Could Jalen Milroe Sit Out the Iron Bowl?

Would Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe sit out a "meaningless" Iron Bowl?

Why would the Iron Bowl ever be meaningless? With the expansion of the College Football Playoffs, if Alabama is undefeated heading into the post-Thanksgiving matchup with the Tigers, it's all but guaranteed the Crimson Tide have earned a spot in the College Football Playoff.

We see it in the NFL, with teams resting starters toward the end of the regular season to gear up for postseason runs.

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During a Thursday appearance on ESPN's First Take, Milroe was presented with the scenario of Alabama being undefeated before the Iron Bowl with a spot clinched in the SEC Championship already. Alabama could clinch a top-four seed, and a bye, in the College Football Playoff thanks to the expanded model, diminishing the importance of the Tide's Iron Bowl matchup with Auburn. Would Milore sit out the Iron Bowl?

Milroe did not miss a beat with his answer, "Not at all. It’s all about finishing. Finishing the season off, that’s a couple of our pillars. Our program’s all about finish. Every opportunity we get to present the Alabama football team, we're going to do it.”

Milroe was a member of the Crimson Tide in 2022, the last time the game took place in Tuscaloosa. In 2023, Milroe felt the full force of Jordan-Hare Stadium, but escaped with a victory thanks to his miracle pass on 4th-and-31 to score the game-winning touchdown.

After seeing the Iron Bowl in all its glory, does Milroe consider it the best rivalry in college football?

"I'm from Texas, so I'm thinking the rivalry between Texas and OU is the greatest rivalry. I changed my mind. It's Alabama and Auburn. It’s just awesome to see the state of Alabama come together with this rivalry. As far as the guys on the team, you prep a different way and you feel a certain different [way] experiencing a rivalry game.”

Wyatt Fulton is the TIde 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.