Tagovailoa, No. 1 Alabama race away from Auburn, 52-21 THE TAKEAWAY

TUSCALOOSA, ALA. (AP) >> 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, No. 1 CFP) 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 TDs in a game and matched the school record with the five scoring passes.

Now, ‘Bama heads to the SEC championship game against No. 5 Georgia with a guaranteed playoff spot on the line.

Leading Auburn (75, 3-5) just 17-14 at halftime, Tagovailoa launched the Tide into another SEC blowout. He was 11-of-12 passing for 208 yards and four touchdowns in the second half, despite only playing one series in the fourth quarter.

Tagovailoa finished 25 of 32 for 324 yards and ran for 26 yards, including a 7-yard touchdown and a 21-yard third-down conversion on runs.

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 — all accurate strikes downfield.

The game was close until Tagovailoa threw a pair of long TD 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 17-14 at halftime.

Wide receiver Anthony Schwartz ran for a 9-yard touchdown and fellow receiver Ryan Davis took a lateral and launched a 23yard touchdown pass to Malik Miller. That came with 4 minutes left before the half after freshman Smoke Monday blocked a punt.

The Tigers also had Shaun Shivers’ 75-yard touchdown run called back thanks to a holding penalty. Auburn coach Gus Malzahn drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for his protest of the call.

Auburn was stopped short on a fake field goal in the third quarter when backup quarterback Malik Willis threw it to kicker Anders Carlson. The potential three points briefly loomed larger after Jarrett Stidham’s 52-yard touchdown pass to Darius Slayton made it 31-21.

It was a runaway from there.

Auburn: Kept it close into the second half in a game where few gave the Tigers much chance. Stidham was 13-of-30 passing for 127 yards with a touchdown and an interception, including some drops, and faced heavy pressure.

Alabama: Struggled in the first half and dominated the second, just like against The Citadel. Avenged last season’s 2614 loss that shut the Tide out of the SEC championship game.