TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — University of Alabama junior wide receiver Amari Cooper was set to establish a new program record for career catches with his first reception against Auburn on Saturday night.

It turned out that he was just getting started.

With three touchdown receptions, which tied an Alabama single-game record, he broke his own single-season record of 11 set two years ago as a freshman. Cooper had tied his mark and now has 14.

With 224 receiving yards he tied his own single-game record for yards, set against Tennessee earlier this season.

Cooper recorded his 14th career 100-yard receiving game, for another Alabama record. He had been tied with DJ Hall (2004-07) at 13.

The 224 yards set an Iron Bowl record and he’s the only player to have three 100-yard games in the rivalry. He had 109 in 2012 and 178 last year. His 511 career yards was also an all-time Iron Bowl record, topping Julio Jones (318, 2008-10).

At halftime he had six receptions, but for just 60 yards and a 17-yard touchdown.

“You know we didn’t throw the ball downfield that much in the first half,” Coach Nick Saban said. “The only time we did was a touchdown and I kept saying to Lane (Kiffin), ‘We made a lot of explosive plays throwing the ball downfield, let’s take some shots on these guys.’”

Saban thought Cooper’s 39-yard touchdown reception changed the momentum of the game early in the third quarter, and then he topped it with the 75-yard bomb.

“You never know what kind of route he’s going to run by the way he moves,” junior safety Landon Collins said. “That’s just Coop.”

With every reception Cooper adds to his other Crimson Tide records, and now had 103 catches for 1,573 yards for the season, and 207 receptions for 3,313 yards and 29 touchdowns for his career.

That’s second on both the Southeastern Conference season and career all-time yards lists:

SEC receiving yards, single season
1. Josh Reed, 1740, 2001, Louisiana State
2. Amari Cooper, 1573, 2014, Alabama
3. Alshon Jeffery, 1517, 2010, South Carolina
4. Jordan Matthews, 1477, 2013, Vanderbilt
5. Mike Evans, 1394, 2013, Texas A&M

All-time SEC receiving yards
1. Jordan Matthews, Vanderbilt, 2010-13, 3,759
2. Amari Cooper, Alabama, 2012-14, 3,313
3. Terrence Edwards, Georgia, 1999-2002, 3,093
4. Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina, 2009-11, 3,042
5. Josh Reed, LSU, 1999-11, 3,001

Having such a big-time performance in a marque game may have not only solidified Alabama’s first Biletnikoff Award for best receiver, but secured Cooper a trip to New York as a Heisman Trophy finalist.

“I don’t know. I hope to (go),” he said. “That would be a great thing, to be invited to New York.”