A quality half-century from skipper Jess Duffin and three wickets from Molly Strano has sewn up a finals berth for the Melbourne Renegades with a win over Sydney Thunder at the Junction Oval. The Renegades win ensured two-time WBBL champions Sydney Sixers will miss the finals for the first time in tournament history.

Duffin made 53 from 44 balls with six fours and a six to help her side post a competitive 6 for 151. She got good support from Danni Wyatt who made 44 from 31 after the Renegades had slumped to 2 for 6 in the third over courtesy two wickets from two balls by Samantha Bates. Rene Farrell went wicketless in her final WBBL game.

The Thunder's chase wilted under the pressure of the disciplined Renegades attack. They could not score at better than a run a ball in the powerplay. Strano removed three of the top four inside the first 13 overs while Alex Blackwell was run out in her final WBBL innings. The Thunder finished 29 runs short.

Alabama just made life much easier for the 13 members of the College Football Playoff selection committee.

With the Tide's 48-45 loss against rival Auburn in the Iron Bowl on Saturday, the greatest potential source for debate -- a very good team that didn't win its division -- has been eliminated. Alabama, the only team in the country to reach every playoff since its inception in 2014, lost the two games that mattered most, opening the door for the Pac-12 and Big 12 champions to garner the most serious top-four consideration to date.

"We just didn't play well enough," Alabama coach Nick Saban said. "You have to give their team credit, because they fought back and did a great job in the game, as well. ... I know our fans are disappointed, but I can promise you that our players are disappointed and we're all very disappointed and it's my responsibility to get our team to do these things better, and that certainly will be the goal in the future."

Alabama's loss also reiterated the importance of conference championship games during the playoff era, as the top four teams are almost guaranteed to have played in Power 5 title games next week.

It was an uncharacteristic finish for the Tide, who lost two games in November for the first time since 2010, when they also lost against LSU and Auburn. From 2014 to 2018, Alabama had one November loss combined, according to research by ESPN Stats & Information.

This one, though, was the most damaging.

When the committee releases its fifth of six rankings Tuesday, Utah and Oklahoma should move up (at the expense of Alabama) to the No. 5 and No. 6 spots, respectively. After posting convincing wins Saturday, they will each have another opportunity to impress the committee again in their conference championship games.

That's what we know at the end of the regular season. Here's where we still have questions:

Are No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 LSU already in?

Prediction: Yes. Both teams finished the regular season undefeated and should remain in the same spots Tuesday. The order could be shuffled a bit if both lose their respective conference title games, but Ohio State and LSU would likely still be in the top four on Selection Day -- assuming they were close losses. LSU is set to face Georgia in the SEC title game, while Ohio State faces Wisconsin in the Big Ten conference clash.

What happens to Wisconsin or Georgia if they win?

If two-loss Wisconsin beats Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game, the Buckeyes would probably get in instead of the Badgers. It would be easy for the committee to justify that decision because Ohio State defeated Wisconsin 38-7 on Oct. 26 -- one week after the Badgers suffered what was the season's biggest upset at the time, a 24-23 loss at Illinois. It would be hard for the committee to ignore the loss against an unranked 6-6 Illini team. A two-loss team has never finished in the top four, and Wisconsin doesn't have the résumé to become the first. We've also seen a two-loss Big Ten champ left out before (Penn State in 2016).

If Georgia finishes as a one-loss SEC champ, the Dawgs are in along with LSU, blocking the way for the Big 12 and Pac-12 champions. The committee has made it clear Georgia's good wins (Notre Dame, Florida and Auburn) have more than compensated for its ugly 20-17 home loss against South Carolina on Oct. 12, and a win against a top-four LSU team would only enhance that.

Can Oklahoma leapfrog Utah for a top-four finish?

Prediction: Yes. The most obvious way this happens is if Utah loses against two-loss Oregon in the Pac-12 title game, but it can also happen if Utah wins a close game and Oklahoma earns a convincing win against Baylor in the Big 12 title game. The Sooners got a boost last week when the committee promoted Baylor to No. 9, its first appearance in the top 10. Since OU has already beaten the Bears this season, it has a stronger win on its résumé than any on the Utes' schedule -- and Lincoln Riley's crew has a chance to beat the Bears again.

Does Baylor have a chance?

Prediction: Yes. Now that Alabama is out of the mix, there are no other teams not playing in their conference championships that can make a case for being "unequivocally" better than any of the Power 5 winners -- including Baylor. The only way the committee reverts to the word "unequivocal" to justify a top-four team this year is if LSU or Ohio State loses its respective conference title game. It's extremely unlikely the group would consider any two-loss teams ahead of any contenders playing in their conference title games this year.

For the first time since the College Football Playoff began, Alabama will not get an invite, its slim hopes officially ended after a stunning 48-45 loss to Auburn in the Iron Bowl. But on a Saturday in which the current top four left no doubt, it was still the Crimson Tide that stole the show.

Rivalry weekend left little drama for Clemson or Ohio State, Georgia or LSU. They all won easily. They'll all advance to conference title games with Playoff bids on the line. They'll all be worth our attention some other Saturday.

This week, this was about Alabama and Auburn and a game that will be remembered -- for better and, in Tuscaloosa, for worse -- for generations.

Is that too much to put into one game between two teams -- one way outside the Playoff conversation (the Tigers) and one facing flickering CFP hopes (the Tide)? Ultimately, it was a Playoff elimination game for Bama.

On one side stood a legacy QB, a freshman, a guy whose season has been marked with dizzying highs and brutal lows. Bo Nix showed up and delivered one ridiculous ball after another, watching his receivers always find just the right spot to make the grab. There was no margin for error, and yet it all unspooled beautifully.

On the other side was the backup QB, the guy who only got the start because an Alabama legend saw his career end far too soon. Mac Jones threw two pick-sixes in a performance that, by all other standards, was terrific.

It was a game that once again offered controversy. Twice in the last seven versions of this rivalry, officials have posted one second back on the clock. Both times, it cost Alabama. Auburn had no business kicking the field goal to end the half and would never have gotten the kick-off if the timekeeper hadn't forced officials to stop the game and review the clock. And yet, that one second gave Auburn another shot, and the Tigers made it count. It wasn't the drama of Kick Six, but once again, that one second was the difference.

It was a game in which Jaylen Waddle, Alabama's No. 4 receiver, scored four times, including a TD run that defied all logic and settled any debate over who was the fastest player in college football.

It was another moment to ask, how, amid all the success the Tide have enjoyed for more than a decade, does kicking still remain so frustrating?

It was another chance to see Gus Malzahn, again languishing amid rumors about an uncertain future, pull a rabbit from his hat.

It was a game that somehow topped the famed butt fumble by giving the world the butt-ception.

It was the highest-scoring Iron Bowl in history, and every score upped the drama just a little bit more. There were 10 lead changes and three ties and three times in which one team answered a score from the other in less than two minutes of action.

It was a chance for us to see grown women fight their way through shrubbery.

This probably seemed like a decent shortcut at the time �� pic.twitter.com/62yabdgKtB

- ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) December 1, 2019

No, this wasn't a Playoff battle. That's for next week. This week, Auburn and Alabama gave us a view into exactly what separates college football from every other sport. This mattered -- more, maybe, than any Playoff win might have -- for reasons almost too ephemeral to explain.

Was this the end of the Alabama dynasty? We'll spend an entire offseason asking the question.

Was this a turning point for Malzahn at Auburn? That'll be fodder for the offseason, too.

Today, though, it was just the best four hours a Saturday has offered us all year.

Can anyone beat ...

Clemson won its rivalry game against South Carolina in convincing fashion, 38-3. The questions surrounding the Tigers entering the season were all about the defense, which had to replace myriad stars from last year's title team. So, how'd it go? South Carolina finished with 174 yards and nine first downs, and Clemson became the first team in at least 20 years to keep all 12 of its regular-season opponents from eclipsing the 300-yard mark.

Ohio State had little trouble with Michigan. It'd be easy enough to nitpick the 396 yards allowed to a mediocre Michigan offense, but the Wolverines were never close in the second half, and it was just the first time all season the Buckeyes looked human on defense. Meanwhile, the two biggest question marks surrounding Ohio State -- how Justin Fields would fare in a big-time game and whether or not the run game would succeed against a strong defense -- were answered emphatically. Fields was exceptional, and Ohio State ran for 264 yards behind a stellar performance from J.K. Dobbins.

If the story of the season for LSU has been the offensive fireworks behind Heisman favorite Joe Burrow, the discussion in recent weeks has turned to a defense that hasn't lived up to expectations. So, should Tigers fan be worried? Well, LSU sure looked Playoff-ready Saturday, holding Texas A&M to just 40 first-half yards while building a huge lead.

For Georgia, the No. 4 team and seemingly most vulnerable of the committee's current Playoff favorites, looked the part Saturday, demolishing Georgia Tech. With some of its best offensive weapons hurt, including receiver Lawrence Cager, it was fair to wonder whether or not an offense that has been iffy all year would turn in a strong performance. The questions were answered as Jake Fromm threw for four touchdowns.

Wrapping up the rivalries

You'll be busy Sunday cleaning your lawn from all those records thrown out the window during Rivalry Week, so let's take a quick look at how it all ended.

Bedlam looked like it might eliminate another Playoff contender, but Oklahoma pulled away from Oklahoma State in the second half. Jalen Hurts probably won't win the Heisman, but he certainly added a little flair to his resume by catching a TD pass, and he became just the second player this year with a passing, rushing and receiving TD in the same game. Still, this was the Kennedy Brooks show, as the Sooners' running back was the anchor of the second-half surge. Oklahoma gets Baylor, which dominated Kansas on Saturday, in next weekend's Big 12 title game. They'll need help, but there's still Playoff life in Oklahoma.

The Odell Haggins bandwagon at Florida State came to a screeching halt in a frustrating loss to Florida. Haggins actually having a real shot at the full-time job at FSU feels like a long shot, but whatever direction the Seminoles go in, Saturday's blowout defeat to the Gators proved the next guy has a long way to go. Say what you will about Jimbo Fisher, but he finished his time in Tallahassee with a 14-2 record vs. Miami and Florida. Since he left, the Noles are 0-4.

Minnesota's dream season ended with a fizzle as Wisconsin pulled away in the second half with a 38-17 win. The Badgers move on to the Big Ten title game to face Ohio State, but it was still a stellar year for the Gophers, who can add win No. 11 in a bowl game. Seasons like that don't come around often at Minnesota.

Oregon wrapped a 10-win regular season with a 24-10 win over Oregon State in the Civil War. It was hardly a dominant performance, but it was enough to keep the Beavers from reaching bowl eligibility.

Lynn Bowden Jr. continues to amaze as Kentucky's QB-by-default, leading the Wildcats to the Commonwealth Cup with 284 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. Bowden, a converted wide receiver, has had 99 yards or more on the ground in seven straight games and has blossomed into one of the SEC's most exciting players.

After a dismal start to the season that included losses to Georgia State and BYU, Tennessee topped Vandy 28-10 on Saturday to move to 7-5. It's been a shocking turnaround for a program that looked on the verge of firing Jeremy Pruitt just two months ago. Now the Vols have a chance to get to eight wins for just the third time since 2007.

North Carolina scuffled early against NC State before running away with a win thanks to a 28-point third quarter. After winning just five total games in the previous two seasons, Mack Brown has the Heels going to a bowl behind the stellar season from freshman QB Sam Howell, who threw for 401 yards and three TDs in the win.

And, as is the case every year now, the entire country lost when we didn't get to see Texas and Texas A&M play on Rivalry Weekend.

Did you say Utes?

Utah has been the quietest playoff contender, but a 45-15 win over Colorado on Saturday moved the Utes to 11-1 and secured their spot in the Pac-12 title game.

While Utah hasn't gotten the same attention as the other playoff hopefuls, the Utes might be best positioned to nab the No. 4 spot when the committee makes its final decisions next week. With Georgia and LSU facing off in the SEC title game and ensuring at least one will lose, Utah is riding high and has put together a resume that warrants some love.

Saturday's win was the 10th time in 12 games Utah has held its opposition to 17 points or less, while Tyler Huntley has put together a terrific season, with 16 passing touchdowns to just two picks. It's not a sexy stat line, but nothing about Utah screams for attention.

Still, the Utes' one loss to USC doesn't look quite so bad anymore, and if they could top Oregon next week combined with a Georgia loss, we might end up with a Pac-12 team in the playoff after all.

Heisman Five

It's a two-man race, and Justin Fields is doing nothing to let Joe Burrow pull away with it. In other words, it looks a whole lot like 2018, where the award eventually came down to Championship weekend.

1. Burrow, LSU

Just another 300-yard, three-TD game for the LSU QB, his eighth of the year and ninth in a Tigers uniform. LSU produced exactly three such games from QBs in the last decade before Burrow's arrival.

2. Fields, Ohio State

He had three TD passes against Michigan, which moves him into third place in Big Ten history in a season. His 47 total TDs through 12 games is ahead of Baker Mayfield's 2017 pace and just one behind Kyler Murray's total through 12 games last year.

3. Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma

It wasn't his best game, but it was a win, and Hurts added another three touchdowns to his resume -- one passing, one rushing and one receiving.

4. Trevor Lawrence, Clemson

Deshaun Watson can talk to Clemson's current QB about losing the Heisman in September, but since Oct. 1, Lawrence is completing 74% of his throws with 25 touchdowns and just three turnovers, along with a passer rating that essentially matches Burrow's stats.

5. Chase Young, Ohio State

He had two QB hurries, but no sacks and no tackles against Michigan. Given that he also sat out two games, and the Heisman rarely cares much for defenders, Young's shot at the award is probably over. Still, he deserves an invite for the award weekend.

You hate to see it

The season's best team will be decided in a little more than a month, but we can officially put a capper on the year's biggest disappointments. So, let's rank 'em, from moderate disappointment (say, not getting free refills on your coffee) to massive depression (like being a Bengals fan).

5. Texas A&M

Sure, the Aggies had a tough schedule, so it was clear getting to 10 wins would be a challenge. But A&M went 0-5 vs. ranked foes this year, and trailed by double digits in the fourth quarter of every one of them. They finished the regular season 7-5, and the Aggies' best win was Mississippi State. Probably not what they're paying Jimbo Fisher $75 million for.

4. Michigan State

The Spartans will go bowling only after a comeback win vs. dreadful Maryland. They opened the year No. 18 in the preseason poll, but suffered losses to Arizona State and Illinois, along with rival Michigan and top-10 Penn State, Wisconsin and Ohio State.

3. Washington

How did this team end up 7-5? Jacob Eason may still end up a first-round pick, and the defense was, at times, terrific. Washington had a lead on 66% of its offensive drives this year, which should've translated to a shot at a Pac-12 title. Instead, a dominant win in the Apple Cup on Friday will be the season's highlight.

2. Texas

To be sure, everyone is pleased with where Texas is at and progress is being made. That's what we're told anyway. But remember when the season started and the Longhorns were No. 10 in the poll and everyone just knew that TEXAS IS BACK! Well, five losses later, the 2019 campaign doesn't look so great. And, had it not been for last-second field goals against Kansas and K-State, things might've been even worse.

1. Nebraska

Scott Frost was supposed to be the savior. Last year's late-season surge was supposed to be a sneak preview of big things to come. This was a Cornhuskers team on the verge of something special. Nope. Nebraska will miss a bowl for the third season in a row after falling to Iowa on Friday. Bo Pelini was fired after a nine-win season. Nebraska has won more than six just once since then.

Dishonorable mentions: Syracuse, Northwestern, Washington State, Stanford, Missouri.

Let's go bowling

Saturday opened with two bowl spots still needing to be filled, and it ended with more bowl-eligible teams than were needed for the postseason.

In Pittsburgh, Boston College kept its season alive behind another stellar day from AJ Dillon, who finished with 178 yards on the ground in what figures to be his penultimate college game. He'll have one shot left to break the ACC record for career rushing yards. He'll need 221 rushing yards in his final game to get it done -- a total he's reached three times in his career, including twice this year.

Hugh Freeze became the first coach to go from a press-box hospital bed to bowl eligibility as Liberty topped New Mexico State for its fifth FBS win. Due to two victories over FCS teams, the Flames needed Saturday's seventh victory to become bowl-eligible.

Michigan State flirted with blowing its bowl chance, but the Spartans rallied back in the fourth quarter to defeat Maryland, giving the Big Ten nine teams eligible for bowl bids.

Big bets and bad beats

• Notre Dame closed as a 17.5-point favorite at Stanford, but after falling behind 17-7 early, a cover seemed unlikely. Instead, the Irish fought back and led 38-17, only to blow the cover late on a 9-yard TD run by Stanford. After a quick three-and-out for the Irish, Stanford got the ball back down 14 with one minute to play. But Notre Dame answered the prayers of Irish backers with a strip sack of Stanford QB Davis Mills, recovering the fumble in the end zone to secure a 45-24 win and a ridiculous backdoor cover.

• Air Force was a 13-point favorite against Wyoming, but the game was a close one throughout. Air Force got the ball with 2:23 to play, leading 13-6. Wyoming used its last timeout after a first-down run for no gain. Air Force simply needed a first down, then could kneel to run out the clock. Instead, Donald Hammond tossed to Benjamin Waters, who dashed to the end zone for a 75-yard touchdown. Final score: Air Force 20, Wyoming 6. It marked the third-straight week of bad beats in an Air Force game. On Nov. 16, a 99-yard pick-six helped the Falcons to a cover, while last week New Mexico scored with 1:57 to go to cover by two in a blowout loss.

• Here's a score you don't see every day: Syracuse beat Wake Forest by 9 ... in overtime! The Orange blew a late lead, kicked a field goal in OT, then stole a ball from Wake receiver Kendall Hinton and returned it for a TD. It all added up to a bad beat for bettors of the under, which stood at 67.5 at kickoff. The two teams had combined for just 57 with 44 seconds left in the game, but Syracuse couldn't keep Wake from moving into field-goal range to tie it. The Orange defense was equally unkind to under bettors in overtime, as Trill Williams grabbed the ball out of Hinton's hands and returned it 94 yards for six points and an over.

• If you had the over in the Iron Bowl, it was a relaxing evening for you. The kickoff total was 50 -- a number the two teams hit before halftime. In the end, the 48-45 Auburn win proved to be the highest-scoring Iron Bowl in history.

• Connecticut ended its run in the American with a bang -- at least if you were backing Temple. The Huskies booted a 40-yard field goal early in the second quarter to go up 17-7, a rather impressive mark for a team that entered as a 27-point underdog. So, could UConn hold on to win its final game before going independent? Of course not. But surely the Huskies would nab the cover, right? Ah, no. Temple scored the game's final 42 points, including a four-play, 43-yard TD drive with 2:13 to play that covered the spread by five. But while UConn backers lost some cash, take solace that Randy Edsall received a sizable bonus for not allowing 50 straight points.

Under-the-radar play of the week:

Great finishes often require a little luck -- or in Purdue's case, a whole lot of it. Trailing 38-31 in overtime and facing a third-and-14, Purdue QB Aidan O'Connell launched a laser at Brycen Hopkins, who couldn't corral the pass but saw the ball bounce high into the air and into the waiting arms of Jackson Anthrop -- turning a potential disaster into a 23-yard gain for a first down. Purdue scored on the drive to send it to a second OT, but eventually fell 44-41.

Under-the-radar game of the week:

It's rivalry week at the FBS level, but the FCS has already started its postseason tournament, and it opened with some fireworks for Southeast Louisiana. The Lions trailed 31-14 at the half but tied the game during a dominant third quarter. Villanova pulled back ahead twice in the final frame, including a 50-yard TD pass with 4:36 to play, but missed the PAT. That left the door open for Southeast Louisiana to win 45-44 on a seven-play, 75-yard drive that culminated with an 8-yard TD pass with 2:56 to play.

James Harden's performance on Saturday night was enough to make even those who see him put up gaudy numbers night after night step back and marvel at his work.

Harden scored a season-high 60 points in 31 minutes and the Houston Rockets sent the struggling Atlanta Hawks to their 10th straight loss with a 158-111 romp. He joined Klay Thompson and Kobe Bryant as the only players in the past 25 seasons to hit 60 points in just three quarters.

"It's like everything else he does -- unbelievable," coach Mike D'Antoni said.

Harden exited with the Rockets up 127-73 at the end of three, having gone 16-of-24 from the field, 8-of-14 from 3-point range and 20-of-23 at the free throw line in just 31 minutes. His 24 shot attempts are the fewest ever in a 60-point game in NBA history.

Harden came one point shy of matching his career high and franchise record on a night he made eight 3-pointers and 20 free throws.

"What he's doing has not been seen," teammate Austin Rivers said. "My man had 60 and didn't play the fourth quarter. Name another player who could do that right now."

It was Harden's fourth career 60-point game, tying him with Michael Jordan for third most in NBA history, trailing only Kobe Bryant (six) and Wilt Chamberlain (32). Harden is the only active player who has scored 60 points more than once.

But as usual, he wasn't interested in talking about reaching 60 points while spending an entire quarter on the bench.

"Nope," he said before walking off and repeating the word two more times.

The Rockets were missing starters Clint Capela and Danuel House Jr. because of illnesses, but still had no trouble handling an Atlanta team that hasn't won since Nov. 12.

"We try to do what we have to do against James, which is throw a lot of bodies at him," Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce said. "Try and put him under duress. He just didn't feel us."

The Rockets raced to a 14-5 lead and stretched their advantage to 81-52 by halftime behind 31 points from Harden for their third 80-point first half in franchise history.

But as good as Harden was in the first two quarters, it was nothing compared to how he dominated in the third quarter.

Houston was up 83-56 early in the period before he scored all of the team's points in an 18-3 run that made it 101-59 with 7 minutes left in the period.

Harden made three 3-pointers and was fouled on 3-point attempts three other times in that stretch. He had eight assists, three rebounds, three steals and blocked a shot to go along with his 60-point effort. He finished as a +50.

After the third quarter, Harden was sitting on the bench with a towel draped over his shoulders when he was shown on the video board with a note that said he was two points shy of setting his career high. Harden looked at the screen, read the note and pointed at it while opening his mouth wide in fake shock as if to say: "I was so close," before smiling broadly.

"Yeah, I was playing with the fans a little, but honestly I didn't know," he said. "But we played a really good game those first three quarters so it was an opportunity for other guys to play minutes that they've earned."

There were a few halfhearted chants of: "Harden! Harden!" midway through the fourth quarter from a few fans who hoped to see Harden come into the game to make Rockets history. But D'Antoni kept the bearded superstar on the bench with the game well in hand.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

AUBURN, Ala. -- Alabama coach Nick Saban was critical of the officiating during Saturday's 48-45 loss on the road at Auburn, pointing to a penalty in the game's final seconds as well as a decision before halftime to put 1 second back on the clock that allowed the Tigers to kick a field goal.

Saban called it "unfair" that his team was given a penalty for too many men on the field on fourth-and-4 that gave Auburn a first down and effectively ended the game.

"I really feel that it was a pretty unfair play at the end of the game," Saban said. "They substituted the punter as a wide receiver, so we put the punt team in. And then when the quarterback was still in there we tried to put the defense back in. I thought they should have given us a little more time to substitute and get [Jaylen] Waddle out as a returner. We get called for 12 guys on the field. So that was very disappointing.

"We're responsible for that as coaches, but it was a very unusual circumstance to say the least. And I think that sometimes when you have those, it should be viewed that way."

Saban was also upset with a decision by officials to put 1 second back on the clock just before halftime after Auburn completed a first-down pass on the Alabama 34-yard line. Anders Carlson then made the 52-yard field goal attempt to cut the Tide lead to four points.

"I don't know if I should tell you that," Saban said of the explanation he received from officials. "The guy beside me said, 'They won't be able to get [the kick] off anyway.' They waited and waited and waited and wound the clock and the guy snapped the ball kicked it, and they said it was good.

"I think you can snap the ball with a second to go in the game, but whether they did or didn't that's not my judgement."

Regardless, Saban said his team didn't play well enough to win and that Auburn should get "a lot of credit."

Alabama committed 13 penalties, which is the most in a game during Saban's 13 seasons leading the program.

A Saban-coached team hasn't given up 48 points in a game since 1999, when his Michigan State squad lost to Purdue 52-48.

Two of Auburn's touchdowns came on interception returns.

"The disappointing thing to me was the idea that we came here to play with a lot of discipline, not get a lot of penalties, do a great job of executing and doing our job on a consistent basis," Saban said. "... I don't think we did that great. We got way too many penalties, put ourselves in a lot of bad situations."

Saban didn't lay the outcome of the game at the feet of quarterback Mac Jones, who made just his third career start in relief of Tua Tagovailoa. Jones completed 26 of 39 passes for 335 yards and four touchdowns but threw two interceptions.

Nor did Saban blame kicker Joseph Bulovas, whose 30-yard potential game-tying field goal with 2:00 remaining went off the sidebar.

Instead, Saban pointed to too many self-inflicted wounds from the team as a whole.

"Whether you slap a guy in the head or you rough the quarterback or we don't snap the ball when you're supposed to and we get five false starts, all those things to me are things that we need to have more discipline," he said. "... When you play against good teams, those things bite you."

Saban took up for Bulovas in particular.

"I don't think anyone feels worse than Joe does about missing that kick," Saban said.

"We all feel bad, and we all should."

AUBURN, Ala. -- Shaun Shivers scored on an 11-yard run with 8:08 left to put No. 16 Auburn ahead and another failed field goal by Alabama in the Iron Bowl wiped away the fifth-ranked Crimson Tide's playoff hopes in a wild 48-45 victory for the Tigers on Saturday.

Auburn (9-3, 5-3 Southeastern Conference) survived a final, marathon Crimson Tide drive when Joseph Bulovas' 30-yard field goal attempt hit the left upright with 2:00 left.

Auburn couldn't get a first down on JaTarvious Whitlow's three runs while Alabama (10-2, 6-2) burned its final two time outs. But the Tide were called for illegal substitution after the Tigers lined up for a punt, setting off a fist-pumping celebration for coach Gus Malzahn.

Auburn fans stormed the field to celebrate another Iron Bowl thriller, filling it from end zone to end zone as they did in the 2013 Kick-Six game, when the Tigers' returned a missed Tide field goal for a winning touchdown.

The Tide made the first five College Football Playoffs fields, but its case was damaged with a 46-41 loss to No. 1 LSU. The team's in-state rival delivered the final blow.

Alabama worked more than six minutes off the clock before settling for Bulovas' attempt.

Quarterback Mac Jones, who replaced injured star Tua Tagovailoa, scrambled for 18 yards on fourth-and-7 to get the Tide into easier field goal range. The drive stalled at the 13 when Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown batted a third-down pass back to Jones, who threw a pair of pick-sixes.

Jaylen Waddle caught three touchdown passes and scored on a 98-yard kickoff return for the Tide, helping Alabama build a 45-40 fourth-quarter lead.

The 5-foot-7, 179-pound Shivers delivered on his only carry. Whitlow took the direct snap and handed it to him. Shivers smashed into Xavier McKinney, knocking the safety's helmet off on the way to the end zone. Bo Nix's two-point pass to Shedrick Jackson made it 48-45.

Auburn backup linebacker Zakoby McClain returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown and a huge swing midway through the third quarter. The ball bounced off the back of tailback Najee Harris and into McClain's arms, setting up a sprint down the sideline.

THE TAKEAWAY

Alabama: Came in needing some help to make the playoffs, but wound up losing multiple regular-season games for the first time since 2010.

Auburn: The defense was uncharacteristically vulnerable but also delivered big plays. Whitlow ran for 115 yards. A huge win for a team that had fallen short against other top teams.

TEMPER TEMPER

Emotions flared up a couple of times in the third quarter. Whitlow and Alabama were flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for one altercation. Then Auburn receiver Seth Williams, who is from outside Tuscaloosa, was flagged for a push to linebacker Terrell Lewis's head after tangling up with Trevon Diggs. That last one helped force Auburn to settle for the field goal.

UP NEXT

Alabama awaits its bowl invitation with no title shot.

Auburn awaits a possibly better bowl destination than it expected coming into the game.

Auburn's 48-45 win against Alabama will instantly join the pantheon of classic Iron Bowls. Not only did it feature countless future pros making big plays on both sides of the ball, but it also ensured the Crimson Tide will miss the College Football Playoff for the first time since its inception. And while it might not have been Kick Six wild, it was pretty close. Here's a look at the incredible, absurd and impossible-to-believe moments that made this one unforgettable.

CONCORD, N.C. – A new driver has thrown his name into the hat for the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series Rookie of the Year crown next season.

Kody Evans, the 2017 Moler Raceway Park super late model track champion, will join the World of Outlaws field when the series begins the 2020 season on Jan. 3 at Vado Speedway Park during the inaugural Battle at the Border.

Evans has just completed another solid season behind the wheel of his Performance Transport, Simpson Race Products, Valvoline Pro-V Racing, Wells Motorsports, AccuForce, Jay Dickens Racing Engines #4G Longhorn Chassis. Two feature wins in local competition at Moler and another at Florence Speedway in Union, Ky., left the former asphalt racer wanting more out of his dirt late model career.

“I’ve got four years under my belt now,” Evans said. “I think everyone dreams of doing it, but not many people get the opportunity. And if I have the means of doing it this year, I want to take advantage of it.”

“Whether we’re ready 100 percent or not, I would hate to, next year or the year after, have something be wrong and us not have the ability to do it and miss that opportunity.”

At 21 years of age, it’s already been somewhat of a long and winding road to the spot he’s in now. Evans began his career on pavement, launching an 8-year stint in go-karts at age five. A family friend got him a test session in an asphalt super late model at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway, which led to the purchase of his own equipment that he raced here-and-there at 14 years old.

By 15, he was a full-time competitor on the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour for asphalt crate late models before switching back to super late models in 2015.

With economic factors in mind, Evans and his father soon made the decision to trade-in their asphalt endeavors to see what the dirt late model racing community had to offer them. They hit the dirt full-time in 2016, switching between crates and supers, after a few starts the year before and decided to take it to the next level for 2017. New equipment and a new outlook on the team’s racing journey bred seven feature wins in local competition that year and a track championship.

After a few years of racing experience on both sides of the fence, Evans said he prefers dirt far more than asphalt, though he learned a lot from his experiences on the blacktop.

“Most of the dirt guys won’t think twice about coming over and giving a young guy some pointers,” Evans said. “It’s just really nice racing with all the guys on dirt. It’s a lot better atmosphere, and the fans are phenomenal too.”

When he’s not at the track or in the shop, Evans is tending to the family business, Performance Transport. The trucking facility located in his hometown of Camden, Ohio, helps fund the race team and keep the equipment up to date. He has his own Class-A CDL, which helps both the trucking business workflow and the racing team get up and down the road in the hauler.

Each new rookie talent has a mentor or two that they can turn to at times of difficulty throughout the season. This year, Evans made a friend in 2013 World of Outlaws Rookie of the Year Eric Wells and will have the Hazard, Ky.-native on the side of the car and in his corner for technical assistance.

Evans began 2019 driving a different chassis that he said he struggled with early on. A quick call to Wells Motorsports set up a deal for the two to get a new Longhorn Chassis done in time for Evans’ next race in Ohio. They spent all week in Wells’ shop preparing the car and formed a great professional relationship by the time their work was done.

“Eric and I hit it off really well, I consider him one of my really good friends,” Evans said. “We talk two or three times a week, sometimes not even about racing. It helps a lot, getting his help. I can call him when I’m at the racetrack and he’s not busy. It’s turned into more of a friendship than me being a customer.”

At the track, Evans is as hands-on as they come. He’s learned a lot about the inner workings of his chariot from getting his hands dirty and taking charge of the adjustments on race day.

“I pretty much do all the setup stuff myself and with the help with a lot of good people, the guys at Longhorn [Chassis], especially Eric Wells Motorsports,” Evans said.

“You can’t assume anything on these cars. You have to check so much and it’s so easy to get lost with your racecar. These things require so much maintenance and they’re so precise. If you’re off just a little bit, especially at the national level, if you’re off just a tick on the racetrack it’s going to make it look like you’re out to lunch.”

A bunch of these principles he learned just this year in some of the more high-profile dirt late model races.

“Especially at Eldora this year, I’ve learned a lot and tried to focus on driving in dirty air because it’s so important when you get to big racetracks and it’s so hard to pass,” Evans said.

In 2020, he’ll use those things he learned this past season to better himself and meet the team’s goals for their first full season on the road.

“Really, my biggest goal is just to stay in that top 12 for most of the year and try to work our way into the top 10 in points,” Evans said. “Another big thing is just to finish as many races as we can and be better at the end of the year than we were when we started the year.

“We’re just going to get the experience, build a notebook for the following year and see what it’s all about, see if it’s what I really want to do for a living.”