Tagovailoa, Tide dominate Tigers
Quarterback has hand in six touchdowns as Alabama tops Auburn in the Iron Bowl.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Tua Tagovailoa threw five touchdown passes and ran for a score to lead No. 1 Alabama to a 52-21 victory over rival Auburn on Saturday.
Tagovailoa and the Crimson Tide (12-0, 8-0 Southeastern Conference) took over with an explosive third quarter, when the Heisman Trophy contender threw three long touchdown passes. He’s the first Alabama player to have a hand in six touchdowns in a game and matched the school record with the five scoring passes.
Now, Alabama heads to the SEC championship game against No. 5 Georgia with a guaranteed playoff spot on the line.
With Alabama leading Auburn (7-5, 3-5) 17-14 at halftime, Tagovailoa launched the Tide into another SEC blowout. He was 11 for 12 passing for 208 yards and four touchdowns in the second half, despite playing only one series in the fourth quarter.
Tagovailoa finished 25 for 32 for 324 yards and ran for 26 yards, including a sevenyard touchdown and a 21yard third-down conversion on runs.
“I thought Tua was into it,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said. “His leadership was really important for our offense. Don’t ask me why but it doesn’t seem like we had the right kind of energy in the first half.”
The second-half numbers included touchdowns of 46 yards to Jerry Jeudy, 33 to Josh Jacobs, 40 to DeVonta Smith and 22 to Henry Ruggs III.
The game was close until Tagovailoa threw a pair of long touchdown passes in a three-minute span of the third quarter. The first hit Jeudy down the left sideline and the second went to Jacobs, who shook off a few defenders on his way to the end zone.
Auburn had used creative calls to keep it within three at 17-14 at halftime.
Wide receiver Anthony Schwartz ran for a nine-yard touchdown and fellow receiver Ryan Davis took a lateral and launched a 23-yard touchdown pass to Malik Miller. That came with 4 minutes left before the half after freshman Smoke Monday blocked a punt.