While the sports world is on hold, theScore will fill the void with a weekly examination of one of college football's most memorable plays from the last 20 years. Today's is the famous "kick-6" from the 2013 Iron Bowl between Alabama and Auburn.
The buildup
The Iron Bowl certainly doesn't need any added hype, but the 2013 edition received an extra jolt after Alabama hammered Auburn 49-0 the previous season. Blowout wins were a common theme for Nick Saban's crew that campaign, as they rolled to their second consecutive national championship shortly after dispatching their rivals. The Tigers, meanwhile, had their worst season in 60 years, posting a dismal 3-9 record in 2012 and firing coach Gene Chizik. It didn't take long for new coach Gus Malzahn to turn Auburn around, as the host side entered the highly anticipated rematch as the No. 4 team in the country with a 10-1 mark. It was also fresh off a stunning win over Georgia thanks to the "Miracle at Jordan-Hare."
Despite the Tigers' impressive start to the season, they were still 10-point underdogs at home, as the Crimson Tide were on their quest for the three-peat with a perfect record and the No. 1 ranking. At stake was a berth in the SEC championship game and a shot to move on to the BCS National Championship.
Game story
After falling behind 7-0, Alabama scored 21 unanswered points to take a 21-14 halftime lead. Saban's teams were 73-3 when leading at the half since his arrival in Tuscaloosa from the Miami Dolphins, but the Tigers wasted no time putting that to the test with a touchdown to open the third quarter.
The Crimson Tide's connection of A.J. McCarron to Amari Cooper put them back in front, electrifying the visiting fans with a school-record 99-yard touchdown pass. That score would hold until Nick Marshall found Sammie Coates in the end zone for a 39-yard touchdown with 32 seconds left to tie the game.
After a McCarron incompletion, Alabama appeared content waiting for overtime and handed the ball off to T.J. Yeldon for a 9-yard gain. Yeldon got the call again following a timeout and scampered for 24 yards before Auburn's Chris Davis laid a thunderous hit, knocking the running back out of bounds as time expired - or did it? A review of the clock showed there was one second remaining, just enough time for a desperation Hail Mary attempt.
It's impossible to have a conversation about the best college coaches of all time without mentioning Saban's name. And it's because of his incredible pedigree that his decision to attempt a 57-yard field goal was - to put it kindly - puzzling. Cade Foster was 0-for-3 on kicks during the game, so Saban sent out freshman Adam Griffith to go for his second career collegiate field goal.
The play
The aftermath
The shocking finish vaulted Auburn to No. 3 in the BCS rankings and eliminated Alabama from its quest for a third straight national title. The Tigers eventually fell to Jameis Winston and Florida State in a thrilling national championship contest. Gus Malzahn received a six-year extension that would pay him a whopping $3.5 million per season. He's posted a 50-29 mark with a 26-22 record in SEC play since the 2013 campaign.
Alabama closed out the season with a 45-31 loss to Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl, marking the first back-to-back losses for the Crimson Tide in five years.
As for Saban and kickers, it's the one problem that continues to plague the wildly successful coach throughout his career.
As requested Here is an updated table that includes the % for UA as well as CFB AVG during this period. This makes it look better, however if you take into account how dominant Alabama has been in both recruiting and performance, we have to hold ourselves to a different standard. pic.twitter.com/9gatJhjzCi
— Flip Bork (@FlipBork) September 6, 2018
