Alabama ends its Auburn misery

Nick Saban has Alabama on top again.

The national rankings and Southeastern Conference’s West Division? That’s old news.

Already No. 1 in the nation, Alabama emphatically reclaimed the premier spot in the state by overwhelming bitter rival Auburn, 36-0, on Saturday at Tuscaloosa, Ala., to end a Iron Bowl losing streak at six games and fashion the biggest margin in the series in 46 years.

Even the normally stoic Saban promised he was celebrating inside -- and in the privacy of the locker room with players and his wife, Terry.

“I’m happy, I really am happy,” said Saban, smiling to prove it. “I was happy and dancing in the locker room. Miss Terry gave me a big kiss coming up here. I was real happy about that.”

The dominant win set the stage for Alabama (12-0, 8-0) to face No. 2 Florida in the SEC championship game with a berth in the BCS national-title game on the line.

“Our seniors didn’t want to leave without beating Auburn,” quarterback John Parker Wilson said.

The loss left Auburn (5-7, 2-6) shut out of a bowl game for the first time in nine years and cast another shadow on the decade-long tenure of Coach Tommy Tuberville. Auburn, which had been 7-2 under Tuberville in the rivalry, has lost six of its last seven games after starting the season ranked in the top 10.

“Well, all good streaks come to an end, and it came to a screeching halt,” said Tuberville, who is expected to meet with university President Jay Gogue early this week. “It was a tough night for us.”

The Crimson Tide scored three touchdowns in the third quarter to let the fans start the celebration early and complete its first perfect regular season since 1994.

Auburn had been 6-0 in Tuscaloosa and given up only 35 points in those games. Yet another streak was crushed into oblivion with the one-sided performance. It was the most lopsided Iron Bowl since Bear Bryant’s 1962 group won 38-0.

Tennessee 28, Kentucky 10: The Volunteers (5-7, 3-5) sent Coach Phillip Fulmer out after 17 seasons with one last win over the Wildcats (6-6, 2-6). Tennessee extended the nation’s longest active winning streak by one team over another to 24 games. Tennessee had 310 yards in offense, including 210 on the ground.