The national spotlight of Iron Bowl on more than just football



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The number is reduced to five.

It was eight last year and eight the year before.

This Iron Bowl, only five starters scheduled for Alabama come from the state of Alabama. That's enough to create a band, and in this state, these guys are about as big as rock stars.

At the main voice: Mack Wilson, Alabama linebacker from Montgomery, who has a big voice in the locker room, and an entertaining personality on Twitter.

Solo Guitar: Henry Ruggs III, the Montgomery receiver, whose virtual solo efforts are so precise and fast that they have to be slowed down and replayed to be fully appreciated.

In rhythm: Anfernee Jennings of Dadeville. He does not have enough credit, but everyone knows he is the real leader of the group.

On bass: Deonte Brown, Decatur's offensive lineman. He never holds the beats. Just slap them as if they owed him money.

On the drums: Quinnen Williams, Birmingham's defensive lineman. He produces more hits than Quincy Jones.

They do weddings, but not Saturday in the fall.

In Alabama, the Iron Bowl creates our legends and our traditions

Alabama enters this Iron Bowl, his 83rd game against rival Auburn, just as he did last year and the year before – the number one in the country. Alabama is recruiting at the national level to remain the most important national team from year to year, which means that the number of players in the state good enough to contribute on the ground for the Crimson has decreased over time .

Auburn is more Alabama than Alabama among the competitors this year, but the difference is not so important. Auburn has eight starters projected in attack and in defense of the state. Last year, the Tigers launched 10 players from Alabama.

Some people might consider this a bad thing. It's gone astray. We have many small colleges and universities across the state to award scholarships to recruits in the state. Alabama and Auburn should strive to present each year the best talent in the country. The Iron Bowl is a national floodlight every year and the alignments reflect this national presence.

This is an excellent tool for recruiting extra-state talent in the field, but more importantly, state elite football teams participating in the Southeast Conference are attracting extra-state talent off the field. .

International students have reshaped the Alabama campus over the past 10 years, thanks largely to the football team and Nick Saban. This fall semester, only 40% of students are from the University of Alabama. In Auburn, which has always attracted students from Georgia, off-state registrations from other regions are also on the rise. About 42% of new students this year in Auburn came from countries.

Iron Bowl is no longer just a showcase of the state. It's a national event, and the student population is a reflection of it. As campuses grow and attract more and more students from the state, this will eventually change the dynamics of the state.

It's progress. This is a step in the right direction for a state that has not yet returned to its old habits.

Auburn, outsider of 24 points, does not fear the first row of Alabama

Alabama star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is from Hawaii, and the Tide's top three finishers come from Kentucky (Damien Harris), Oklahoma (Josh Jacobs) and California (Najee Harris). ). Nick Saban's high school reads like a regional map: Tampa, Florida (Saivion Smith), Plantation, Florida (Patrick Surtain II), Roswell, Georgia (Xavier McKinney), Orange, Texas (Deionte Thompson) and Kentwood, The. Shyheim Carter).

The fan base of Alabama is also growing nationwide. Of course, with all of Tide's success, it means everyone in the country will commit to Auburn on Saturday. Anyway, it's a victory for the state of Alabama.

For Iron Bowl players on site, the importance of this game means something different and it will always do it. They are like living legends or rock stars. The Iron Bowl is a source of pride that transcends borders for foreign players and students from elsewhere.

It's soft music, no matter the score.

Joseph Goodman is a columnist for the Alabama Media Group. He is on Twitter @ JoeGoodmanJr.

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