Alabama vs. Auburn Postgame Notes
11/30/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
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GAME CAPTAINS: Alabama's captains for tonight's game against Auburn were Landon Collins, Trey Depriest and Arie Kouandjio. The Tigers won the toss and elected to receive with the Tide defending the south end zone.
SERIES HISTORY: After this evening's installment of the Iron Bowl, Alabama holds a 43-35-1 lead in the series that dates back to the 1893 season. The Crimson Tide and Tigers first met on Feb. 22, 1893, at Birmingham's Lakeview Park with the Tigers claiming a 32-22 victory in the inaugural meeting. Alabama has had the upper hand in recent meetings, claiming five of the last eight games in the series including three of the last four.
MOST EXPLOSIVE IRON BOWL EVER: Tonight's 55-44 Alabama victory in the Iron Bowl marked the highest scoring game in series history. The previous high was a 75-point game in 1969 (Auburn 49, Alabama 26). Auburn's 630 total yards and 90 offensive plays are both records for Alabama opponents in a single game. Alabama and Auburn combined for an Iron Bowl-record 1,169 yards of total offense in tonight's game, setting a new Iron Bowl record for combined yardage. Auburn had 630 total yards in tonight's game while Alabama moved for 539 total yards. The previous record was 1,074 yards in 1969 (Auburn had 541, Alabama had 533).
SEC WESTERN DIVISION TITLE: By virtue of Mississippi State's 31-17 loss to Ole Miss earlier on Saturday, Alabama clinched at least a tie for its 10th SEC Western Division title before playing Auburn on Saturday night. The Crimson Tide will represent the Western Division against SEC Eastern Division champion Missouri in the SEC Championship Game to be played next Saturday, December 6, at The Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Alabama will be making its ninth appearance in the SEC Championship Game next week with the Crimson Tide having a record of 4-4 in eight previous appearances.
SENIORS HONORED: A total of 24 seniors were honored prior to today's game. Those seniors include: Jerrod Bierbower (Dublin, Ohio), Leon Brown (Riverdale, Maryland), Trey Depriest (Springfield, Ohio), Joshua Dickerson (Evans, Georgia), Xzavier Dickson (Griffin, Georgia), Jalston Fowler (Mobile, Alabama), Daniel Geddes (Northport, Alabama), Zach Houston (Daphne, Alabama), Brandon Ivory (Memphis, Tennessee), Christion Jones (Adamsville, Alabama), Harrison Jones (Germantown, Tennessee), Kyle Kazakevicius (Ocala, Florida), Arie Kouandjio (Hyattsville, Maryland), Wilson Love (Mountain Brook, Alabama), Michael Nysewander (Hoover, Alabama), Anthony Orr (Madison, Alabama), Tyler Owens (Clay, Alabama), Nick Perry (Prattville, Alabama), Austin Shepard (Buford, Georgia), Blake Sims (Gainesville, Georgia), MK Taylor (Oxford, Alabama), Brian Vogler (Columbus, Georgia), DeAndrew White (Houston, Texas) and Jarrick Williams (Mobile, Alabama).
THE FRIENDLY CONFINES OF BRYANT-DENNY STADIUM: Following today's 55-44 victory over Auburn, Alabama now owns a 16-game home winning streak. The Crimson Tide has not lost a game at home since falling to Texas A&M in 2012. Coming into today's contest, Alabama was tied for the longest active home winning streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision with Baylor. The Bears came out on top, 48-46, in a shootout with Texas Tech this afternoon.
11-WIN SEASONS: With today's win over Auburn, Alabama reached the 11-win plateau for the 18th time in school history. Under head coach Nick Saban the Tide has had six 11-win seasons (2008-09, 2011-14).
COLLINS CONTINUES TO EXCEL: Junior safety Landon Collins recorded 9 tackles on the evening. Collins has now recorded seven or more tackles in nine of the last 13 games.
PERRY AND DePRIEST SET CAREER-HIGHS IN TACKLES: On their senior night, safety Nick Perry and linebacker Trey Depriest set career-highs for tackles in a game. Perry recorded 13 tackles on the night to eclipse his previous high of 11. DePriest collected a game-high 14 tackles on the evening to surpass his previous high of 11.
GETTING TO THE QUARTERBACK: The Crimson Tide defense has recorded a sack in all but one game this season (Florida) and added to its total with one from Xzavier Dickson and one from Jonathan Allen tonight against Auburn. Alabama now has 27 sacks on the season for an average of 2.25 per game. UA entered the game tied for 40th nationally and sixth in the SEC in sacks.
YELDON'S QUICK SCORE (BOTH TEAMS): T.J. Yeldon's 8-yard touchdown run with 12:47 left in the first quarter was the quickest score in an Iron Bowl since Auburn tailback Carnell Williams ran 80 yards on the first play from scrimmage in the 2003 game, scoring with 14:45 left in the first quarter.
YELDON'S QUICK SCORE (ALABAMA): The 8-yard touchdown run by T.J. Yeldon was the quickest score in an Iron Bowl by Alabama since the 1996 game when Freddie Kitchens hit tailback Curtis Alexander with a 63-yard pass with 13:30 left in the opening quarter. It was the fastest score ever in an Iron Bowl played in Tuscaloosa.
COOPER SETS CAREER RECEPTIONS TOTAL: Junior wideout Amari Cooper entered this evening's game with 194 career receptions, tied with DJ Hall for the Alabama all-time record. With Cooper's first catch of the game, a 5-yard slant from Blake Sims on the Tide's third offensive play, he moved into sole possession of first place in Alabama annals. Cooper finished the game with 13 total receptions and now sits at 207 for his career.
COOPER BREAKS RECORD FOR TOUCHDOWNS IN A SEASON: Wide receiver Amari Cooper's 17-yard touchdown reception on the Tide's second offensive drive of the evening cemented him as the all-time leader for touchdown receptions in a season with 12. He extended his all-time lead with his second touchdown reception of the evening, a 39-yard scoring reception from Blake Sims in the third quarter. Cooper added his third touchdown of the night on a 75-yard catch-and-run from Sims to set his season total to 14. Entering tonight's game, Cooper was tied with his previous season record of 11 that he set as a freshman in 2012.
COOPER ECLIPSES 200-YARD MARK (AGAIN): Amari Cooper had 224 receiving yards on the night for his second career 200-yard receiving game. In Alabama's history, there have only been four 200-yard receiving performances with Cooper owning two of them.
224 - Amari Cooper vs. Auburn (Nov. 29, 2014)
224 - Amari Cooper vs. Florida (Sept. 20, 2014)
221 - Julio Jones at Tennessee (Oct. 23, 2010)
217 - David Palmer at Vanderbilt (Sept. 11, 1993)
COOPER GOES FOR THREE TDs: Junior Amari Cooper's three touchdown receptions mark just the sixth time in Alabama history that a Crimson Tide wide receiver collected three scoring touchdowns. It is also Cooper's second time this season, as he accomplished the feat on Sept. 20 versus Florida. Below is a list of the six instances of three-touchdown games in Alabama receiving history:
Amari Cooper vs. Auburn (Nov. 29, 2014)
Amari Cooper vs. Florida (Sept. 20, 2014)
Michael Vaughn vs. Southern Miss (Oct. 31, 1998)
Dennis Homan vs. Southern Miss (Sept. 30, 1967)
Al Lary vs. Southern Miss (Nov. 11, 1950)
Al Lary at Tulane (Sept. 30, 1950)
COOPER GOES FOR 100: With his 39-yard reception in the third quarter, Cooper eclipsed 100 yards for the 14th time in his career. Cooper entered this evening's contest tied with DJ Hall who accumulated 13 100-yard receiving games from 2004-07.
TIDE SCORES IN FIRST HALF FOR 101st CONSECUTIVE GAME: With the 8-yard touchdown run by T.J. Yeldon on the Crimson Tide's opening drive, Alabama has now scored in 101 straight games, the longest active streak in the nation.
SCORING STREAK CONTINUES: With T.J. Yeldon's 8-yard rush into the end zone on Alabama's first offensive drive of the game, the Tide has scored in 181 consecutive games - the longest streak in program history.
ALABAMA
- Amari Cooper's 224 receiving yards are the most in the history of the series, passing the 199 receiving yards by Julio Jones in 2010. His 13 receptions are also the most in series' history, passing the 10 by Jones in 2010. No receiver has ever had more than two touchdown receptions in the series before Cooper's three on Saturday night.
- Amari Cooper's 224 yards give him three consecutive 100-yard performances in the Iron Bowl, the only player in the history of the series to accomplish that feat. Cooper had 109 as a freshman in 2012 and 178 as a sophomore in 2013.
- Cooper's 511 career receiving yards in three Iron Bowls is the most in the history of the series, passing Julio Jones, who had 318 in 2008-09-10. Cooper's 24 career receptions broke the record of 22 held by Jones.
- Cooper has averaged 21.3 yards per reception in three Iron Bowls, the most in the history of the series (minimum 12 receptions). The record was previously held by Alabama's David Bailey, who averaged 18.6 yards per catch in 1969-70-71.
- With the 75-yard reception by Amari Cooper from Blake Sims in the third quarter, Cooper now has the two longest pass plays in Iron Bowl history. Last year, he hauled in a 99-yard pass from AJ McCarron.
- Blake Sims had four touchdown passes, tying him with AJ McCarron (2012) for the most in an Iron Bowl. His three interceptions were the most in an Iron Bowl since Stan White threw three in 1990.
AUBURN
- Daniel Carlson's five field goals are the most in the history of the series. The previous record was four shared by Jaret Holmes (1997) and Van Tiffin (1985). Carson's 18 points (five FGs, three PATs) also were the most in the series. Tiffin had 13 (4 FGs, 1 PAT) in 1985.
- Sammie Coates' 206 receiving yards are the most ever by an Auburn receiver in the Iron Bowl and the second highest behind Cooper. The previous high for an Auburn receiver was Alexander Wright's 141 yards in 1989.
- Coates (206 yards) and D'haquille Williams (121) became only the second receiving tandem to go over 100 yards in an Iron Bowl. Alabama's Dennis Bailey (187 yards) and Bubba Sawyer (110) were the only other duo from the same team to accomplish the feat in 1969.
- Coates' 68-yard scoring reception from Nick Marshall is tied for the eighth longest in series history and is the fifth longest by an Auburn receiver, trailing Byron Franklin (74 yards in 1977), Darvin Adams (72 yards in 2009), Terrell Zachary (70 yards in 2010) and Mike Currier (70 yards in 1968).
- The blocked extra point after an Alabama touchdown in the third quarter was the fourth in the series and the first since Alabama kicker Leigh Tiffin's attempt was blocked in 2008. Alabama's Bill Davis (1972) and Auburn's Joe Childress (1954) also had extra point attempts blocked.
PLAYER NOTES/OFFENSE
- With 2,095 career rushing yards, Cameron Artis-Payne is 15th in Auburn history, passing Lionel James (2,068 yards 1980-83) and James Bostic (2,084 yards 1991-93)
- Artis-Payne now has 1,485 rushing yards this season, fourth best in Auburn history, passing Cam Newton (1,473 yards in 2010); next Rudi Johnson 1567 in 2000
- With 1,848 career rushing yards, Nick Marshall is now 21st in Auburn history
- Marshall has now been responsible for 55 touchdowns in his career, third all-time at Auburn, passing Jason Campbell (54 in 2001-04)
- 456 yards passing by Marshall sets the Auburn school record, previously set by Ben Leard vs. Georgia (416) in 1999. It's a career high for Marshall; he had 303 total yards in the first half. This is Marshall's second career game with three TD passes; the other was against Louisiana Tech earlier this year
- Marshall's 505 yards total offense tonight rank first in Auburn single-game history; the previous record was 445 yards by Dameyune Craig vs. Army in the 1996 Independence Bowl
- The 68-yard touchdown pass from Nick Marshall to Sammie Coates was the second-longest TD pass by Auburn in Iron Bowl history; the longest is 70 yards from Cam Newton to Terrell Zachery in 2010
- Sammie Coates' two touchdown catches give him four for the year and 13 career touchdown catches, 10th in Auburn history, passing Freddie Hyatt (1965-67), Tyrone Goodson (1993-97) and Ronney Daniels (1999-2000), all with 12 career TD catches
- This is Coates' second career two-touchdown game; he had two scores against Florida Atlantic in 2013. This is Coates' seventh career 100-yard receiving game and a career-best in receiving for him. The last Auburn receiver with 200+ yards in a game was Darvin Adams in 2010 vs. South Carolina (217)
- With 206 yards, Coates is Auburn's all-time receiving leader in the Iron Bowl; the previous best was 141 yards by Alexander Wright in 1989. That total ranks fifth on Auburn's all-time single game receiving list
- Quan Bray's 5-yard touchdown catch from Nick Marshall was the seventh receiving score of his career and his 10th career touchdown scored
- Corey Grant is the 41st player in Auburn history to rush for 1,000 career yards; he now has 1,010 career rushing yards. Grant's fourth-quarter touchdown run was his third of the season and ninth of his career
- D'haquille Williams' 42-yard reception in the first quarter was his first catch since the first quarter of the Texas A&M game. His 121 yards receiving were his most since Arkansas (154)
- Williams and Coates are the first pair of 100-yard receivers in a game under Coach Gus Malzahn; the last time it happened at Auburn was vs. Chattanooga in 2010 (Terrell Zachery and Darvin Adams)
- Daniel Carlson's 20-yard first-quarter field goal was Auburn's first score in the first quarter of an Alabama game in Tuscaloosa since 2002, when the Tigers scored on a Jason Campbell touchdown pass to Robert Johnson
- With five field goals tonight, Carlson is third in Auburn single-season kick scoring with 104 points scored, passing Wes Byrum (99 points in 2010). Five field goals made, a career high for Carlson, is the most by an Auburn kicker in a game since Jaret Holmes vs. UAB In 1996
- Carlson's 18 points kicking ties the Auburn single game record with Al DelGreco vs. Kentucky in 1982
PLAYER NOTES/DEFENSE
- Jermaine Whitehead's interception was his fourth of the season and seventh of his career.
- Johnathan Ford's interception was his third of the season and career.
- Jonathan Jones's third quarter interception was his sixth of the season, tied for fifth most in a season in Auburn history and the most since Walter McFadden had six in 2009.
- Anthony Swain's second-quarter sack was the first of his career
- Angelo Blackson's block of an extra point attempt was the first by an Auburn player since Corey Lemonier vs. South Carolina in 2011. This is Blackson's fourth career blocked kick
TEAM NOTES
- Auburn's 630 yards total offense are the most by the Tigers in an Iron Bowl; the previous best was 541 yards in 1969
- Auburn has posted a new high for passing yards in the Iron Bowl by the Tigers with 456 yards; the previous best was 317 in the 1970 game
- Auburn has 19 interceptions for the season, the most since 2002. This is the fourth game this season when Auburn has had three interceptions in a game; the others were San José State, Mississippi State and South Carolina. Alabama had allowed only four interceptions for the season before tonight
- The 2014 Auburn team ranks fifth in Auburn history with 430 points scored
- This is the first time since 1969-70 that Auburn has scored 30+ points vs. Alabama in consecutive games
- Auburn's 383 yards of offense in the first half were the most by the Tigers in a first half this season
- Game captains: Gabe Wright, Reese Dismukes
