On Nov. 30, the Auburn Tigers defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide in the storied Iron Bowl rivalry when cornerback Chris Davis returned a missed field-goal attempt more than 100 yards for a touchdown on the final play. This immaculate finish lifted No. 4 Auburn to a 34-28 victory over No. 1 Alabama on Saturday, up-ending the two-time defending national champion’s National Title hopes and preserving the Tigers hopes.
Davis made a play that some think is the most memorable in college football history. There have been famous and infamous moments in football including the Band on the Field, when the brass horns stormed the field before the game finished.
Davis caught the ball about nine yards deep in the end zone after Alabama freshman kicker Adam Griffith’s 57-yard attempt fell short. He then sprinted down the left sideline and cut back, with nothing but teammates around him to conclude the heart-wrenching rivalry.
Auburn clinched a spot in the SEC championship game with the stunning victory over the powerhouse from across the state. The Crimson Tide seemed poised to continue its run toward the first three-peat in modern college football, but couldn’t put the Tigers away.
The Tigers pulled the win from an unlikely occurrence. The public address announcer in the stadium had already declared the game 28-28 at the end of regulation.
But Alabama had one second restored and one more play after a review of T.J. Yeldon’s run to the Auburn 39.
That gave the Tide coach Nick Saban a chance to try the long field goal, and now he probably wished he never did, given the stunning result.
The result reminds fans why it’s not over ’till the fat lady sings and that sometimes, miracles do happen, even when there’s no ice.
