2016 Iron Bowl

2016-11-26

Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, AL

ALABAMA

Ranked #1

30

WINNER

VS

AUBURN

0

12

Attendance: 101,821

Game Summary

The 2016 Iron Bowl was a defensive masterclass by the top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide. In a 30-12 victory over #13 Auburn, the Alabama defense did not allow a single touchdown, forcing the Tigers to settle for four field goals despite several incursions into Alabama territory. On offense, true freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts overcame two early interceptions to control the game. While not statistically explosive through the air (286 yards), Hurts accounted for three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) and effectively managed the game in the second half. He found targets like ArDarius Stewart (10 catches, 127 yards) to move the chains consistently. The story, however, was the Alabama defense holding Auburn's high-octane offense to just 182 total yards—total. Auburn rushed for only 66 yards, rendering their game plan completely ineffective.

Series Snapshot

#81

Meeting of 90

45-35-1

Series after game

5-2-0

Record in the 2010s through this game

#31

Widest-margin rank

Before this meeting, the archive record stood at Alabama 44, Auburn 35, with 1 tie. The 2016 result moved it to Alabama 45, Auburn 35, with 1 tie.

This was the 7th listed Iron Bowl of the 2010s. Through this game, Alabama had 5 wins, Auburn had 2, and the decade included 0 ties.

The teams combined for 42 points, ranking #37 in total scoring among the 90 meetings in the current archive, with 3 games sharing that total. The 18-point margin ranks #31 by size, shared by 4 games.

This archive page combines verified game data with available rivalry context for the modern series record. In the surrounding chronology, the previous listed meeting was 2015 and the next was 2017.

Decisive Moment

Alabama's defense held Auburn to 66 rushing yards, completely shutting down their offensive identity.

Key Players

Jalen Hurts (Alabama) ↗

ArDarius Stewart (Alabama)

Reuben Foster (Alabama)

Sean White (Auburn)

📜

Historical Deep Dive

The 2016 Iron Bowl was a defensive masterclass by the top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide. In a 30-12 victory over #13 Auburn, the Alabama defense did not allow a single touchdown, forcing the Tigers to settle for four field goals despite several incursions into Alabama territory.

Freshman Phenom

On offense, true freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts overcame two early interceptions to control the game. While not statistically explosive through the air (286 yards), Hurts accounted for three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) and effectively managed the game in the second half. He found targets like ArDarius Stewart (10 catches, 127 yards) to move the chains consistently.

Suffocating Defense

The story, however, was the Alabama defense. They held Auburn’s high-octane offense to just 182 total yards—total. Auburn rushed for only 66 yards, rendering their game plan completely ineffective. Linebacker Reuben Foster and the Tide front seven swallowed up running lanes, forcing Auburn into predictable passing situations that they couldn’t convert. It was a workmanlike victory that capped an undefeated regular season for Nick Saban’s squad.