Will Anderson Jr.

The 2020 Iron Bowl was a mismatch of historic proportions, serving as a revenge game for Alabama after the heartbreak of 2019. Played in front of a sparse, COVID-restricted crowd at Bryant-Denny Stadium, top-ranked Alabama didn't just beat #22 Auburn; they dismantled them 42-13. Quarterback Mac Jones delivered a flawless performance, throwing for 302 yards and tying an Iron Bowl record with five touchdown passes. His primary target, DeVonta Smith, was unstoppable. The Heisman Trophy winner-to-be caught seven passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns, including a 66-yard strike that left the Auburn secondary in the dust. Najee Harris pounded the Auburn defense for 96 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, Alabama was suffocating, holding Bo Nix and the Auburn offense to just 13 points and forcing two interceptions. Unlike the chaotic shootouts of previous years, this was a clinical, methodical dismantling by a team destined for the National Championship.

The 2021 Iron Bowl was a defensive struggle that morphed into an instant classic, becoming the first game in the rivalry's history to go to overtime—let alone four of them. #3 Alabama entered the game as heavy favorites but was completely stifled by a ferocious Auburn pass rush that sacked Bryce Young seven times. Trailing 10-3 with under two minutes to play and 97 yards of field ahead of them, Young orchestrated a legendary game-tying drive. He connected with Ja'Corey Brooks for a 28-yard touchdown with 24 seconds remaining to force overtime at 10-10. After trading touchdowns in the first overtime and field goals in the second, the game moved to a two-point conversion shootout. In the fourth overtime, Alabama's defense denied Auburn, setting the stage for the winner. Young found John Metchie III in the end zone for the decisive conversion, giving Alabama a heart-stopping 24-22 victory. The win preserved Alabama's SEC West title hopes and paved the way for Young's Heisman Trophy campaign.

The 2022 Iron Bowl was the Bryce Young show. In his final game at Bryant-Denny Stadium, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner delivered a masterclass, accounting for 391 total yards and four touchdowns to lead #7 Alabama to a 49-27 victory over Auburn. Young completed 20 of 30 passes for 343 yards and three touchdowns while adding 48 rushing yards and a score on the ground. Despite Auburn fighting bravely under interim coach Carnell 'Cadillac' Williams and keeping the game close at 35-14 halftime, they had no answer for Young's magic. Auburn's rushing attack, led by Robby Ashford and Jarquez Hunter, found success, racking up over 300 yards on the ground, but turnovers and defensive lapses proved costly. Alabama pulled away in the second half, with Young connecting with receivers Ja'Corey Brooks, Jermaine Burton, and Traeshon Holden for big plays. The win secured Alabama's third straight Iron Bowl victory and a 10-win season, serving as a fitting send-off for one of the program's greatest quarterbacks.