So instead of getting ahead with a paper  that's due the Tuesday of Iron Bowl week, I am already becoming too distracted by the magnitude of this game. The UA campus will quickly have the same feeling being  that we have three days of class this week until our open practice session for our backups against Georgia State this Thursday night. Then hopefully professors will have enough sense to cancel class Friday.

Truthfully, since the lose at LSU, the season for me has essentially become beating Auburn. It was incredibly frustrating to see the lack of intensity brought by the fans into the MSU game and I expect absolutely nothing for when Georgia State comes rolling in, but this must change for Auburn.

Speaking of, I lived there for 15 years before coming to school at UA, and I have never seen the type of behavior from Auburn fans in my life. It's like they embrace this thug mentality that Trooper Taylor and company have brought to the program by recruiting players such as Nick Fairley and Cameron Newton.

As for the game itself, it will be extremely tough, no way around it. Even if they don't have Cam Newton, they will still be tough to beat with a trip to Glendale still on the line. However, my hope is this: Alabama is a completely different monster at home defensively, being that we have given up a merely 32 points at home this season, compared to Auburn who let UT-Chatt post a score in the mid 20s along with giving up 40+ to Arkansas's backup quarterback at home. 

Offensively, we must simply hope the breaks go our way, but keep in mind that most of our "explosive" plays from the season have come from inside beautiful Bryant-Denny Stadium.

I think the difference in a close rivalry match such as this will come down to special teams. Javy's return against Auburn last year is what set things in our favor last year and I look for Maze to have a similar  type of impact. Let's hope Shelley and Foster stay consistent as well.

However, this is my message to the Saban Nation, DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES sell your ticket to an Auburn fan for the game. They have yet to play in a truly tough environment, and we must create pure hell on earth for them on Black Friday. I'm past the point of being classy to our visitors from the East, and I think other UA fans should embrace this as well.  If Auburn truly want to run a dirty program just to be at a level to compete with us, they can go to hell and I hope the NCAA Infractions committee is the first one meeting them at the door.