There were absolutely no surprises for Alabama in this year’s Iron Bowl.

None at all.

And that’s just how Crimson Tide fans around the state like it.

For some, Saturday’s 29-13 victory over Auburn allowed for a sigh of relief, the avoidance of a catastrophic upset and — above all else — bragging rights for the next 365 days.

For others, the eventually lopsided affair was … well … expected.

And make no mistake about it, the 90th meeting between the two rival programs was nothing but one-sided.

The proof:

% Derrick Henry broke Alabama’s single-season record for rushing yards (1,797) and rushing touchdowns (22) in a 46-carry, 271-yard performance that likely all but clinched the Heisman trophy.

% Adam Griffith squashed the dreadful memories of 2013’s Kick Six by netting five field goals from distances of 27, 40, 26, 50 and 47 yards.

% Auburn’s lone explosive play — an alert 77-yard touchdown catch tipped twice by Jason Smith — did little to dent the Tide’s final defensive stats: 260 total yards, 3 of 15 on third down and 2.5 yards per rush.

Put simply, good Alabama teams don’t lose to bad Auburn teams.

2008? 36-0. 2011? 42-14. 2012? 49-0.

Discount the aforementioned reception by Smith and one could argue a 30-6 final for 2015.

But enough about stats.

What does Saturday’s outcome mean for these two teams moving forward?

Alabama (11-1) has won nine straight games and will head to Atlanta next week for the fifth time under Saban to take on SEC East champion Florida for a spot in the College Football Playoff for the second consecutive season.

The Tide will likely open as 10- to 14-point favorites over the Gators and shouldn’t have too much trouble beating an offense led by Treon Harris.

For Auburn, where to begin?

Since the Tigers’ 35-31 victory against Ole Miss last season, Gus Malzahn is 2-9 in conference play (including two losses each to rivals LSU, Georgia and Alabama) and his team has looked nothing like a championship contender many prognosticators across the country have predicted the past two preseasons.

Following the loss, Malzahn finished his press conference by stating, “We will get better, I guarantee that.”

In order to accomplish that goal, the third-year head coach needs to take a long look inward.

Case in point: Henry, who averaged 5.4 yards on 16 first-half carries, was given 31 in the second half against a D that simply couldn’t slow him down.

How does Malzahn counter? By giving Jovon Robinson, who averaged 4.4 yards on 12 first-half carries, two totes in the final 30 minutes of the game.

Would it have mattered? Probably not. Should it be questioned? Absolutely.

After getting the ball back one possession after cutting the deficit to six points, Malzahn elected to keep his best playmaker on the sideline in favor of three straight Jeremy Johnson passes.

The struggling quarterback proceeded to miss two wide-open receivers for big gains before taking a sack, which crushed any momentum the home team had created for itself.

The game was over. Right then, right there.

Malzahn was simply trying to force an offense that wasn’t there. Johnson is irreparable at this point in the season but remained the only option for the Tigers with Sean White nursing a knee injury.

That said, maybe the turnaround isn’t as big a chasm as it might seem.

If Auburn possessed say … a Jake Coker, a Chad Kelly or even a Joshua Dobbs … would 17-9, 54-46, 27-19 and 20-10 conference losses all have a different ending?

Maybe, but fans only see one thing. 6-6.

If things don’t turn around by the end of 2016, Malzahn could be — and should be — dusting off his resume.

Only time will tell. Until then, Alabama will celebrate its eighth consecutive 10-win season under Saban, while the Tigers are left pondering one last frustrating question.

What went wrong?