Date: November, 30th
Location: Jordan Hare Stadium. Auburn, AL.
Time: 3:30 PM EST.
Background Information:
Throughout the entire season, the matchup that most of the country wanted to see on January, 2nd was Alabama and Florida State. And that matchup nearly happened. Alabama was doing Alabama things in 2013. They survived a big scare and near back to back years of upsets to Johnny Manziel-led Texas A&M. After a 49-42 battle in College Station, they wouldn’t give up double digit points for the next 6 games and didn’t give up 20 points for the next 9 games after A&M. TJ Yeldon was a serious contender to win te Heisman and statistically, the defense was on pace to break the NCAA record for the lowest PPG allowed in a 12 game regular season (and potentially 14, including the SEC Championship game as well as a Bowl Game). For Auburn, it was the offense that was it’s strong suit as they didn’t have many notable NFL players on the team, but a lot of really good college players. Auburn dropped a early season game against #6 LSU 35-21. After that, Auburn didn’t score below 30 the rest of the season and put up more than 40 in every game except for two. For the Tigers, they were just coming off a miracle win against Georgia the week before. On 4th and 18 from their own 27, Nick Marshall would fire a deep ball that would be tipped off of 2 Georgia players and caught by Ricardo Louis as he would walk into the end zone and give the Tigers a 43-38 lead with 25 seconds to go.
The biggest miracle of the decade:
Both teams would start out with defensive stands, including a missed FG from Alabama. On a keeper, Nick Marshall would get the only touchdown in the first quarter from 45 yards out. Outside of that, both teams would be stagnant on offense. Alabama would run right down the field and core with a 3 yard pass to Jalston Foster. After a Tre Mason fumble, AJ McCarron would connect with Kevin Norwood from 30 yards out to take the lead. After two very close calls on long runs, both teams find the end zone. On an Amari Cooper end around, He would stumble out of bounds right before hitting the pylon. TJ Yeldon would cash in on the very next play. The insuing drive, Nick Marshall would keep it on a read option and get down to the one yard line. Tre Mason would cap off the drive and Alabama would be up 7 heading into halftime, 21-14. On Auburn’s first drive, they would come out guns blazing and finish with Marshall’s 2nd touchdown of the game with a strike to TE CJ Uzomah. Both teams would stall throughout most of the 3rd quarter until the last drive of the quarter that started from their own 2 yard line. AJ would connect with Amari Cooper for a 54 yard pass, but was all for not as Cade Foster missed a 33 yard FG, his second missed FG of the game. On the next offensive drive, Auburn P Steven Clark would pin Alabama at their own 1 yard line. Little did the Tigers know, Future First Round draft pick would show up. AJ would hit Amari Cooper deep down the sideline and take it all 99 yards to put the Crimson Tide back on top, 28-21. Alabama would rely on TJ Yeldon with power running on the next drive, but was stuffed on 4th and 1 in the red zone. Alabama would not convert on 3rd and 12 and their Special Teams woes continued as Foster’s 3rd FG attempt was blocked and Auburn gets yet another chance. Auburn would run a read option with an added passing option as Nick Marshall found Sammie Coates on a deep ball and Auburn would tie it up with 36 seconds left. TJ Yeldon would break one to the sideline and step out with 1 second left. Adam Griffith would step in for Foster’s place for a 57 yard Field Goal Attempt. And the rest is history. He missed it and Chris Davis return it 109 yards for the biggest miracle of this decade and maybe, ever.
Key Players from Auburn: QB Nick Marshall (11/16 97 Passing Yards 2 TD’s. 17 Carries, 99 Yards, 1 Touchdown) RB Tre Mason (29 Carries, 164 Yards, 1 Touchdown) WR Sammie Coates (2 Catches, 60 Yards, 1 Touchdown) DE Carl Lawson, CB Chris Davis (109 Yard Missed FG Return TD), K Cody Parkey.
Key Players from Alabama: RB TJ Yeldon (26 Carries, 141 Yards, 1 Touchdown), RB Kenyan Drake (4 Carries, 33 Yards) RB Derrick Henry, WR Amari Cooper (6 Catches, 178 Yards, 1 Touchdown), TE OJ Howard (2 Catches, 23 Yards), DT A’Shawn Robinson, DT Dalvin Tomlinson, LB CJ Mosley, LB Reggie Ragland, LB Jonathan Allen, LB Reuban Foster, DB Landon Collins, DB Ha-Ha Clinton Dix, DB Cyrus Jones, DB Eddie Jackson.
How the rest of the season went for each team:
Auburn:
Auburn would go on to face #5 Missouri in the SEC Championship Game. The highest scoring game in SEC Championship history, both teams combined for 101 points and 1,211 Yards. Auburn would win that game 59-42 and Ohio State would lose in the Big 10 Championship game, setting up the Miracle Kids from Auburn and the Dominant Force that was Florida State. If you want to know how that one went down, check out our #5 on the 12 for 12 series to get a more lucrative and specific breakdown of the contest. But in the end, it would be Florida State prevailing in an instant classic to cap off a fantastic and exciting 2013 season.
Alabama:
With the loss to Auburn, it would put Alabama out of the national championship picture and no chance for them to 3 peat as the Champs. They would go on to face slightly underwhelming Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl, who had a below average offense in 2013. On a night where Trevor Knight threw for 348 Yards and 4 Touchdowns, Alabama fell flat as they gave up 45 points and lost to the Sooners. Who would know that 5 years later, these 2 teams would be facing each other with 2 of the best offenses in the nation and a shot at the CFP Championship Game. But that is a post for another day in itself.
12 Best Games in the Past 12 Years:
6: Michigan vs. Appalachian State 2007
5: Florida State vs. Auburn 2014
4: Boise State vs. Oklahoma 2008
Image Credit: https://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/11/chris-davis-helmet-auctionhttps://fansided.com/2013/11/30/iron-bowl-2013-auburn-ties-game-option-pass-final-minute-gif/https://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/11/iron_bowl_by_the_numbers_alaba.html
