Trash talk is as much part of the Iron Bowl as hard hits and nail-biting finishes. But Auburn linebacker Demarcus Riddick? The man’s taking it to a whole new level. This week, the freshman decided to dish out some spicy words aimed at Bama quarterback Jalen Milroe and wide-out Ryan Williams. With Alabama reeling from an 8-3 season and Milroe fresh off the worst game of his career, Riddick didn’t hold back. But did his words cross the line, or is this just a classic rivalry cry for hype?

On November 27, Jalen Milroe sat down for an interview with ABC 33/40 News, where he spoke about Riddick’s trash talk. The Tigers’ linebacker claimed he could beat Milroe fair & square in a race and was “just faster” overall. Milroe’s response? Cool as ice and classy as Steve Sarkisian’s game-day fit. “I don’t know who that is, but I mean, let him talk. It’s a part of it; you know, it’s all about just execute what we need to do so we can be our best us this weekend,” Milroe said with a sly smile. That grin on his face? Priceless. It wasn’t just confidence—it was a message: talk all you want; the game will speak louder. See you on Saturday, buddy.

The freshman linebacker, Riddick, didn’t just stop calling himself faster than Milroe. Demarcus Riddick threw in a lil extra spice, saying, “He is a good quarterback. He’s fast, but he’s not faster than me. He will not get out of that box this week.” Big mouth for sure, bold words for a freshman taking aim at one of the dynamic dual-threat quarterbacks in the SEC. If Auburn linebacker Demarcus Riddick was trying to piss off Jalen Milroe with his comments on Monday, he definitely missed the mark.

Demarcus Riddick takes shots at Ryan Williams ahead of Iron Bowl showdown

Riddick wasn’t done. Next on his list? Alabama’s star freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams, a player who’s lit up defenses all season with 804 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, was his next target. But Demarcus Riddick? He’s not impressed. The kid has a high standard for someone playing for a 5-6 Auburn team. “Yeah, he’s electric,” Riddick said. “He’s all this and that, but in my eyes, he ain’t really nobody to me. Ryan Williams is himself. He ain’t no big-time player to me.” Another diabolical take for a linebacker who has yet to see Williams up close. In college football, it’s easy to talk the talk and not so easy back that talk. If you put a match-up between these two on the field, Ryan Williams’ gonna run the tracks and routes on him.

Last year’s Iron Bowl saw the Tide snatch a thrilling 27-24 victory in the final breath of the game. Milroe’s clutch 31-yard pass to Isaiah Bond on fourth down silenced Jordan-Hare Stadium. This year, the 5-6 Auburn is hungry for revenge. And Riddick’s, “I will not lose to Bama while I’m here,” comments have only turned up the heat to get cooked on this weekend. As Saturday nears, one thing’s for sure: the pressure is on. Will Milroe and Williams let their game do the talking, or will Riddick’s words fuel an Auburn upset? Either way, the Iron Bowl just got a whole lot spicier, and fans won’t want to miss the fireworks.