Alabama tight end O.J. Howard (88) works against LSU during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2013, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Howard scored on the play.In the months leading up to the 2013 college football season, there was not a more anticipated matchup than Alabama’s trip to Texas A&M.
CBS used its lone prime-time telecast this season on Alabama’s home game against LSU earlier this month, and now the Crimson Tide are preparing for a trip to Auburn in this season’s only pairing of fop-four teams. The winner of Saturday’s Iron Bowl will win the West Division of the Southeastern Conference.
Is there a publicized showdown in college football these days that doesn’t involve Alabama?
“The biggest thing people need to realize is that it’s just another game,” Crimson Tide quarterback AJ McCarron said at a news conference eary this week. “It’s just another Saturday. I don’t know how many game of the centuries you can play in, but we’ve played in a few. You can’t pay attention to what everybody else is saying about it.”
When Alabama visits Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday, the Crimson Tide will be playing in their 39th consecutive game as a top-five team. During this stretch, they have been involved in top-five showdowns three times against LSU and once each against Georgia, Notre Dame and now Auburn.