"Ryan Williams ain’t no big-time player to me": Auburn freshman ignites Iron Bowl rivalry before SEC blockbuster of Week 14

The Iron Bowl rivalry between Auburn and No. 7 Alabama is ignited, with freshman linebacker DeMarcus Riddick downplaying Crimson Tide wide receiver Ryan Williams' impact in the upcoming game.

During Monday's media availability, Riddick threw shade at Williams who leads Crimson Tide's receiving corps with 804 yards and eight touchdowns.

“Ryan Williams is Ryan Williams,” Riddick said. “Yeah he’s electric, all this and that. In my eyes, he ain’t really nobody to me. Ryan Williams is himself. He ain’t no big time player to me.

"Like I said, ‘Bama, it’s a big rivalry … Every rival team I played, I never lost to. I will not lose to ‘Bama while I’m here. (Jalen Milroe) is a good quarterback; he’s fast. But he’s not faster than me. … He will not get out that box this week.”

Apart from Ryan Williams, DeMarcus Riddick also feels that Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe won't have it any easy when matched up against him.

Riddick, a 6-foot-2 217 pounds freshman, has made 24 tackles, out of which 17 were solo, on top of one pass defended and three sacks. He will hope to tally some more snacks in the Iron Bowl rivalry game.

---

Auburn HC heats up the importance for Iron Bowl rivalry game against Alabama

There will be a lot at stake for both Alabama and Auburn when they face each other inside Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday. The Crimson Tide have made had a hit on their playoffs hopes by losing to the Oklahoma Sooners last weekend, dropping to 4-3 in SEC and 8-3 overall.

However, they have a chance to play spoilsport to Auburn's bowl hopes. The Tigers, who are 5-6 overall, need a win to become bowl eligible. Auburn coach Hugh Freeze is full of confidence entering Week 14.

“You have zero chance of winning if you don’t have a belief that you can do it,” Freeze said.

“I think somewhere along the line in these difficult losses we started believing more, and hope has become a real thing that you can go on the field and be a good football team. You’ve played close games with them, but you can win them. It’s going to take an amount of that belief going into Tuscaloosa to win. It’s not an easy place to play. No road game is."

The odds are in favor of the home team, but Alabama's struggles are well known, so Auburn will fancy their chances in Tuscaloosa.