AUBURN | Gus Malzahn is making sure his team keeps that next man up mentality.

They’ll certainly need it this week with the prospect of facing No. 1 Alabama without starting running back Tank Bigsby and starting offensive tackles Alec Jackson and Brodarious Hamm.

“All three of those guys couldn’t really finish the game,” Malzahn said. “All three of them, at this point, I’ll say will be questionable. That’s probably the best way to put it. We’ll see as the week goes on as they progress.”

Bigsby left Saturday’s win over Tennessee with an apparent hip injury after two carries on the opening drive. He returned for one more carry in the second quarter before sitting out the rest of the game.

In his place, Shaun Shivers and D.J. Williams combined for 130 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries.

Jackson left the game with an injury, was replaced at left tackle by Austin Troxell, later returned with a club on his right hand for a very short stint before being replaced again by Troxell.

Hamm left with what appeared to be an injury to his left leg or knee and was replaced at right tackle by Brendan Coffey.

“It was good because we were put in a challenging spot losing our two tackles,” said Malzahn of the play of the two backups. “We already lost Brandon Council earlier in the year and we’re playing some inexperienced guys. Trox is a guy that is a veteran guy. We always looked at him as a starter anyway. I thought he did a solid job.

“Coffey came in and it was his first real game experience. I thought he did a solid job. It’s next man up. The guys behind those guys, everyone is going to have to be prepared right now as our depth gets thinner.”

The Tigers are also expected to be without linebacker and team captain K.J. Britt for a sixth consecutive game after undergoing surgery for torn ligaments in his thumb Oct. 8.

“He’s not been cleared still, so it doesn't look like he'll be cleared for this game either,” Malzahn said.

Kickoff in the 85th Iron Bowl at Bryant-Denny Stadium is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT on CBS.