Alabama vs. Auburn live score, updates, highlights from 2020 Iron Bowl

No. 1 Alabama and No. 22 Auburn are facing off in one of the most unusual Iron Bowls in recent memory.

The top-ranked Tide, in position to secure yet another SEC West title and be the top contender for the College Football Playoff, are without coach Nick Saban after he tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday. That means former USC and Washington coach Steve Sarkisian is in charge of head coaching duties while Saban watches at home. Saban assuredly has his team prepared to play without his absence, but how much will that affect the way the game plays out?

MORE: Watch Alabama vs. Auburn live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)

Auburn was not expected to head into this game at full strength, either. Senior linebacker K.J. Britt and a trio of offensive starters — running back Tank Bigsby and tackles Brodarious Hamm and Alec Jackson — were questionable with various injuries. That doesn’t bode well for the Tigers’ offense, which will need to put up a lot of points to keep up with Alabama’s three-headed offensive monster of quarterback Mac Jones, running back Najee Harris and receiver DeVonta Smith.

The question is whether Alabama’s defense, which has improved over the last three games, will be able to keep the Tigers, led by Bo Nix, out of the end zone. They were unable in 2019, resulting in a 48-45 loss.

Sporting News is tracking live scoring updates and highlights from Alabama vs. Auburn. Follow below for complete results from the 2020 Iron Bowl.

Alabama vs. Auburn score

Alabama vs. Auburn live updates, highlights from 2020 Iron Bowl

All times Eastern

Third quarter: Alabama 21, Auburn 3

5:30 p.m.: Nix finds a lapse in Alabama’s defense and finds Shedrick Jackson for 37 yards all the way down to Alabama’s 30.

5:27 p.m.: The Tide can’g convert on third-and-6 and will punt the ball back to Auburn; the Tigers take over at its 25.

5:24 p.m.: Alabama starts the half at the 25; it gives the ball to Harris, who bounces it out for a 10-yard gain.

Halftime: Alabama 21, Auburn 3

5:10 p.m.: First-half stats:

Total yards: Alabama 220; Auburn 153
Passing: Alabama 9 of 13, 174 yards, three touchdowns; Auburn 12 of 21, 96 yards
Rushing: Alabama 12 rushes, 46 yards; Auburn 20 rushes, 57 yards
First downs: Alabama 10; Auburn 9
Third downs: Alabama 1 of 3; Auburn 5 of 11
Penalties: Alabama 2 for 10; Auburn 4 for 38
Time of possession: Auburn 19:06; Alabama 11:54

5:03 p.m.: INTERCEPTION, ALABAMA. Malachi Moore jumps Nix’s pass for the interception, ending Auburn’s scoring threat. Alabama takes a knee and heads into the half with a 21-3 lead.

The aftermath:

5:02 p.m.: Timeout, Auburn (0:20).

5:01 p.m.: Oh, my. Nix had a wide-open Seth Williams for a sure touchdown, but he dropped it. Second down from the 42 with 41 seconds remaining.

5 p.m.: Nix avoids the rush and hits his receiver for a 16-yard gain out to the 42 with less than a minute left.

4:57 p.m.: Jones has Metchie for a long gain but the ball bounces off his hands. That will bring on the Bama punt team for a second time today. Auburn will take over at its 17 with 1:23 left in the half.

4:55 p.m.: The Tide go with Brian Robinson on two straight carries and he gets them out to the 37-yard line.

4:53 p.m.: Alabama takes over at its 17-yard line after the punt.

4:51 p.m.: Auburn promptly nets zero yards on its next three plays. Punt time.

4:50 p.m.: Timeout Alabama (4:15).

4:49 p.m.: Auburn gets a couple of 6-yard plays to get out to its 45.

4:44 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN, ALABAMA. Jones steps up in the pocket, avoiding two Tigers pass-rushers and floats a perfect ball to Billingsley, who had the TIgers safety beat. That’s a 24-yard touchdown to make it 21-3 Alabama with 6:24 in the half.

4:43 p.m.: Smith had Nehemiah Pritchett beat for what would have been a touchdown, but the Auburn defender held onto him for dear life. That nets Alabama 15 yards and a first down to Auburn’s 27.

4:42 p.m.: Next play, Harris gets his best carry of the game for 19 yards out to Auburn’s 42.

4:41 p.m.: Alabama takes over at its 25 and quickly gets a first down two plays later to the 39.

4:37 p.m.: FIELD GOAL, AUBURN. The Tigers’ drive stalls at Alabama’s 30, but finally get on the board with a 47-yard field goal from Anders Carlson. That makes it 14-3 Alabama with 8:51 left in the half.

4:35 p.m.: Auburn is starting to go up-tempo now as it nears Alabama’s red zone.

4:33 p.m.: And the call is overturned, giving the Tigers the ball at their 49.

4:30 p.m.: Schwartz gets 13 yards and a first down for Auburn, but fumbles the ball on the field; it’s close, and will be reviewed. Either way someone’s getting the ball near midfield.

4:29 p.m.: More Auburn misdirection, but this time it goes for negative yards as Malachi Moore tackles Anthony Schwartz for a 3-yard loss.

4:25 p.m.: Nix finds J.J. Pegues in the flats, and the 300-pound freshman tight end gets Auburn a first down to the Tigers 37.

4:24 p.m.: Auburn’s Tank Bigsby gets a 5-yard gain but fumbles the ball after Tim Williams stripped it from him. Auburn recovers and has it second-and-5 from the 25.

4:20 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN, ALABAMA. There’s Jones’ second touchdown of the game: He fakes the run to Harris and hits Metchie for an 8-yard score behind two Auburn defenders. That makes it 14-0 Alabama with 14:04 left in the second quarter.

4:20 p.m.: One play later, Jones hits Najee Harris out of the backfield; he breaks a tackle and gets it all the way down to the 8-yard line.

4:19 p.m.: Jones scrambles for a short third-down conversion on a play that was very much not by design. The Tide are driving just outside the 30.

First quarter: Alabama 7, Auburn 0

4:13 p.m.: Jones gets the quick screen, and some excellent blocking by Miller Forristall and John Metchie III nets Alabama a 26-yard gain out to Auburn’s 44.

4:12 p.m.: Auburn gets its first sack of the game from Big Kat Bryant, who gets to Jones for a 5-yard loss.

4:11 p.m.: Alabama back at it from its 34.

4:10 p.m.: Auburn tries a quick-hitter on third-and-15 but it nets only 3 yards. Auburn’s third punt coming up.

4:09 p.m.: Nix scrambles again for a first down but it’s called back due to a holding call. It’s now second-and-18 from the 23.

4:06 p.m.: Timeout Auburn (3:12).

4:05 p.m.: Nix scrambles on third-and-6 and gets the first down out to the 32.

4:02 p.m.: Auburn to take over at its 19-yard line.

4 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN, ALABAMA. Two plays later, Jones fines a wide-open DeVonta Smith for a 66-yard touchdown. That makes it 7-0 Alabama with 5:10 left in the first quarter.

3:57 p.m.: Jones fines Jahleel Billingsley for 9 yards and the Tide’s first first down of the game at its 34-yard line.

3:53 p.m.: Nix tries to hit Seth Williams but widely overshoots him with Josh Jobe in coverage. Tigers punting from their 38 this time, with Alabama taking over at its 22.

3:51 p.m.: Tigers are already breaking out the trick plays. Eli Stove goes for an 11-yard gain on the reverse. On the next play, a trio of Bama linemen get a shot on Nix for a 2-yard sack.

3:50 p.m.: Auburn converts on third-and-11 with Nix connecting with tight end John Samuel Shenker for a 12-yard gain out to the 22.

3:46 p.m.: Auburn takes over at its 10 after Alabama’s three-and-out. Defense winning early.

3:45 p.m.: Mac Jones overthrows Slade Bolden, double-covered by two Auburn defenders. Early case of the yips?

3:45 p.m.: Alabama converts on third-and-10 but an illegal formation offsets the conversion. Bama facing third-and-15 from its 39.

3:41 p.m.: Alabama’s Chris Allen sacks Bo Nix on the first pass of the game. That makes it fourth-and-7 Auburn at its 11; DeVonta Smith fields the short punt and returns it to the Auburn 34.

3:39 p.m.: Auburn wins the coin toss and elects to receive the kick. Here we go.

Alabama vs. Auburn start time

• Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. ET
• TV channel: CBS
• Live stream: CBS All Access, fuboTV

Alabama vs. Auburn will be broadcast live on CBS starting at 3:30 p.m. ET. Brad Nessler and Gary Danielson will call the game from the booth with Jamie Erdahl serving as the sideline reporter.

Alabama football schedule 2020

* Reflects SEC schedule change

Auburn football schedule 2020

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