Saturday will bring a game of contrasts in SEC play at Tuscaloosa as the Auburn Tigers face the Alabama Crimson Tide. No. 16 Crimson Tide under Nate Oats has thrived this season, sitting second in the SEC with a 22-8 record and a 12-5 conference record. On the other hand, the Tigers, who are currently unranked, have undergone an immensely difficult last stretch.

Auburn has lost 7 of its last 9 games, which has caused it to plummet in the SEC standings. A team that was 5-3 in the SEC has come down to 7-10 after their latest game.

The only positive for the Tigers in the game is their winning momentum. The team is coming off an impressive 14-point win over LSU, which can immensely boost their confidence ahead of a ranked game.

Notably, the Auburn Tigers will be looking for revenge from last month. The Crimson Tide clinched a 4-point narrow win over the Tigers, despite Tahaad Pettiford’s 25 points in the game. As a result of this impressive performance in the last game, Pettiford will again be in the spotlight for the entire game.

On the other hand, Labraon Philon and Amari Allen will share their spotlight for the Crimson Tide, especially because of their scoring prowess in the season.

Auburn vs Alabama: Where to Watch

When: Saturday, March 07

Where: Coleman Coliseum, Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Time: 7:30 p.m. CT

Network: ESPN (TV), ESPN+, and Fubo (Live streaming services)

Auburn vs Alabama: Injury Reports

Auburn Tigers: Emera Opukum (Out- undisclosed)

Alabama Crimson Tide: Keitenn Bristow (Questionable), Davion Hannah (Questionable), and Collins Onyejiaka (Out- Undisclosed)

Auburn vs Alabama: Probable Lineups

Auburn: Tahaad Pettiford, Kevin Overton, KeShawn Murphy, Elyjah Freeman, Keyshawn Hall

Alabama: Labaraon Philon, Aden Holloway, Latrell Wrightsell, Amari Allen, Aiden Sherrell

Prediction: Can the Alabama Crimson Tide take down the Auburn Tigers twice in the season?

According to Polymarket.com, No. 16 Crimson Tide is favored to win the game over Auburn. The team has around a 76% chance of winning the game. The team’s recent run of form adds more weight to this percentage. The Crimson Tide has won 8 of its last 9 SEC games with ease. Furthermore, the team is the best offensive team in the nation, averaging 92.0 points per game this season.

Moreover, the team hasn’t lost at the Coleman Coliseum since January. Alabama’s individual talent also gives it a significant edge. The Alabama team has several formidable players at its disposal, including Labaron Philon Jr., who can turn a game on its head. Combined with the likes of Amari Allen, Latrell Wrightsell, and Aden Holloway, this team is one of the most feared offensive teams on the court.

At the end of the night, the result would come down to whether Auburn’s defense can counter Alabama’s fast offensive players. But on that side of the ball, too, the Auburn Tigers haven’t had much success. Tigers’ defense this season has been immensely concerning. They are currently ranked 322nd in the nation, giving away 79.9 points per game.

The stats favor Oats’ team, but the Tigers can’t be underestimated, given that the team has fought past the likes of Florida, Arkansas, and Texas earlier in the season.

The bottom line is that, whatever the final score, we can expect a tightrope game between these two teams in the final stretch of the SEC regular season.