The Iron Bowl would matter if both teams were 4-6.

But instead of reminiscing about ghosts of championships past like Florida and Florida State will do Saturday, Alabama and Auburn will actually try to add more hardware to their collection.

As usual, they’re in each other’s way.

The stakes are always high. The past eight Iron Bowl winners played for the national championship or reached the Playoff.

Saturday’s winner wins the West and sets itself up to continue that streak. While there’s still a slim chance Alabama could lose Saturday and make the Playoff, the safest and surest way in is to win. Auburn has no mulligans left. The Tigers must beat No. 1 Alabama and then Georgia again in the SEC Championship.

Can the Tigers take the next step Saturday, or will Alabama win its fourth consecutive Iron Bowl? That’s something we’ve been discussing for quite some time.

Connor O’Gara, senior national columnist: Yeah, I’m boring. I’ll take the Tide in a thriller. It seems foolish to bet against a team that won 37 of its past 38 games. Can we all just take a moment to realize how insane that is? I mean, it really is insanity because over and over, teams face Alabama and expect different results. Why should we expect a different result against Auburn?

That’s not a slight to the Tigers, who looked like an absolute force a couple weeks ago against Georgia. With the defense playing at that kind of speed, few teams in America could probably score against the Tigers. In all likelihood, Auburn gives Alabama its best game of the season and this goes down to the wire.

But if it comes down to Jalen Hurts making a play in winning time, I’m betting on that all day. This game could wind up having a similar feeling to the Alabama-Mississippi State game. That showdown had lead changes late, yet it ended with Hurts silencing a raucous crowd on the road. The Tide roll into the SEC Championship with its biggest regular season win in a long time.

Alabama 24, Auburn 20.

Jon Cooper, director of operations: I’m going with Alabama, and for one simple reason: Jalen Hurts. This is his time to shine. He’s the leader of this football team, and Alabama goes as Jalen Hurts goes. All the talk about Jarrett Stidham (and he’s a great player!), but Hurts will be the one to shine in this game.

Yes, Alabama certainly has some flaws, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see Auburn pull off the upset. Stidham and the Tigers’ offense will score points, but Hurts is the difference-maker, with his legs and his arm.

Alabama beats Auburn 31-28.

Clint Lamb, Alabama, Auburn beat reporter: There are several things working in Alabama’s favor, including the emergence of Dylan Moses and the potential return of Christian Miller — although, it will probably be in a rotational role if he plays. I also feel like Auburn’s win over Georgia plays into Alabama’s hand with both teams now feeling the pressure.

One thing is certain: This will not be a repeat performance of the Georgia game two weeks ago.

Auburn’s plan was to stop Georgia’s running backs and force Jake Fromm to beat them with his arm.

Alabama’s offense isn’t limited in the same way.

Hurts gives the Tide multiple avenues to produce offense, and we know Hurts won’t be overwhelmed by the environment like Fromm, either.

As a result, the pressure will shift to the Tigers, and their inability to get things done in close games will play a big factor. Auburn is 0-2 (Clemson and LSU) this season in games decided by single digits, while Alabama is 2-0 (Texas A&M and Mississippi State).

Alabama 31, Auburn 24.

Michael Bratton, news editor: I understand why so many are eager to pick Auburn. The Tide’s defense is banged up and Auburn’s offense is really rolling behind a balanced attack.

On the other side of the ball, Auburn’s defense is playing as well as any unit in the league right now.

However, I still give Alabama a huge advantage in coaching and at the quarterback position. I’m not the biggest Hurts fan, I think he’s a glorified running back that occasionally is asked to throw the ball, but despite his limitations, the one thing he cannot be questioned on is his leadership and ability to help Alabama win.

The guy is a pure winner and the moment won’t be too big for him. I can’t say that about Stidham until we see him step up and win a game for Auburn. I even picked Auburn to win the West and the SEC on my SEC Media Days ballot so this is tough for me to say, but I like Alabama 24 Auburn 21.

Chris Wright, executive editor: I’ve been banging the Auburn Playoff drum for six weeks. There’s exactly zero coincidence in the fact that Auburn’s two worst offensive performances coincided with games Kerryon Johnson missed entirely. The Playoff committee obviously is taking that into account, even though others keep talking about Clemson’s 14-6 victory as though it were a 31-point beatdown in which Johnson was shut down.

Well, Johnson’s healthy and about to play the biggest game of his life. He needs 35 touches Saturday, including less punishing screens.

Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

It seems foolish to pick against Alabama or, more precisely, Hurts. I’ve been driving his bus since spring ball of his freshman year. Hurts can’t continue to bail them out every time, can he? At some point, all of the little issues Alabama is dealing with, from injuries to inconsistencies, has to catch up with it.

I think today is the day. This Tide defense is not last year’s defense. And with the injuries, it’s not even the same defense that stuffed a healthy Florida State into a closet and told them to stay there in Week 1.

Maybe I’m overreacting to just how brutally dominant Auburn was against Georgia. I do that, you know.

As long as Stidham doesn’t throw three interceptions, I like Auburn to keep its Playoff hopes alive, 27-20.

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