Mark Sears scored 24 points and No. 9 Alabama defeated Rutgers 95-90 on Wednesday night in the Players Era Festival at MGM Grand Garden.

If Alabama can stop the run and force Auburn into must-pass situations, there are opportunities to be had. However, Alabama had one combined sack (against Tennessee) in its three losses, due in large part because it didn’t force those teams into many third-and-long situations.

When it comes to this year's Iron Bowl, it is not only significant through the fact that it is the first without Nick Saban since 2006, but also that is the first for Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer.