Malachi Moore previews his final Iron Bowl, home game at Alabama

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Malachi Moore knows the Alabama-Auburn rivalry well.

Growing up in Trussville, Alabama, the now-Crimson Tide safety remembers watching the Iron Bowl as a kid, as well as the buildup to the game. Jersey days in elementary school, when the allegiances of friends were revealed and different sides were taken during P.E.

Speaking to reporters before the final home game of his Alabama career, the fifth-year senior said the annual matchup means everything to him, and he shared how he would describe to all of the new guys who will be experiencing the Iron Bowl rivalry for the first time.

“It’s a fun atmosphere,” Moore said. “As a competitor, you come to Alabama for games like this, for the Iron Bowl, to play in games like this. You grew up watching it on TV, seeing guys make big-time plays in those games. So this is a game you can really go out there and create value for yourself and your team. 

“It’s a game about pride. I think that’s the biggest thing as a man, as a person is your pride, and that’s what we’re gonna go out there and play for.”

Moore will face Auburn for a fifth time on Saturday, November 30. He’ll look to close out his UA career with an undefeated record against the in-state rival and help the Crimson Tide win its fifth straight Iron Bowl. Moore’s favorite Iron Bowl memory, he said, was his freshman year in 2020 when he intercepted a pass just before halftime in Alabama’s 42-13 win.

Moore claims to have watched every Alabama-Auburn matchup of Nick Saban’s tenure as the head coach. He’s been tuning into this game ever since he can remember. The Tide veteran is biased, of course, but he ranks the Iron Bowl as college football’s top rivalry. 

“Just being here and growing up in Alabama, I’ve always heard of the Iron Bowl and not really too much of any other rivalries other than the Iron Bowl when it’s rivalry week,” Moore said. “This one’s up there. It’s No. 1 for me.”

Moore has never lost to Auburn, winning twice at Bryant-Denny Stadium and at Jordan-Hare Stadium. He’ll look to make it three in a row on his home turf on Saturday afternoon (2:30 p.m. CT on ABC). Alabama has won six straight Iron Bowls in Tuscaloosa, dating back to the 2010 season. Winning on the road is fun, but nothing tops a home rivalry game.

“When you play away, you always wanna silence their crowd,” Moore said. “But there ain’t nothing like playing in front of your home fans, and just to get Bryant-Denny rocking Saturday of the Iron Bowl, it’s always fun.”

Before the game kicks off on Saturday afternoon, Moore will be one of 19 players recognized as part of the Tide’s Senior Day. Alabama’s home finale will be Moore’s 64th game in crimson and white, and the defensive back has played a first-team role in all five seasons and recorded more than 200 career tackles while also being one of the team’s best leaders.

He took a moment to reflect on his time and shared what he would tell his freshman self.

“Trust your journey,” Moore said. “It’s gonna be ups and downs throughout your college career, and how you handle those situations is ultimately what’s gonna build to where you wanna be in the future. It’s never your plan or your timing. It’s always God’s timing. 

“Just keep your faith and stay patient.”

Moore on Auburn’s top offensive weapons

Moore and the Alabama defense will look to slow down some of the top playmakers in the SEC. Auburn has two receivers who rank among the top 10 in touchdowns, KeAndre Lambert-Smith (8, T-1st) and Cam Coleman (7, T-5th). Moore was asked on Tuesday about the latter, who was one of the top overall recruits in the 2024 class, per the On3 Industry Rankings.

“He’s definitely a vertical threat,” Moore said of Coleman. “He’s a big-play type of guy and they look to him to kind of get their offense going and give them momentum. He’s definitely a key part of their offense.”

Tigers also have the league’s second-leading rusher, running back Jarquez Hunter, who is up to 1,145 yards and eight touchdowns on 174 carries (6.58 ypa). In the last two years, Hunter has a combined 25 carries for 227 yards and zero touchdowns against the Crimson Tide. He has 122 more carries than any other running back on Auburn’s roster entering Week 14.

“He’s a tough running back,” Moore said. “We’ve been seeing him for some years now, but he’s definitely one of the main points of their offense. He’s got 1,000 yards and by far the leading carrier on their team by hundreds and hundreds of yards. The ball is definitely gonna be in his hands, and he’s gonna be a key person to stop.”

Not a member, Tide fans? Join BOL today!

Have you subscribed to BamaOnLine.com yet? You can sign up for ONE MONTH of premium access to our Alabama coverage for just $11.99! Be able to read all of BOL’s premium articles and nuggets covering Alabama sports and recruiting and also join thousands of other Crimson Tide fans around the globe on the BOL Round Table message board! CLICK HERE!