Iron Bowl notebook: DeVonta Smith makes most of Bryant-Denny finale

AP photo by Mickey Welsh / Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith breaks free for a touchdown during Saturday's Iron Bowl win over Auburn in Tuscaloosa.
AP photo by Mickey Welsh / Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith breaks free for a touchdown during Saturday's Iron Bowl win over Auburn in Tuscaloosa.

How far Alabama senior DeVonta Smith extends his Southeastern Conference record for career touchdown receptions won't be known for several more weeks.

What is certain is that the 6-foot-1, 175-pounder, from Amite, Louisiana, has played his last game inside Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Smith made his Tuscaloosa finale a memorable one by racking up seven catches for 171 yards in No. 1 Alabama's 42-13 dismantling of No. 22 Auburn on Saturday. He entered the previous weekend's game against Kentucky tied for the SEC all-time lead with 31 scoring receptions but tallied two against the Wildcats and two more against the Tigers for a total of 35 that could be adjusted again next Saturday when the Crimson Tide visit LSU.

"Honestly, it really didn't hit me until after the game," Smith said. "Before the game, it just felt like a normal day. After the game, all the seniors went back on the field and took a picture, and it kind of hit me then.

"I was like, 'Dang, this was my last game in Bryant-Denny.'"

Alabama coach Nick Saban admitted how difficult it was viewing the Iron Bowl from his house due to a positive COVID-19 test, and not being there for pregame ceremonies may have been even tougher for the 69-year-old.

"I have so much admiration for this senior class and all they've accomplished," Saban said. "This is one of the best classes of people that we've ever had. They've had great leadership and really good character, and they've inspired a lot of other guys on our team in a really positive way."

Simple decisions

Alabama's offense averaged 8.4 yards per play in Saturday's slaughter and faced only 10 third-down situations, converting six of those.

In other words, offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian didn't face a slew of demanding choices in managing the game.

"I didn't think there were a lot of those really tough situations that came up," Saban said. "There were a couple of times we made it on third down that we could have gone for it on fourth down, but those decisions really didn't come up. I thought he was well prepared for what he needed to do and did a really good job."

Tide tidbits

Alabama extended its major-college record to 21 consecutive games scoring at least 35 points. ... Freshman defensive back Malachi Moore collected his third interception of the season and also has the 28-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the 48-17 win at Tennessee.

Tiger tales

Anders Carlson's 45-yard field goal at the 10:36 mark of the third quarter was the 46th of his career, placing him fourth in Auburn history and moving ahead of Win Lyle (45 from 1987-89) and former Central High School standout Damon Duval (45 from 1999 to 2002). ... Auburn's 12-play, 96-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter was the longest for the Tigers in an Iron Bowl since a 98-yard march that resulted in the only touchdown of their 10-0 blanking of the Tide in 1987 at Legion Field in Birmingham.

Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524. Follow him on Twitter @DavidSPaschall.

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