Auburn beats Alabama
AUBURN — It came down to 1 yard.
Auburn’s 17-10 Iron Bowl victory against Alabama on Saturday hinged on a single play. That was nothing new in this series, which has been marked by close scores most of this decade.
But Saturday’s game was especially close.
Clinging to a 17-10 fourth-quarter lead, Auburn faced fourth-and-1 — two feet, really — from the Alabama 30-yard line. After a third-down stop, Bama coach Nick Saban called a timeout with 1:06 to play.
Auburn offensive coordinator Al Borges sprung into action.
“We called them all over, and I made them all look how far it was,“ Borges said, stretching his hands to demonstrate how short the distance was.
“‘It’s that much to beat Alabama. Now how much does it matter to you?’“
In that moment, quarterback Brandon Cox knew the game was over.
“That got everybody fired up,“ Cox deadpanned.
Tailback Brad Lester answered Borges’ question in style, with a slashing 12-yard run, dragging two Alabama defenders for a few more vital yards. The first down allowed Auburn to run out the clock and kick off a Jordan-Hare Stadium celebration unmatched since the glory days of 2004.
The celebration was a long time coming. Six years, to be exact.
AU (8-4, 5-3 Southeastern Conference) has won the last six games against its in-state rival. It’s the longest streak in AU history, though not the longest in the rivalry: Alabama won nine in a row from 1973-81.
But this streak is special for AU head coach Tommy Tuberville, whose lifetime record against the Tide was 0-4 when he arrived on the Plains in 1999.
“I was just hoping to beat them a few times,“ Tuberville said.
Tuberville’s big win comes at the end of a season marked by speculation that he will accept another school’s job offer in the coming weeks. When asked about his future at Auburn, Tuberville declined to answer the question.
“We ain’t going to talk about that,“ said Tuberville, who will meet with Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs this week to discuss his future. “We’ll talk about Alabama right now.“
The sixth victory wasn’t the easiest — not by a long shot.
The Tigers took an early 10-0 lead, but Alabama quarterback John Parker Wilson’s 2-yard touchdown on a second-quarter quarterback sneak kept Bama in the game.
Alabama (6-6, 4-4) had a chance to take control of the game just before halftime. Linebacker Rolando McClain intercepted Cox with 50 seconds left, giving Alabama possession on the Auburn 19.
But Auburn cornerback Jerraud Powers countered with the game’s biggest defensive play, a quick-handed interception of a tipped ball intended for DJ Hall in the corner of the end zone.
Auburn extended its lead in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard quarterback sneak by Cox, who became the second AU quarterback to finish his career 3-0 as a starter against the Tide.
Alabama wasn’t finished. The Tide pulled within 7 on a 49-yard Leigh Tiffin field goal with 2:11 left.
Auburn’s Cole Bennett recovered an onside kick. Auburn needed a first down to clinch the game.
It all came down to fourth-and-short. And Alabama couldn’t contain Lester.
For Alabama head coach Nick Saban, it was a microcosm of a frustrating first season.
“The most disappointing thing about this season is that we didn’t finish,“ Saban said. “There are a lot of lessons to be learned by our football team and our players about finishing. … We have to finish.“
Both teams must wait until next Sunday to learn their postseason fate. AU is assured of a bowl bid; the likeliest candidates are the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Fla., and the Chik-Fil-A Bowl in Atlanta.
Alabama faces more suspense. The Tide is unlikely to qualify for one of the SEC’s eight bowl bids; eight SEC teams have better records. But Alabama could receive an at-large bid if another conference can’t fill all of its contracted bowl slots.
Saban appeared willing to take any bowl opportunity.
“I would love for our players to go to a bowl game,“ he said. “That’s always positive for a program’s development.“
First quarter
8:08 Auburn 7, Alabama 0: Ben Tate 3-yard touchdown run. (Wes Byrum kick.) 12 plays, 65 yards, 5:21. Key play: On fourth-and-1 from the Alabama 30, Brandon Cox gained 2 yards on a quarterback sneak.
3:12 Auburn 10, Alabama 0: Byrum 37-yard field goal. 5 plays, 38 yards, 2:02. Key play: On the first play of the drive, Cox completed a 31-yard pass to Rod Smith, giving AU a first down at the Bama 28.
Second quarter
11:37 Auburn 10, Alabama 7: John Parker Wilson 2-yard touchdown run (Leigh Tiffin kick.) 11 plays, 53 yards, 6:35. Key play: On third-and-3 from the Auburn 46, Wilson threw incomplete to DJ Hall, but Auburn’s Jonathan Wilhite was penalized for pass interference, giving the Tide a first down at the AU 31.
Fourth quarter
3:58 Auburn 17, Alabama 7: Cox 1-yard touchdown run. (Byrum kick.) 9 plays, 44 yards, 4:50. Key play: On third-and-4 from the Alabama 38, Brad Lester gained 7 yards.
2:11 Auburn 17, Alabama 10: Leigh Tiffin 49-yard field goal. 11 plays, 41 yards, 1:47. Key play: After getting first-and-10 at the Auburn 32, Wilson threw three consecutive incomplete passes, forcing the Tide to settle for a field goal.
