Tag: Chris Davis

Relive the legendary Auburn Kick Six on its 10th anniversary with these awesome photos

The legendary Auburn Kick Six over Alabama was 10 years ago today.

It’s been exactly 10 years since Auburn fans got the bragging of a lifetime over their archrival Alabama friends.

On Nov. 30, 2013, Alabama was tied with Auburn 28-28 with kicker Adam Griffith on to make the attempt.

There were just a handful of seconds left on the clock, which means that Griffith making the kick for the Crimson Tide would’ve won them the game.

As Griffith attempted the 57-yard kick, Auburn cornerback Chris Davis waited in the end zone to field the kick should it fall short of the goal posts.

You know how it ends: Griffin missed the attempt, and it fell right into the grasp of Davis, who ran it back 109 yards for the biggest touchdown in Auburn history to win the game.

Davis’ walk-off touchdown will forever be enshrined in Auburn history and will forever haunt the dreams of Alabama fans when they attempt a kick at Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium.

As fate would have it, Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe commemorated the 10-year anniversary last weekend with a wild last-minute touchdown of his own to win the 2023 Iron Bowl for Alabama on the road.

The Auburn-Alabama rivalry will continue to loom large as one of college football’s fiercest, and Davis’ legendary Kick Six will always be the first things on a Tigers fan’s mind when they think about playing the Tide.

Let’s relive that fateful play with some of the great photos from that night.

Watch: Auburn releases hype trailer for the Iron Bowl

This video will get you excited for today’s game.

The final week of the 2023 college football regular season is here and that means it is time for the Auburn Tigers and the Alabama Crimson Tide to meet in the Iron Bowl. With the start of the game just hours away, Auburn released a trailer for the game, narrated by 2013 Iron Bowl hero [autotag]Chris Davis[/autotag].

The video compares the storied rivalry to the process of forging iron and features iconic moments from past games. Some of the moments include the 2010 “Camback,” the “Punt ‘Bama” game in 1972 and Davis returning the missed field goal in the “Kick Six.”

The 2023 edition of the rivalry will be played in Jordan-Hare Stadium and is set to start at 2:30 p.m. CT and will be shown on CBS.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on  X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15

Missing the cut: Which Auburn Tiger could have been on the cover of NCAA Football 18?

Three Tigers had cases to be on the cover of NCAA Football 18 if it had been released.

Many sports video game fans across the country (including myself) were excited to learn that the NCAA Football franchise is on track to return to our lives in the summer of 2024, which will be re-named “EA Sports College Football.”

Plans for the game were threatened to be delayed due to a lawsuit from The Brandr Group, citing that the franchise’s $500 million pool, which would give each athlete represented in the game $500, was considered to be “far below market value.”

Despite the setback, EA Sports remains on schedule to release the game next summer.

“We’re incredibly excited to bring back an authentic college football experience for fans and athletes that have shown such passion for the franchise, and we’re looking forward to delivering it in Summer 2024,” an EA spokesperson tells On3’s Pete Nakos.

It has been ten years since the release of the last game, NCAA Football 14. It has us at Auburn Wire thinking… which Auburn athletes missed out on being a cover athlete for the famous video game franchise?

Our pick for NCAA Football 15 was [autotag]Chris Davis[/autotag] with [autotag]Cameron Artis-Payne[/autotag] selected to represent Auburn on the cover of NCAA Football 16. We returned to the defensive side of the ball for NCAA Football 17, tabbing [autotag]Rudy Ford[/autotag] as the cover player.

Up next we take a look at NCAA 18 and once again one Tigers stands out. The 2016 season got off to a rough start for Auburn, they lost two of their first three games before they rattled off six straight wins to get the season back on track.

A major reason for Auburn’s success was the breakout of sophomore running back [autotag]Kamryn Pettway[/autotag] who emerged as Auburn’s top offensive threat and one of the best backs in the SEC. He led the Tigers with 1,224 yards and 209 carries, rushing for over 100 yards in seven of the nine games he played.

His best work came on the road against Ole Miss, Pettway bowled right over them for 236 yards on 30 carries, leading the Tigers to a 40-29 victory. The 236 yards are the 10th most ever by an Auburn running back in a single game.

Other contenders for the cover athlete include defensive end [autotag]Carl Lawson[/autotag] and defensive tackle [autotag]Montravius Adams[/autotag]. Lawson led Auburn’s defense with 14.0 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks to go with one forced fumble.

Adams shored up the interior of the defense, making 43 tackles, recording one interception, recovering two fumbles and returning one for a touchdown.

Here is a look at the best photos from each of the contenders.

Missing the cut: Which Tiger had the best chance to be the cover athlete for NCAA Football 17?

Rudy Ford, Kris Frost, and Carlton Davis each had a great shot at being a cover athlete for NCAA Football 17… if EA Sports had released the game.

Many sports video game fans across the country (including myself) were excited to learn that the NCAA Football franchise is on track to return to our lives in the summer of 2024, which will be re-named “EA Sports College Football.”

Plans for the game were threatened to be delayed due to a lawsuit from The Brandr Group, citing that the franchise’s $500 million pool, which would give each athlete represented in the game $500, was considered to be “far below market value.”

Despite the setback, EA Sports remains on schedule to release the game next summer.

“We’re incredibly excited to bring back an authentic college football experience for fans and athletes that have shown such passion for the franchise, and we’re looking forward to delivering it in Summer 2024,” an EA spokesperson tells On3’s Pete Nakos.

It has been ten years since the release of the last game, NCAA Football 14. It has us at Auburn Wire thinking
 which Auburn athletes missed out on being a cover athlete for the famous video game franchise?

Our pick for the hypothetical cover of NCAA Football 15 was [autotag]Chris Davis[/autotag], and we selected [autotag]Cameron Artis-Payne[/autotag] to represent Auburn on the cover of NCAA Football 16. Now, it is time to share our selection for NCAA Football 17.

The 2015 season was not kind to Auburn, especially in SEC play. Auburn ended the year with a 7-6 record and a Birmingham Bowl win over Memphis. When it came to production, the Tigers relied heavily on their defense. [autotag]Rudy Ford[/autotag] led the team in several categories, which leads him to be our candidate to represent Auburn on the cover of NCAA Football 17 if the game had been released.

Ford made 116 stops in 2015, becoming the first Tiger to record 100 or more tackles since [autotag]Daren Bates[/autotag] and [autotag]Neiko Thorpe[/autotag] accomplished the feat by making 104 and 102 tackles respectively in 2011. Ford also pulled down two interceptions and forced two fumbles.

Other cover athlete candidates from the 2015 season include [autotag]Carlton Davis[/autotag] and [autotag]Kris Frost[/autotag]. Frost was second in tackles with 96, while Davis led the team in interceptions with three. Offensively, [autotag]Peyton Barber[/autotag] rushed for 1,017 yards and scored 13 touchdowns.

Here are some of the best images from each cover candidate from Auburn for the hypothetical “NCAA Football 2017” video game that would have been released ahead of the 2016 football season.

Missing the cut: NCAA Football 16

Here’s a look at Auburn players who missed out on being a cover athlete for the popular EA Sports video game franchise for the 2016 edition.

Many sports video game fans across the country (including myself) were excited to learn that the NCAA Football franchise is on track to return to our lives in the summer of 2024, which will be re-named “EA Sports College Football.”

Plans for the game were threatened to be delayed due to a lawsuit from The Brandr Group, citing that the franchise’s $500 million pool, which would give each athlete represented in the game $500, was considered to be “far below market value.”

Despite the setback, EA Sports remains on schedule to release the game next summer.

“We’re incredibly excited to bring back an authentic college football experience for fans and athletes that have shown such passion for the franchise, and we’re looking forward to delivering it in Summer 2024,” an EA spokesperson tells On3’s Pete Nakos.

It has been ten years since the release of the last game, NCAA Football 14. It has us at Auburn Wire thinking… which Auburn athletes missed out on being a cover athlete for the famous video game franchise?

In the first edition of the series titled “Missing the Cut”, we took a look back at which Auburn players had the best chance of being the cover athlete for NCAA 15, ultimately settling on [autotag]Chris Davis[/autotag] and now it is time to break down who could have been on the cover of NCAA Football 16.

After making a run to the BCS National Championship Game in 2013, Auburn’s 2014 season did not go nearly as well, the Tigers finished the year 8-5 and lost four of their final five games. However, several players had impressive seasons and have strong cases for being on the cover but only one player can be picked.

[autotag]Cameron Artis-Payne[/autotag] had the tough task of attempting to replace the production of [autotag]Michael Dyer[/autotag] and he proved to be up to the task. He wracked up 1,608 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground en route to being named to the All-SEC First-Team.

Artis-Payne rushed for over 100 yards in nine different games including a monster game against Texas A&M where he ran for 221 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries.

His great season was just enough to edge out wide receiver [autotag]Sammie Coates[/autotag] and cornerback [autotag]Jonathan Jones[/autotag] both of whom had breakout seasons for the Tigers.

Here are the best photos of each of the candidates that could have been used as the cover image.

Kick Six named one of the most influential games of the 2000s

This is one of the best endings in sports history and almost sent Nick Saban into retirement.

The Kick Six is one of the greatest moments in sports history and something Auburn fans will cherish forever.

With the 2013 Iron Bowl tied at 28-28, Alabama lined up to attempt a 57-yard field goal with one second remaining, and Auburn needed a miracle.

They got one.

The kick was short and [autotag]Chris Davis[/autotag] returned it 109 yards to win the game with no time on the clock.

Not only was the ending was dramatic and brilliantly called by the late Rob Bramblett propelled Auburn to the SEC Championship game where they won before falling to Florida State in the BCS title game.  It also prevented Alabama from making another title game and had [autotag]Nick Saban[/autotag] contemplating retirement.

While that did not happen, the game was still impactful enough for Andy Staples of The Athletic to rank it as the No. 6 most impactful game of the 2000s.

Here is what Staples said about the game:

The Kick Six, one of the most dramatic final plays in college football history, might have ranked higher on this list had Saban followed through on an impulse he had in the aftermath of the 34-28 Iron Bowl loss to the Tigers.

In AL.com’s John Talty’s new book “The Leadership Secrets of Nick Saban: How Alabama’s Coach Became the Greatest Ever,” former ESPN executive John Wildhack confirmed that Saban and ESPN discussed Saban joining ESPN if he retired in the offseason.

This raised several questions for Staples that he acknowledged we will never know but are still fascinating.

How different might college football be had Saban left Alabama after 2013? Would Alabama have remained dominant? Would Saban have grown tired of television and landed at another program? Would Malzahn still be coaching at Auburn, and would he have one of the SEC’s powerhouse programs?

While we will never know the answers to these questions, it is still an iconic moment and one of the reasons the Iron Bowl is one of the best rivalries in college football.

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Gus Malzahn calls the ‘Kick Six’ the best play he has seen in person

Is this play the best one you’ve seen in person?

During his time at Auburn, former head coach Gus Malzahn achieved plenty. The only thing lacking was a national championship. He came close but it just wasn’t meant to be as the Tigers fell to the Florida State Seminoles back in 2013, his first season back on the Plains.

There were plenty of good memories as well as some that were not so great. The not-so-great moments ultimately ended his tenure after returning to lead the program where he won a national championship with as the offensive coordinator.

One of the great moments included the hail mary pass that was dubbed the “Prayer at Jordan-Hare.” Needing a final desperation touchdown with time winding down, Auburn snapped the ball on fourth and 18. Quarterback Nick Marshall threw a pass that bounced off a Georgia Bulldogs defender and landed in the hands of Ricardo Louis, who scampered into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown. What a moment.

However, when Paul Finebaum asked about the greatest college football play you’ve seen in person, Malzahn had another play in mind and it took place just a week later against the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Late in the Iron Bowl game with the Tide, Marshal once again had a big play as he found Sammie Coates for a 39-yard touchdown pass to tie the game after the Cody Parkey extra point with just 32 seconds left. Alabama and Nick Saban opted for a long field goal attempt to win the game and head to the SEC Championship. However, with the 57-yard field goal try landing short, Chris Davis took care of the rest.

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Let us know your thoughts, and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!

Auburn legend set to hold autograph signing on May 7th

Former Auburn legend set to host autograph signing for fans on May 7th in Madison, Alabama.

It seems like yesterday when the famous kick six occurred. The call was made by the beloved Rod Bramblett. Many remember Bramblett vividly saying, “Auburn’s going to win the football game.”

That game still resonates in the minds of many Auburn fans. The Iron Bowl in 2013 will always remember the heroic antiques that occurred that day from Auburn defensive back and specialist Chris Davis.

Now, on May 7th, Auburn fans will have the opportunity to meet Davis and get his autograph while doing so. The autograph signing will be held in Madison, Alabama at Madison Mercantile. Fans will have the chance to meet with Davis from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. CT. Photographs, helmet replicas, and many other items will be available for purchase. By attending the autograph signing, the fans can say that they came in close proximity to an Auburn legend so to speak.

After Davis went undrafted in 2014, he signed as an undrafted free agent with the San Diego Chargers. He would spend just one season there before he joined the San Fransisco 49ers from 2015 to 2016. After two years of not playing football, he returned to the gridiron in 2019 to play for the Birmingham Stallions who were a part of the Alliance Football League. Currently, Davis coaches as a cornerback at Pinson Valley High School in Pinson, Alabama.

If you are looking for something to do, this is a great opportunity to meet one of the more prolific figures in Auburn’s history.

The recently retired Chris Davis is about to get Bobby Bonilla money in deferred payments

Lots of deferred money ahead.

We already celebrate the heck out of Bobby Bonilla Day — July 1, the day on which the former New York Mets outfielder gets deferred payments from the franchise.

So: Are we going to celebrate Chris Davis Day too?

After all, the Baltimore Orioles slugger who retired on Thursday is among the big names of players who also get paid long after their careers are over.

Per Spotrac, Davis signed a seven-year $161 million deal in 2016 — that’s after hitting 53 dingers in 2013 and 46 in 2015. Things didn’t go so well for Davis after that, and injuries led to the end of his career.

But the point here is the deferred money. Spotrac says it’s $42 million total. He’ll receive it in $3.5 million payments every year until 2032, then $1.4 million a year until 2037.

So there you go. Davis is going to make a lot more money for a while.

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