AUBURN, Ala. (AP) - The Iron Bowl figures heavily in the national championship race for the fifth straight year.

Losses by Oregon and Kansas State put No. 2 Alabama back in strong position Saturday night a week after falling to No. 9 Texas A&M. The Crimson Tide will face No. 3 Georgia in the SEC championship game with a win over rival Auburn.

The Tigers don't have an SEC win. The two teams have collected the last three national titles and Alabama was No. 1 going into the 2008 game.

The losses touched off a celebration around Tuscaloosa late Saturday with a YouTube video showing fans lining the streets near campus.

Tide center Barrett Jones says of the regular-season finale: ``It's the West, it's all our hopes and dreams, and also, it's Auburn.''