Auburn football: Kirk Herbstreit says AU could be Bama’s kryptonite

The SEC West is wide open this year for Auburn football, and the Tigers fully control their destiny in terms of heading to Atlanta for the SEC championship this season. However, five SEC opponents sit between the Tigers and December, which gives them a lot to focus on.

Something that is becoming more and more of a reality is the chance that Auburn could beat Alabama in this year’s Iron Bowl. Crazy things happen when the Tide comes to the Plains, and the last time Alabama beat Auburn in Jordan-Hare Stadium was in 2015.

The Tide have already lost one game this season, to an unranked Texas A&M team, but with only LSU, Arkansas, and New Mexico State left on their schedule before the Iron Bowl it’s not likely they’ll suffer another loss before then.

According to Kirk Herbstreit, the only team left with enough potential to beat Nick Saban’s team is the 2021 Auburn Tigers, per AL.com:

"“You have to go to Jordan-Hare, which can be a little bit sneaky,” he explained. “Auburn sitting there at 5-2. Bryan Harsin and Mike Bobo. That is the game you can draw up ball plays with a veteran quarterback and realize, ‘OK, what’s the kryptonite to Nick Saban’s defense?”"

Herbstreit outlines a formula for Auburn football where the Tigers come out on top of the Tide:

"“The kryptonite is multiple formations, up-tempo, return to the tight end, motion to go to trips to the boundaries. Make them have to think. We have a quarterback that can run and throw (in Bo Nix).”"

If Bo Nix can truly utilize his dual-threat abilities, the Alabama defense may not be good enough to lock down the Tigers’ offense. The receivers will have to catch passes and the offensive line will have to give Nix time to make those throws.

The Iron Bowl will take place on November 27, and will be Auburn football’s final regular-season game.