Alabama and Auburn were penalized a total of 17 times for 170 yards Saturday. The Crimson Tide drew nine flags for 88 yards and Auburn was penalized eight times for 82.
Alabama’s most costly penalty resulted in junior defensive back Jared Mayden being ejected for targeting in the third quarter. He will have to sit out the first half of the SEC Championship Game against Georgia next weekend.
Auburn had two drive-killing penalties on its second possession and helped Alabama with flags on two Crimson Tide scoring drives.
Special teams recap
Alabama had a punt blocked for the first time this season. Auburn’s Smoke Monday got a hand on one of Mike Bernier’s boots in the second quarter. The last time an opponent did that was the Texas A&M game on Oct. 7, 2017. Texas A&M’s Cullen Gillaspia pulled it off in College Station.
Overall, Bernier punted four times for an average of 41 yards. He pinned one inside the 20-yard line.
Joseph Bulovas made a 30-yard field goal in the second quarter and was perfect on seven PATs.
Tide Bits
Game captains were senior running back Damien Harris, senior center Ross Pierschbacher and senior outside linebacker Anfernee Jennings. … Honorary captains were former Alabama offensive lineman Sylvester Croom and running back Johnny Musso. Croom was a captain in 1974 and went on to a long career in coaching, including becoming the first black head coach in the SEC at Mississippi State from 2004-08. Musso played from 1969-71, was named a captain in 1971, and remains one of Alabama’s top 10 leading rushers for his career. … Alabama won the toss and elected to defer. Alabama is 6-6 in coin tosses this season. The Crimson Tide has elected to receive on four of the occasions on which it won the toss. … Attendance was announced as 101,821, a sellout. … Alabama is now 46-36-1 all-time in the Iron Bowl. Nick Saban is 8-4 against the Tigers as Alabama coach. The Crimson Tide won its 26th straight game at Bryant-Denny Stadium and its 82nd straight game against an unranked team.
