GAME NOTES: It is rivalry week in college football and in the state of Alabama, it doesn't get any bigger than this week's clash between the second- ranked Alabama Crimson Tide and the Auburn Tigers from Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Nick Saban's Crimson Tide are looking to close out a perfect regular season, following last week's 45-0 shutout of FCS foe Chattanooga. Thus far, the Tide have run the table at 11-0, capturing the SEC West title in the process and setting themselves up for an SEC championship showdown with top-ranked Florida, with the winner of that game playing for the national championship.

Of course, Alabama must get past Auburn if its wants the SEC championship game to be for everything and that is always easier said than done. Gene Chizik's first season at the helm has had its ups and downs with Auburn currently boasting a 7-4 overall mark. The team has had real problems in-conference with a 3-4 league leader, including a 31-24 loss at Georgia on November 14th, the last time Auburn was on the field.

Alabama leads the all-time series with Auburn, 39-33-1, but the Tigers have won seven of the nine meetings at Auburn. Last year, the Crimson Tide embarrassed the Tigers, a 36-0 shutout in Tuscaloosa. Saban knows that whatever happened last year is in the past.

"This is one of the best rivalry games in football, two great schools in a state that have had the opportunity to play for 100 years now. We have a tremendous amount of respect for their team and what they have done. They have made a tremendous amount of improvement this year. There is nothing really outside of this game that really matters this week. You can throw out the records, rankings, awards, nothing else really matters. This is kind of a state championship game, so to speak. I think it's always a great football game. As I've said before we have a tremendous amount of respect for their team and what they've accomplished."

The Crimson Tide come in with plenty of offensive firepower, averaging 32.2 ppg, on a hefty 418.0 yards of total offense. The ground game is the driving force for this unit, chewing up 225.6 yards per game on 5.4 yards per carry. It all starts with Heisman hopeful Mark Ingram. The sophomore tailback has been as good as it gets, averaging nearly seven yards per carry (6.8) and amassing 1,399 yards this year with 12 TDs. A threat to catch the ball out of the backfield, Ingram is tied for second on the team in receptions (25), with three more scores.

The attention paid to Ingram has made QB Greg McElroy's job easier under center. The junior signal-caller has completed 60 percent of his passes, for 1,993 yards with 14 touchdowns and just four interceptions. Wideouts Julio Jones (31 receptions, 462 yards, four TDs) and Marquis Maze (25 receptions, 423 yards, two TDs) haven't exactly lit the scoreboard up this season, but both possess big play ability.

It is not only the play of the offense which has Alabama looking at an undefeated season. The defense has been every bit a factor in the impressive campaign, ranking second nationally in scoring defense (9.9 ppg) and rush defense (70.4 ypg) and first in total defense (225.0 ypg). In addition, opponents have only managed 12 touchdowns over the first 11 games, while this big play unit has recorded 28 sacks and 23 takeaways.

All-American candidate Rolando McClain is the defensive leader from his linebacker position. The 6-4, 260-pound junior leads the team in tackles (84), with 10.5 TFLs, 3.0 sacks, two interceptions and one forced fumble. Safety Mark Barron is bucking for All-American honors as well and his numbers reflect that, with 61 total tackles and a team-high six interceptions. Cornerback Javier Arenas (57 tackles, 11.0 TFLs, 4.0 sacks and two INTs) is another big time player in the secondary. Up front, rush end Marcell Dareus (28 tackle, 8.5 TFLs, team-high 6.5 sacks) and huge tackle Terrence Cody (22 tackles, 5.0 TFLs) headline the action.

Auburn has had little trouble moving the chains this season, as the team has been proficient both on the ground (219.5 ypg) and through the air (221.9 ypg), resulting in an impressive 441.5 yards per game overall. The result is one of the SEC's top scoring teams at 34.0 ppg.

Senior QB Chris Todd has been an effective signal-caller, completing nearly 60 percent of his passes (.599), for 2,196 yards, with 19 touchdowns against just five interceptions. The team has a trio of capable receivers, highlighted by sophomore sensation Darvin Adams, who has hauled in 44 balls, for 717 yards and nine TDs.

When the team runs the ball, underrated senior Ben Tate gets the call more often than not. The 5-11, 220-pounder has rumbled for 1,209 yards on the year (5.4 ypc) and has scored eight of the team's 20 rushing scores to date.

While the offense has flourished, the Auburn defense has struggled. The team is allowing an alarming 27.0 ppg and has really had problems against the run (169.7 ypg). That doesn't bode well with Alabama coming to town.

It will be up to players like LBs Josh Bynes (84 tackles, one sack, one INT, two fumble recoveries) and Craig Stevens (83 tackles, 7.0 TFLs, one INT, one fumble recovery) and defensive end Antonio Coleman (41 tackles, 13.5 TFLs, 7.5 sacks) to bolster the play in the front seven in hopes of neutralizing the Alabama ground game. When the Tide do go vertical, Auburn CBs Neiko Thorpe (62 tackles, one INT) and Walter McFadden (35 tackles, four INTs) will need to make plays.

If Auburn doesn't match Alabama's physical play on both sides of the football, this one could get out of hand.

"Well, we have got our work cut out for us," said Chizik. "It's a great football team (Alabama). We have had our moments when we have really played physical football and we have also had our moments when I thought we could have played more physical football. Alabama is a very physical team themselves. It will be a great challenge for us."

Auburn can score with just about any team out there, but the problem will be Alabama's methodical ground game, which should be able to chew up yardage and the clock in this one, keeping the Tiger offense on the sidelines.