Tag: Iron Bowl

Finebaum: The Iron Bowl is ‘something that cannot be put into common sense or words’

Auburn lost the 2023 Iron Bowl in stunning fashion, but the finish was not surprising says SEC Network’s Paul Finebaum.

There are three things in life that are certain: death, taxes, and stressful Iron Bowls at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

The 2023 Iron Bowl was no exception, as No. 8 Alabama avoided an upset loss to Auburn by throwing a long touchdown pass on 4th down with less than a minute to go to win, 27-24.

The game was exciting, but was expected says an SEC Network college football analyst.

Paul Finebaum, college football expert and host of the Paul Finebaum Show on SEC Network and radio stations across the southeast, joined ESPN’s Sportscenter on Sunday morning to break down Saturday’s action, including the Iron Bowl.

Finebaum says that the vibe of Saturday’s Iron Bowl was similar to many others in recent memory.

“I know what the analytics said, but I wasn’t that surprised, because I saw something very similar two years ago and we all saw the Kick Six ten years ago,” Finebaum said Sunday. “I’ve covered that game throughout my entire career and it always has something that cannot be put into common sense or words. So you do come to expect it.”

The “4th-and-31″ connection between Jalen Milroe and Isaiah Bond will forever be etched into the memories of both Alabama and Auburn fans alike, but was it the most memorable play in the rivalry’s history? Finebaum says no, citing the stakes entering the game.

“The difference I think yesterday vs. ten years ago with the famous Kick Six, there wasn’t quite as much on the line,” Finebaum said. “That game in 2013, that was the No. 1 team in the country going for a three-peat vs. the No. 4 team, and by Auburn winning that, they ended up playing for the national championship. Auburn, fortunate to be going to a bowl game. Alabama still has work to do.”

The Crimson Tide kept their College Football Playoff hopes alive by defeating Auburn on Saturday and will have a chance to crash the party next Saturday by facing Georgia in the SEC Championship Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Auburn will now await its bowl fate.

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Report Card: Grading Auburn’s Iron Bowl loss

There was plenty of good and bad in Auburn’s game against Alabama.

The Iron Bowl is the best rivalry in college football for a reason.

Whenever Auburn and Alabama faceoff in Jordan-Hare Stadium something wild seems to happen and that was once again the case on Saturday. A week after losing to New Mexico State, the Tigers went blow for blow with the Crimson Tide and were one play away from pulling off the upset.

They were unable to get that final stop as they scored the game-winning touchdown on fourth-and-31 with 32 seconds to play. Here are grades for every positional group as well as the coaching staff following the wild game.

BOX SCORE BREAKDOWN: Stat leaders from Alabama’s Iron Bowl win over Auburn

Breaking down the stats leaders from Alabama’s Week 13 win over Auburn.

Things did not come easy for Alabama on Saturday evening. The Crimson Tide escaped with a 27-24 win over Auburn. It was a hard-fought win that Alabama had to earn every bit of.

Nick Saban’s squad strung together several key stops and impressive plays to pick up the victory. The Tigers made things difficult, but Alabama’s big-time players stepped up and made big-time contributions in crunch time.

That was ultimately the difference in this year’s Iron Bowl. Several plays in particular helped the Crimson Tide win its fourth straight Iron Bowl over Auburn.

Roll Tide Wire breaks down the stat leaders from Alabama’s Week 13 win against Auburn.

Everything Hugh Freeze said after a hard-fought loss in the Iron Bowl

Hugh Freeze discussed Auburn’s close loss to Alabama.

After a hard-fought loss against Alabama in the Iron Bowl, [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] admitted that the loss was going to stick with Auburn “for a while.”

Auburn had a chance to win the game but was unable to make the final play to pull off the big upset and lost 27-24, their fourth straight loss to the Crimson Tide.

The Tigers struggled to throw the ball but had success on the ground with Jarquez Hunter, Damari Alston and Payton Thorne all ripping off big runs.  Freeze discussed the offense, the miraculous go-ahead touchdown by Alabama, the costly muffed punt and more with the media following the loss, here is everything he said.

Everything Nick Saban said following Alabama’s 27-24 win over Auburn

Nick Saban comments on Alabama’s incredible Iron Bowl victory over Auburn

Saturday’s Iron Bowl turned out to be one of the most memorable and epic games of the 2023 college football season.

After a back-and-forth contest, Alabama quarterback [autotag]Jalen Milroe[/autotag] delivered an absolute dime to Isaiah Bond in the corner of the endzone to convert a near-impossible fourth and goal from the 31-yard line for a touchdown to give the Crimson Tide the lead with just over 30 seconds remaining in the game.

Following the improbable victory, the head coach of the Crimson Tide,[anyclip-media thumbnail=”undefined” playlistId=”undefined” content=”dW5kZWZpbmVk”][/anyclip-media] [autotag]Nick Saban[/autotag] would speak to the reporters inside Jordan-Hare Stadium to discuss his team’s win over the Auburn Tigers.

Below is everything Coach Saban had to say:

Everything Auburn’s players said after losing to Alabama

Auburn’s players had plenty to say after the thrilling game.

This one will sting for a while.

Auburn fought hard and had a great chance to win their game against Alabama but they were unable to make the crucial play to seal the victory and lost 27-24 on Saturday in Jordan-Hare Stadium.

The Tigers led 24-20 late in the fourth quarter and forced a punt from Alabama giving them a chance to put the game away but Koy Moore was unable to handle the punt and Alabama recovered it to stay alive.

Following a bad snap, the Crimson Tide were facing fourth-and-31 with the game on the line. Auburn was once again unable to make the play as Jalen Milroe found Isaiah Bond in the end zone for the game-winning touchdown.

Several Auburn players met with the media after the game to discuss the game, here is everything they said.

The Auburn sideline reaction to Alabama’s mind-boggling Hail Mary TD is priceless

Poor Auburn. Poor, poor Auburn.

For every incredible victory in college football, there is also a devastating defeat.

As Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe threw a phenomenal, last-minute Hail Mary touchdown pass on fourth-and-31 to take down Auburn, the losing sideline just had to stand and watch this unbelievable play happen.

The CBS Sports camera crew caught the Auburn sideline during the play as they went from worried to shocked in the worst possible fashion as Milroe’s pass landed right in wide receiver Isaiah Bold’s hands for the score.

Poor Auburn tight end Grant Hidalgo’s reaction probably hurt the most of all… unless you’re an Alabama fan who is over the moon about winning the Iron Bowl, of course.

Auburn had this one in the bag until it didn’t, and this is just the worst way to lose a rivalry game we could imagine.

The Tigers won’t forget this one any time soon, as this rivalry will only intensify in the years to come with unreal finishes like this.

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The name of Alabama’s Hail Mary play call to beat Auburn goes so hard

Alabama wins.

Alabama’s dramatic Iron Bowl victory over archrival Auburn came with one of the coldest play calls you’re going to hear about this season.

In case you missed it, Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe threw a Hail Mary pass on fourth-and-31 to the end zone with less than a minute to go in the game down four and miraculously hit wide receiver Isaiah Bond for a game-winning touchdown.

It’s one of those incredible moments that Bama fans will remember forever, as it keeps the team’s national title hopes alive and takes down a huge nemesis on the road in the process.

The name for that gutsy play call that won Alabama the game? We’re not kidding. Bond says it’s literally called “Gravedigger,” per Yahoo Sports’ college football reporter Ross Dellenger.

If that’s not the coldest thing we’ve heard all football season, we’re not sure what is. When you take down your biggest rival in their house on a prayer of a pass to the end zone, you have to call it “Gravedigger” now.

Those are the rules.

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Alabama’s comeback Iron Bowl win was nearly statistically impossible

According to ESPN’s advanced analytics, Auburn had a 99.9% chance to win the Iron Bowl with a minute remaining.

Last week, Auburn lost to New Mexico State at home. Alabama entered the game ranked No. 8 and in the thick of the College Football Playoff race. However, with the Iron Bowl taking place at Jordan-Hare, true fans of both programs knew anything was possible.

What many thought was impossible nearly happened: Auburn almost won the football game.

With only 43 seconds remaining in the game, the Tigers has a 99.9% statistical chance to win the Iron Bowl, according to ESPN’s advanced analytics.

Then, Jalen Milroe connected with Isaiah Bond for a 31-yard touchdown on fourth down.

The Tigers gave the Tide a 0.1% chance to win the ball game, and Alabama ran with it.

An electric game ended in the Tide’s favor, but Alabama is far from content. The goal remains: get into the College Football Playoff.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Alabama football as the team prepares to take on Georgia in the SEC championship.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on X @SpurrFM. 

9 photos of distraught Auburn fans after Alabama’s Iron Bowl stunner

The bigger the rivalry, the bigger the feelings.

The Kick Six turned a decade old this year, so it was well past time for an Alabama-Auburn game to provide a new generation with a lifetime’s worth of pain and misery — or unbridled euphoria, depending on which team you support.

The Iron Bowl did just that on Saturday.

With Alabama trailing by four at Jordan-Hare Stadium — and it’s playoff chances hanging in the balance — Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe capped off an unlikely drive with an even more unlikely touchdown. He found Isaiah Bond all alone in the end zone on fourth-and-goal from the Auburn 31-yard line.

Yes. You read that right. A 31-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-goal. At Auburn. In the Iron Bowl.

As you can imagine, Auburn fans did not take this development well.

In just a matter of moments the Tigers faithful went from getting ready to storm the field to sobbing on their way out of the stadium.