Iron Bowl: Ranking the 25 Best Auburn-Alabama Games Ever
Greatest college football rivalry? You have to put the Iron Bowl near the top.
Alabama (9-2) and Auburn (11-0) renew their long-standing rivalry on Friday at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Both teams are ranked in the top 10, and while the Crimson Tide will be unable to defend their BCS national title, they are poised to play spoiler and ruin those hopes for the Tigers, who are No. 2 in every major poll.
This marks the 75 meeting between the schools in a rivalry dating back to 1893. Go back to the beginning, and you'll find nothing but incredible stories, jaw-dropping games and legendary performances.
Does one stand out? Is it possible to say which stands above the rest as the greatest game ever in this incredible rivalry?
There are tons to choose from, but it's time to decide. Here are the 25 best games in Iron Bowl history:
25. 2005: Croyle Battered
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Auburn became a nightmare for Alabama quarterback Brodie Croyle, sacking him 11 times, as the 11th-ranked Tigers defeated the ninth-ranked Crimson Tide, 28-18.
24. 1996: Stallings Says Farewell
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Like so many others in Iron Bowl history, this one was decided late.
Crimson Tide quarterback Freddie Kitchens found Dennis Riddle for a 6-yard touchdown pass with 26 seconds left in the game and Jon Brock's extra point gave Alabama a 24-23 victory, which also marked the final Iron Bowl for Alabama coach Gene Stallings, who resigned after the game.
23. 2009: Tide Returns To the Top
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After trailing 14-0 early, the No. 2 Crimson Tide came back and tied the Tigers (7-4) by halftime. The lead changed hands twice in the second half, and Auburn was up, 21-20, in the fourth quarter when Alabama then regained possession. The Crimson Tide used up over seven minutes on the clock on a 15-play, 79-yard drive that ended with a touchdown, and Alabama going back ahead 26-21 with 1:24 left.
A Hail Mary by Auburn failed, and Alabama went on to win its 13th national championship and first under head coach Nick Saban.
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22. 2003: Cadillac Attacks
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Auburn didn't mess around from the get-go, as running back Carnell "Cadillac" Williams scored on a 80-yard run on the game's first play. Williams rushed for over 200 yards, and Alabama battled back in the second half. It wasn't enough, and Auburn won 28-23.
21. 1903: Crimson Tide Pull Upset
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Auburn was a 5-to-1 favorite and had outscored opponents by a combined 94-0. Alabama pulled off the upset, however, with an 18-6 victory at Montgomery's Highland Park.
Following the game, Alabama coach W.B. Blount admitted in The Montgomery Advertiser that "I am free to confess that the result of the game was as much a surprise to me as anybody else."
20. 1988: Tigers Break Tie
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With both teams tied at 3-3, Auburn's Ron Stallworth tackled David Smith in the end zone for a safety. After a field goal was added, Vincent Harris' 1-yard run helped give Auburn a 15-10 victory.
Auburn quarterback Reggie Slack threw for 220 yards, and tailback Stacy Danley had 97 yards rushing.
19. 1993: No TV? No Problem
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Sixth-ranked Auburn (10-0) came from behind to defeat the 11th-ranked Crimson Tide at home, 22-14. It concluded an undefeated season for Auburn and first-year coach Terry Bowden, but the game wasn't shown on national television due to Auburn being on probation.
It was carried, however, on closed circuit TV.
18. 1900: Talk About Breakthrough
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Auburn ran away with a dominating 53-5 victory over the Crimson Tide in Montgomery. The game is noteworthy for this reason: Auburn hadn't scored at all that season until that game.
17. 1904: About That Extra Point
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Another great piece of Iron Bowl history is found in this game, which Auburn won 29-5 in Birmingham. Records state it was the first time Auburn was scored on all season, and the result was carried by both schools, including the Southeastern Conference Football Guide.
A disagreement has remained, though, about the conversion following Harvey Sartain's touchdown for Alabama. The Birmingham News carried the score as 29-6.
16. 1990: Auburn's Streak Snapped
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Alabama began the year with three losses, but finished on top with a 16-7 victory over the Tigers. Crimson Tide coach Gene Stallings was coaching in his first Iron Bowl game, and it also ended Auburn's four-game winning streak in the rivalry.
15. 1994: Hold Your Breath
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Both teams were in the top 10—Alabama was third, Auburn sixth—and the Crimson Tide looked to be cruising to a blowout with a 21-0 halftime lead. The Tigers came back, though, as Patrick Nix helped Auburn score twice in the second half. A chance to tie the game came up short, though, as Auburn was stopped on fourth-and-3 at Alabama 40.
Alabama escaped with a 21-14 win.
14. 1986: Tillman's Big Moment
12 of 25Auburn had called a play for someone else, but somehow Lawyer Tillman got the ball. On the first rushing play of his career, he scored on a 7-yard reverse with 32 seconds remaining to give Auburn a 21-17 victory.
13. 1961: Trammell Guides Crimson Tide
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Behind quarterback Pat Trammell, the Crimson Tide cruised to a 34-0 victory. Alabama had shut out five other teams entering the game and didn't even give the Tigers a chance at a field goal. The Crimson Tide finished the season national champions.
12. 1997: Holmes and History
14 of 25Alabama had the chance to seal the deal, but Ed Scissum fumbled on a screen pass and Auburn recovered.
With 21 seconds remaining in the game, Jaret Holmes' 39-yard field goal gave Auburn an 18-17 victory and clinched their first-ever appearance in the SEC Championship Game.
11. 1948: Rivalry Renewed
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Auburn and Alabama ended their rivalry following the 1907 season, and numerous stories emerged about the reasons. But that was changed, beginning in 1947, when the state legislature passed a measure asking the schools to renew the rivalry.
Mission accomplished: In 1948, the hate was back on, and Alabama won big, 55-0.
10. 1949: Tucker Plays Hero
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It was one of the bigger upsets in the rivalry.
Alabama entered at 6-2-1 and winners of five straight, while Auburn was 1-4-3. The Tigers pulled off a 14-13 upset, thanks in part to Bill Tucker's extra point in the fourth quarter. Tucker would later be crippled from polio.
9. 1964: The Nation's First Encounter
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Alabama quarterback Joe Namath led his team to a 21-14 victory over the Tigers in the first nationally televised broadcast of the Iron Bowl.
8. 1981: A Legend Grows
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Alabama defeated Auburn, 28-17, as Crimson Tide coach Paul "Bear" Bryant won his 315th career game to pass Amos Alonzo Stagg to become the all-time winningest coach in Division I history.
7. 1989: For the First Time Ever
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Alabama had always demanded the Iron Bowl be play at a neutral field in Birmingham, but Auburn had kept asking if they could host, only to be rebuffed. That changed in 1989, and then-Auburn coach Pat Dye compared it to the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Dye and the Tigers prevailed with a historic 30-20 win over No. 2 Alabama.
6. 1893: The Bitterness Begins
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It was Feb. 22, 1893, when Auburn and Alabama met for the first time at Lakeview Park in Birmingham.
Auburn won 32-22. Alabama called it the final game in its 1892 season. Auburn, however, disagreed and called it their 1893 season opener.
Gotta love feuds.
5. 1984: Wrong Way Bo!
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Alabama had a lousy 4-6 record and was led by quarterback Mike Shula. Auburn (8-3) needed one more win for its second straight SEC title, but running back Bo Jackson went the wrong direction as the blocking back on 4th-and-goal, and Brent Fullwood was crushed by Alabama's Rory Turner.
The Crimson Tide won 17-15.
4. 1967: The Run in the Mud
22 of 25Legion Field was being cleared constantly after a torrential downpour sent raincoats and other items onto the field. Alabama quarterback Kenny Stabler scored on a 53-yard touchdown run to give his team a 7-3 victory.
3. 1982: Bo Goes Over the Top
23 of 25With two minutes left in the game, Auburn running back Bo Jackson jumped over the pile and scored on a 1-yard run to give the Tigers a 23-22 victory and snap Alabama's nine-game winning streak in the Iron Bowl.
It also marked the final Iron Bowl for Bear Bryant.
2. 1972: Make That Two Blocks
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Down 16-3 with six minutes remaining, Auburn blocked two Alabama punts, returning both for touchdowns in a 17-16 victory. It gave Alabama its first loss of the season and also ended their national title chances.
1. 1985: The Kick
25 of 25The Tide started at their own 12, trailed 23-22 and had just 37 seconds to work with.
But that was enough for Alabama quarterback Mike Shula, who drove his team to Auburn's 35-yard line. From there, Van Tiffin kicked a 52-yard field goal, giving Alabama a 25-23 victory as time expired.
Watch and enjoy.
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