On the 10th anniversary weekend of Kick Six, the 2023 Iron Bowl between No. 8 Alabama and Auburn on Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium delivered an absolutely wild ending. It left college football fans in total awe as Alabama pulled off a 27-24 win.
The fourth quarter of this game had a little bit of everything, but the real chaos hit with just shy of five minutes left. After the Crimson Tide had a three-and-out drive as they tried to take the lead from Auburn, they punted.
But Auburn cornerback Keionte Scott muffed the punt at the Tigers’ 30-yard line, and it was miraculously recovered by Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell, kicking off a new drive. The Crimson Tide made it to a first-and-goal situation at the seven-yard line.
DID THAT JUST HAPPEN?!
Alabama takes over! pic.twitter.com/r35rApaOF1
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) November 25, 2023
But on second down, Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe and the offense weren’t on the same page when the ball was snapped, and it flew back behind the line of scrimmage for an 18-yard loss, setting up third-and-goal from the 26-yard line.
Yikes.
Just one of the craziest finishes you will EVER see. pic.twitter.com/eEUJlDEF0w
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) November 26, 2023
Things got a little worse for the Crimson Tide — who need to win out to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive — when Milroe took the third-down snap but crossed the line of scrimmage before throwing. Alabama was dealt a penalty for the illegal forward pass, moving back to Auburn’s 31 and losing a down.
With the game on the line and 43 seconds on the clock, Milroe pulled off an incredible fourth-down pass to receiver Isaiah Bond for a 31-yard touchdown and a 27-24 lead with the extra point.
TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA ON 4TH AND A MILE!
UNREAL! pic.twitter.com/rX5XPRsuzV
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) November 26, 2023
But the game’s chaos didn’t end there.
Auburn’s subsequent kick return got a little more violent than usual and ignited a small scuffle among players — though no penalties were dealt.
And as the Tigers tried to rally for one last drive with just 26 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne was sacked for a 14-yard loss to their own one-yard line. Although Auburn managed to avoid a safety in a dangerous goal-line situation, it didn’t matter.
As the clock hit zero, Thorne’s pass was intercepted by Alabama defensive back Terrion Arnold.
GAME OVER.
"The craziest, most unbelievable final 40 seconds of football that maybe you'll ever see, unless you've been to The Iron Bowl before."
Alabama wins the 88th installment of the rivalry. pic.twitter.com/7toq4ryIeZ
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) November 26, 2023
PHEW.
Somehow, that all happened in the final five minutes, and college football fans couldn’t believe what they saw.
What a wild Iron Bowl ending! College football Twitter definitely thought so:
Down 24-20
43 seconds left
4th & Goal from the 31
Jalen Milroe: pic.twitter.com/Qdku8RwJLU
— no context college football (@nocontextcfb) November 26, 2023
Lmao the final 2 plays were an absolutely disasterclass for Auburn.
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) November 26, 2023
The stages of grief. #IronBowl pic.twitter.com/nJ9AQm8ouS
— Matt Schick (@ESPN_Schick) November 26, 2023
We just witnessed “The Game” & Iron Bowl come down to the final drive.
Absolutely epic day of College Football
— Alex Ansted (@AlexAnstedCFB) November 26, 2023
BAMA FANS AFTER THAT 4TH & GOAL TD 😱 pic.twitter.com/806MhR3zfH
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 25, 2023
Wow. Craziest finish to Iron Bowl since the Kick-6. Alabama’s prayer is answered. pic.twitter.com/4ZRkcd47DH
— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) November 26, 2023
IRON BOWL MAGIC 🤯@AlabamaFTBL x 📺 @CBSSports pic.twitter.com/fkzxGgEFZL
— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) November 26, 2023
Pick 6 to end the Kick 6 anniversary, cute!! #IronBowl pic.twitter.com/MvhdKN4rST
— Mattie-Lou Chandler (@MattieLouC) November 26, 2023
“It’s 4th and Goal on the 31-yard line and we gotta play Prevent defense to win the Iron Bowl. Can you do it?”
Auburn: pic.twitter.com/t0fgX77gL5
— Mylon I. Boston (@BostonSZN) November 26, 2023
The final 4 plays of Alabama/Auburn:
-4th & Goal from the 31 yard line converted for a TD
-Kick return that started a fight and took out a ref
-Fumble, recovered by lineman ball at the 1 yard line
-Pick 6The beautiful chaos of college football pic.twitter.com/H7Dir5rcxr
— A (@aidan_34_powers) November 26, 2023
Auburn the last 40 seconds of the iron bowl pic.twitter.com/qpSjZFZamf
— MK🎄 (@mknovaa2) November 26, 2023
ALABAMA GETS THE TD ON THE 4TH & GOAL FROM THE 31 YARD LINE ‼️‼️‼️‼️🤯 WHAT AN IRON BOWL. 🍿
(🎥: @AlabamaFTBL)pic.twitter.com/UceHg0Cw8J
— theScore (@theScore) November 26, 2023
THE IRON BOWL!!! WHAT AN UNREAL PLAY BY ALABAMA
— PFF College (@PFF_College) November 25, 2023
Auburn fans watching the last 40 seconds of Iron Bowl pic.twitter.com/DrBW1XG3fN
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) November 26, 2023
On Nov. 30, 2013, Chris Davis returned a missed FG 109 yards for a TD to beat Alabama.
It was coined the “Kick Six”.
Today, on the 10-year of the “Kick Six”, Jalen Milroe finds Isaiah Bond for a 31-yard TD on 4th & Goal.
The Iron Bowl rules. pic.twitter.com/pqbk7z1Dlt
— Ben Stevens (@BenScottStevens) November 26, 2023
“…unless you’ve been to the Iron Bowl before.”
A perfect way to describe this wacky, wild, wonderful rivalry
— The Transfer Portal CFB (@TPortalCFB) November 26, 2023
