♦♦ BAMA NATION ♦♦

• What does the Iron Bowl mean to Bama in-state players? •  Tuscaloosa, AL Tim Keenan really wanted bragging rights. The Alabama football defensive lineman was a young Crimson Tide fan in 2011 watching the Iron Bowl against Auburn. It seemed like the Tide had it wrapped up, taking a 24-0 advantage. Then Cam Newton happened, and the Tigers won 28-27 at Bryant-Denny Stadium. “I was kind of disappointed,” Keenan, now a redshirt sophomore for UA, said Tuesday. “But God gave me another chance to make it right.” Keenan, a Birmingham native, and the rest of Alabama’s players have a chance to make it four in a row against the Tigers on Saturday. That’s a feat that hasn’t been achieved since Paul “Bear” Bryant was in charge. For the team members from in-state, the game means even more. “Growing up, playing football, watching football, I was watching the Iron Bowl,” Malachi Moore, UA’s safety from Trussville, said Monday. " It’s definitely a blessing to be able to play in this game. A lot of people look at this game in the state, like you said, it’s big in the state. It just means a lot to suit up for the Crimson Tide to go out there and play in this great rivalry.” Running back Roydell Williams grew up in a house divided. The Hueytown senior grew up a Tide fan, while his sister was loyal to Auburn. His parents didn’t choose a side. “We always got family over to the house,” Williams said. “Watched the game, ordered food — cooked sometimes — we’ll all just fellowship together. It was a big deal for our family, we’ll do a big deal about it.” To this day, he said he didn’t understand his sister’s allegiance. “I don’t know why she’s an Auburn fan. I don’t think she is now,” Williams said. “Hopefully she sees this. I hope she’s an Alabama fan. I hope she is. I never knew why she was an Auburn fan, but I hope she’s an Alabama fan now.” On paper, Alabama will be heavily favored on Saturday, with Auburn coming off a loss to New Mexico State and the Tide still in the College Football Playoff hunt. But the game is at Jordan-Hare Stadium, home to plenty of weird losses for UA. The Alabama natives on the Crimson Tide roster are trying to maintain their focus, knowing the weight of the rivalry. They’ve worked to educate their out-of-state teammates on the game, though the Iron Bowl’s reputation precedes it. “No matter what state you’re from, you do know about the Iron Bowl,” quarterback Jalen Milroe said Monday. “Being from Texas, I know about the Iron Bowl, for sure. I grew up watching it. But to be able to experience the Iron Bowl, it’s going to be a great experience, for sure. Especially going on the road to Auburn. It’s definitely going to be a big challenge for us. But I do know about the history of it, of the game. It’s very exciting going into the week.” • CLICK HERE TO ROLL WITH THE TIDE •