Recap: Alabama 42, Auburn 14
Nov 26, 2011
A.J. McCarron passed for three touchdowns and Trent Richardson added to his Heisman resume with 203 rushing yards as No. 2 Alabama crushed host Auburn, 42-14, in the Iron Bowl.
The defense allowed just 138 yards and returned an interception for a touchdown for the Crimson Tide (11-1, 7-1 SEC), which likely locked up a spot in the BCS Championship Game.
McCarron did his work in the first half, finding Kenny Bell on a 41-yard hookup and hitting Brad Smelley with a 35-yard pass two minutes later. A short touchdown pass to Richardson and a field goal gave the Crimson Tide a 24-7 lead at the break.
Auburn, which overcame a 24-7 halftime deficit in the Iron Bowl last season en route to a national championship, ran the opening kickoff of the second half back for a touchdown but never got anything going on offense.
Alabama locked down defensively, forcing a punt, two turnovers on downs, a fumble and an interception on the Tigers‘ five second-half possessions. Auburn (7-5, 4-4 SEC) did not score on offense, building their points on the kickoff return and a fumble recovery touchdown in the first quarter.
Richardson had a final move for his Heisman highlight reel in the fourth quarter, sealing the game with a 57-yard run that included a pair of broken tackles. The Crimson Tide scored its final touchdown two plays later.