback

I know what you’re thinking: how could anything top the 2013 Iron Bowl? That was a good game that featured the nation’s No. 1 and No. 2 teams, and arguably the most iconic ending to an SEC football game ever. It’s hard to beat that fourth quarter. But for a full 60 minutes, the 2010 game offered more sustained drama and tension. If you stepped away from the TV with Alabama up 24-0 minutes before halftime (as this writer did), you assumed even the great Cam Newton couldn’t overcome such a deficit. Not in the Iron Bowl. Not in Tuscaloosa. Not against an Alabama team ranked in the Top 10 in the nation. Then Newton helped Auburn outscore Alabama, 28-3, the rest of the game, including a 7-yard touchdown pass to Philip Lutzenkirchen in the fourth quarter. It broke Alabama’s heart, secured the Heisman for Newton and led to a national title for Auburn. “Cameron Newton is physically and mentally as tough as I’ve ever seen,” Auburn coach Gene Chizik said. “Period.” Somewhere, offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn nodded in agreement.

BEST PLAY: Kick Six

At best, Alabama would win the Iron Bowl and head to the SEC championship as a heavy favorite to make the final BCS title game. At worst, the Tide would head to overtime. Right? That was the situation as Adam Griffith attempted a 57-yard field goal with one second left on Nov. 30, 2013. Also Considered: You’re joking, right? No other play comes close.

LONGEST STREAK: Fear The Thumb

Nick Saban may have arrived in Tuscaloosa in 2007, but that didn’t stop Auburn from a sixth consecutive Iron Bowl win. It was the second-longest streak in the rivalry’s history (Alabama won nine in a row: 1973-81.) Tommy Tuberville got downright cheeky about beating Alabama near the end of his Tigers tenure, running around the field with six fingers raised to celebrate his dominance. Months later, Alabama nailed one of the best recruiting classes in its history, spelling the end of Auburn’s dominance.

BIGGEST TURNING POINT: 2008 beatdown in T-Town

So about that thumb. It may have been more dangerous to Auburn than to Alabama. An angry Tide crushed the Tigers, 36-0, in Tuscaloosa in 2008 to finish the regular season undefeated and usher Tuberville out of Auburn. It was the biggest Iron Bowl win in 46 years. Saban wore a rare smile after the game. “I’m happy, I really am happy,” Saban said. “I was happy and dancing in the locker room. Miss Terry gave me a big kiss coming up here. I was real happy about that.”

BEST PLAYER: Newton

Alabama and Auburn finished the NFL season with a combined 69 active players. Almost all of those played in an Iron Bowl within the last decade. Mark Ingram also won the Heisman Trophy during a national championship season. But Newton accounted for four touchdowns on the road against a Tide defense that included Marcell Dareus, Josh Chapman, Dee Milliner, Dre Kirkpatrick, Mark Barron, Courtney Upshaw, Dont’a Hightower and C.J. Mosley, among other NFL draft picks.

SWEETEST REVENGE: 2014

Ending the six-game losing streak was nice for the Tide. Whipping Auburn, 42-14, one year after the Newton comeback — en route to a national title — was nicer. But nicest of all may have been hanging 55 points on the Tigers one year after Kick Six, which came up in what seemed like 75 percent of the conversations involving college football in the state the previous 365 days. The win secured an SEC West title for Alabama in a team that didn’t have the talent of some previous editions, but that Saban seemed to honestly admire.

SOREST QUARTERBACK: Brodie Croyle

Auburn set a school and an Iron Bowl record in 2005, sacking Croyle 11 times in a 28-18 win. Seven different players registered at least a half-sack. After a 9-0 start, it looked like Mike Shula’s team may compete for a national title. Instead, the Tigers entered bowl season ranked higher than the Tide. “I think after we started hitting him a few times he got a little rattled,” defensive tackle T.J. Jackson said of Croyle. “Every time we hit him and picked him up we told him, ‘Hey, we’ll be back.”

BEST TOUCHDOWN DRIVE: Greg McElroy

McElroy steered the Tide to a 15-play, 79-yard touchdown drive in 2009. The drive took 7 minutes, 3 seconds and ended with Alabama holding a 26-21 lead with 1:24 remaining. McElroy completed passes to Julio Jones (four times, including twice on third down), Mark Ingram, Trent Richardson and Roy Upchurch, who nabbed a 4-yard touchdown on third-and-3 to win the game.

IRON BOWL RESULTS (LAST DECADE)

2005: Auburn 28, Alabama 18 2006: Auburn 22, Alabama 15 2007: Auburn 17, Alabama 10 2008: Alabama 36, Auburn 0 2009: Alabama 26, Auburn 21 2010: Auburn 28, Alabama 27 2011: Alabama 42, Auburn 14 2012: Alabama 49, Auburn 0 2013: Auburn 34, Alabama 28 2014: Alabama 55, Auburn 44