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Alabama running back Eddie Lacy (42) gets loose for a long run during the Alabama vs Auburn Iron Bowl NCAA football game, Saturday, November 24, 2012, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (Vasha Hunt/ vhunt@al.com)

For the third straight year, Alabama opened as a double-digit favorite heading into its Iron Bowl showdown with Auburn.

The 10-point spread, though, is the second-lowest it's seen this season and seven points lower than

one day before Auburn's dramatic victory against Georgia.

In June, Alabama was listed as

over Auburn at Las Vegas' Golden Nugget casino.

The Crimson Tide has been the betting favorite in 53 consecutive games and six straight Iron Bowls. The 10-point spread is the lowest since 2010, when 4.5-point favorite Alabama lost to Auburn, 28-27, at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

The Iron Bowl favorite has covered the spread six times in the past 10 meetings.

Up to this point in the season, Alabama has been favored by 14 or more points in all but one of its games (Texas A&M). Auburn was a double-digit underdog twice, falling to 17-point favorite LSU and beating 12.5-point favorite Texas A&M in College Station.