Auburn Tigers Football: The 25 Most Memorable Games in Auburn History
Auburn has been playing football since 1892, making it one of the longest traditions and oldest programs in the country. Over the many years, Auburn has built storied rivalries that separate friends and family on game day and played in contests that will forever be timeless in memory and print.
Taking a look back into history, so many contests stand out as impact games and season changers. Some have marked history not because of wins, but because of the circumstances that have surrounded the game.
No matter what has marked these 25 games in history, they are what has made Auburn, well, Auburn. Whether it was Bo over the top to end the streak, or the kick that will be etched in history, one theme seems to resound through every Auburn circumstance: Adversity.
Whether it’s the comebacks or the historical references that make a program great, Auburn has them both. The top 25 games in Auburn history barely break the ice on this extraordinary program.
1892 Auburn vs. Georgia
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In 1892, Auburn began its long and storied tradition of football with a game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Piedmont Park in Atlanta. This game was played in February and marked the first win for Auburn football.
This game saw the beginning of the “Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry,” which is the annual contest between Auburn and Georgia. This game has been played every year since the 1892 contest with the exception of 1943 when Auburn did not field a team due to its player’s involvement in World War Two.
Along with this game being Auburn’s first and its beginning the oldest rivalry in the south, it also saw the birth of the tradition known as “War Eagle.” The famous battle cry can trace its roots to a civil war soldier and his pet eagle that found their way to Auburn after the war.
At Piedmont Park, the eagle took its final flight as it circled the field, eventually coming to its final resting place at midfield. It’s said that the eagle gave its life in honor of Auburn in hopes of leading the Tigers to victory. The strategy worked, as the Tigers prevailed 10-0 and the War Eagle tradition was etched in history.
1893 Auburn vs. Alabama
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The Iron Bowl forged itself in the iron works and mills found in Birmingham, Alabama. The game has and always will represent the state of Alabama and its blue-collar fan base. The Iron Bowl is played lights out year after year and saw its birth in the second season of Auburn football.
The game was played in front of a scant crowd of 450 at Birmingham’s Lakeview Baseball Park. This game was oddly also played in February and saw Auburn walk away with a 32-22 victory.
1907 Auburn vs. Alabama
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The 1907 game ended in a 6-6 tie. Not so riveting, I understand. The thing that stands out most about this game, though, is not the score, but what came to be after the fact.
This game marked the last before a 40-year hiatus between the two schools and the rivalry. The initial rumors were that the series was brought to an end because of the on-field violence in the 1907 game, which seems believable. The records, however, indicate the true reason.
It seems that in 1908, Alabama received a proposal from the Auburn athletic manager that rose the per-player Per diem from two dollars a day to three dollars and fifty cents per-player. Alabama counter offered with three dollars per-player, but the counter seems to have been rejected.
There were numerous attempts to refuel the series, but it was not until 1948 when the presidents of the universities met at a meeting in Birmingham and decided that there was no reason for the rivalry not to resume. On December 4th,1948, the Iron Bowl kicked off once again.
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1914 Auburn Vs. Carlisle Indians
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This game made itself famous as it was the closing game for the 1914 season for the Auburn Tigers. After only one tie and no losses, the Tigers finished the season undefeated.
The Tigers finished the season without surrendering a single point in 10 games and finished the season by outscoring its opponents 193-0.
Carlisle, for those curious, was a intercollegiate team for an industrial school under the same name that competed athletically from 1893 to 1917.
1932 Auburn vs. Georgia Tech
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“Wreck Tech” is a famous phrase that rose from this rivalry of engineers. The game saw a 53-year stint between the border state rivals. This game was the first conference game that Auburn played as a part of the newly formed Southeastern Conference in 1932.
What is now the most powerful conference began with 13 original members that included Auburn and Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech left the conference in 1964 and the rivalry since followed, but a rekindling was attempted in the early 2000’s. Auburn lost both contests in 2003 and 2005, respectively, and has since yet to reschedule the Yellow Jackets.
1936 Auburn vs. Villanova
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This was labeled as the Bacardi Bowl and played in Havana, Cuba. Obviously before the huge trade embargo and travel restrictions that have been placed on Cuba, college football actually had bowl games there. Wow.
The game did finish in a 7-7 tie and was also Auburn’s first appearance in a bowl game.
1949 Auburn vs. Alabama
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After the Iron Bowl was renewed in 1948, Auburn got its first win in the new era. The Tigers pulled away with a 14-13 win over the Tide after Alabama waxed Auburn the previous year, 55-0.
1957 Auburn vs. Georgia
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Auburn won this game in a tight fashion, 6-0. This was one of Auburn’s six shutout games in the ten game season. It was also the last hurdle that Auburn faced before going on to beat Florida State and Alabama handily to finish the season.
With the win over Georgia, Auburn was able to turn the final stretch in their first university recognized National Championship. The 2010 team became the second recognized National Champion for Auburn.
1972 Auburn vs. Alabama
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There is no doubt that the “Punt Bama Punt” is a game that will forever be remembered by Auburn and Alabama fans alike. Trailing 16-3 late in the game, Auburn had a defensive stand and forced Alabama to punt.
When the punter was in stride, Auburn’s Bill Newton jumped in the way of the path of the ball and blocked the kick. David Langner picked up the blocked kick and scampered 25 yards for the touchdown to bring the game within six points.
Alabama was forced to punt yet again and Newton made it through to block his second punt of the game. None other than David Langner would recover the punt and return it for a touchdown, leading Auburn to a 17-16 victory over the No. 2 ranked Tide.
1982 Auburn vs. Alabama
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Bo over the top will perk up a few Auburn fans' ears. He took the winning touchdown over the top and into the end zone to beat Alabama for the first time in nine years. This game broke the streak that Bryant had put in place and the seeming spell that followed. With this win, it seemed Auburn had started a new decade in the battle of the state.
1983 Auburn vs. Michigan
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This was the season finale for an Auburn team that saw an 11-1 season come to pass. By winning their bowl game, the Sugar Bowl, Auburn was ranked No. 3 in the country and sure to take the No. 1 spot with some losses.
The No. 1 and 2 teams lost their bowl games that year, but even with a win over Michigan in New Orleans, Auburn was jumped by Miami and was only awarded the title by the New York Times computer polls. Though Auburn had seven wins over top 20 teams that year and the toughest schedule, the Tigers were over looked.
1988 Auburn vs. LSU
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This is one of the few loses on this list, but this game is of note to say the least. As Auburn had a lead of 6-0 heading into the closing minutes of the game, LSU took the ball down the field and tossed it into the end zone for a touchdown.
Once the impending score was recognized by the crowd, the 79,431 that were in Tiger Stadium erupted and registered a seismograph in a nearby building on the LSU campus.
1989 Auburn vs. Alabama
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The 1989 Iron Bowl brought something that many thought they would never see. The Iron Bowl had made its way to the city of Auburn. Bear Bryant had famously stated that it would never be played in Jordan Hare Stadium, but the Auburn people got their way and the home-and-home series began.
Auburn won the opening game at home 30-20, beating the previously undefeated Crimson Tide.
1994 Auburn vs. LSU
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Auburn took a 14-game winning streak into the LSU game in ’94. The game was a runaway for LSU in the first half, with the Bayou Bengals taking the lead into the 4th quarter. Auburn then awoke the home crowd by intercepting five Jamie Howard passes, returning three for touchdowns and leading Auburn to the eventual win, extending the undefeated streak to 15 games for Terry Bowden and the Tigers.
1996 Auburn vs. LSU
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This is the only other loss on the list for Auburn. This game will live in infamy for Auburn for a number of reasons. Auburn was trailing the game 17-15 and was in to attempt the two-point conversion when the Tigers tossed an interception that was returned for a two-point touchdown for the Bayou Bengals.
As this was occurring, the old Auburn Sports Arena had caught fire where a tailgater had left his or her grill a little too close to the building. The building that was known as “the Barn” burnt to the ground and etched in history what will be known as the “Barn Burner” game.
2000 Auburn Vs. Wyoming
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The Cowboys brought a spread attack into Auburn, hoping to pull of the upset. Auburn won the game 35-21, but not before the Cowboys made it interesting in the second half.
This game is important for one reason and it is not Y2K. The first flight of the Auburn eagle and the beginning of a newfound Auburn tradition began on August 31st, 2000.
2004 Auburn vs. LSU
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This rivalry has a few games that have mattered in the scope of SEC history, but this game served its purpose in a number of ways. Auburn has forever found itself destined to have some type of field goal determine its destiny.
In this game, Auburn trailed 9-3 until late in the fourth quarter when Jason Campbell and Courtney Taylor connected numerous times with one catch being the tying touchdown. On the ensuing extra point to take the lead, John Vaughn missed the kick. The kick was able to be replayed because of a new emphasis on the defense not jumping over the centers back on long snaps. After the flag, the re-kick went through and this game will forever be remembered as the turning point for the undefeated 2004 season.
2004 Auburn vs. Virginia Tech
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This win marked an undefeated season for the Tuberville-led Tigers. Unfortunately for Auburn, they happened to lead the way and lead the example of SEC prowess, as after the ’04 campaign, it has been said that no SEC team will be left out of the championship game if undefeated.
Auburn took a win in the Sugar Bowl and didn’t do it in a convincing fashion, but did finish undefeated and were announced as national champions by a few news outlets.
2005 Auburn vs. Alabama
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This game is remembered by many as the sack game. Auburn led a charge to Brodie Croyle and sacked the Alabama quarterback 11 times in this game. A year after beating Alabama to seal their birth into the SEC Championship, Auburn took a speed rush blitz scheme and handled the 'Bama front line in this game. This game also continued the streak for Tuberville in the Iron Bowl.
2008 Auburn vs. Mississippi State
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Watching this on ESPN was like pulling nose hairs. This was a painful contest, devoid of offense and full of semi decent defense. This was the beginning of the end for the Tuberville era and the short reign that Tony Franklin had at the offensive helm at Auburn.
The game finished 3-2, with the Tigers victorious and a fan base left stunned as the promise of a run and gun no-huddle spread had fizzled by this Thursday night snooze-fest.
2009 Auburn vs. Northwestern
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This was the first bowl win in the Chizik era and was a show for resiliency. After leading the game early and with a pretty heavy lead, Northwestern played their way back into the game. Forcing the game into an overtime period, the final kick was replayed three times before the final whistle blew for Auburn to be victorious.
This game showed the no-quit attitude that the Chizik teams have come to be known for and it led to the current 15-game winning streak that the Auburn football is on going into the 2012 season.
2010 Auburn vs. Clemson
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Kyle Parker stayed back for his sophomore season to help the Clemson Tigers win some football games. With a 17-0 lead early in the first half, Parker had thought that he was on a good start for the 2010 season.
Auburn rallied around Cam Newton and the Tigers returned from the 17-0 deficit to win the game. The Clemson kicker had the opportunity to force the game into a second overtime period, but missed his final kick.
This game set the tone for the Auburn Tigers and their season for 2010. The never give up attitude—carried over from the 2009 season—led to some truly amazing finishes. This one started the ball rolling.
2010 Auburn vs. Arkansas
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Ryan Mallett was supposed to walk into Auburn and pick apart the suspect secondary that the Tigers were fielding in this game. Mallett didn’t accomplish the task. However, his backup, Tyler Wilson, did. Wilson was a sophomore but came in guns blazing in this game in mid-October.
This game turned into a shootout and two late interceptions thrown by the young Arkansas understudy sealed the win for Auburn. The game finished 65-43, and it was the highest scoring non-overtime game in SEC history.
2010 Auburn vs. Alabama
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Listed as the best two loss team in the country, Alabama was making a strong case for themselves to be the second team from the SEC to land in the national championship game with two losses. Auburn had other thoughts.
Despite being the media ugly duckling, the Auburn Tigers walked into Bryant-Denny Stadium for the second half of the Iron Bowl ready to play. The Tigers outscored the Tide 24-3 and held them to only 57 total yards of offense.
This was the largest comeback win and the largest comeback loss in the history of these two storied programs.
2010 Auburn vs. Oregon
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Arizona was turned the colors of orange and blue on January 10th, as Auburn won its second National Championship. In a game that many experts picked the Ducks to win, Auburn controlled the tempo and flow of the game for the majority of the contest.
Auburn looked strong on defense, holding Oregon’s rushing offense to less than 100 yards for the first time in the 2010 season. Cam Newton had a less-than-Heisman day, but freshman Michael Dyer looked like a future star as he accounted for 142 yards on the ground for the Tigers.
After being left out of the title talk in 1983, 93, and 04, Auburn and its fan base felt redemption with the wins of the 2010 season.
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