Ty Simpson and Isaiah Horton connected three times for touchdowns, the last on a fourth-down play in the waning minutes, and No. 10 Alabama escaped Auburn with a 27-20 victory in the rivalry known as the Iron Bowl on Saturday night.

Alabama advanced to face fourth-ranked Georgia in the Southeastern Conference championship game next week in Atlanta and improved its chances of making the College Football Playoff. The Crimson Tide (10-2, 7-1) beat Georgia 24-21 on the road in the regular season.

Alabama was on the ropes again at Jordan-Hare Stadium. After leading 17-0 early in the second quarter, it was tied down the stretch. But Simpson found Horton in traffic on a fourth-and-2 play from the Auburn 6 with 3:50 remaining.

“He didn’t panic at all,” Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said about Simp

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