One second. That’s all it was. One measly tick on the clock that Nick Saban practically begged the officials to put back on. He got his wish, and then he watched his national championship hopes evaporate in a blur of orange and blue. If you follow college football, you know the Auburn Alabama Kick Six isn't just a highlight; it’s a shared trauma for one side and a religious experience for the other.
Honestly, the context makes it even weirder than the play itself. It was November 30, 2013. Jordan-Hare Stadium was vibrating. Alabama was the undisputed king of the mountain, ranked No. 1 and looking for a three-peat. Auburn was the "team of destiny" under Gus Malzahn, coming off a miraculous "Prayer at Jordan-Hare" win against Georgia just two weeks prior. Nobody actually thought lightning would strike twice. But college football is stupid like that. It ignores logic.
The One Second That Changed Everything
Most people forget that the game was a total slugfest before the ending. It was 28-28. Alabama had a chance to put it away late, but T.J. Yeldon stepped out of bounds as the clock hit zero. Or did he? Saban sprinted toward the officials. He was adamant. He wanted that one second. After a booth review, the refs agreed. There was 0:01 left on the clock.
Alabama brought in freshman kicker Adam Griffith for a 57-yard field goal attempt. It was a massive ask. 57 yards is a poke for a pro, let alone a college kid in the most hostile environment on earth. But the Auburn Alabama Kick Six wasn't a fluke of physics; it was a failure of coaching strategy. Alabama used their regular field goal unit—big, slow linemen designed to protect the kicker, not to cover a return.
Why Chris Davis Was Back There
Gus Malzahn saw the distance and realized the kick might fall short. He put Chris Davis, his best returner, deep in the end zone. It’s a move coaches make all the time, but it almost never pays off. Usually, the kick goes through, or it goes wide and out of play.
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This one? It stayed in the air forever.
When the ball finally descended, it landed right in Davis’s arms about nine yards deep in the end zone. He paused. You can see it on the tape—he waits for a beat to see if he has a lane. The Alabama players were flat-footed. They expected the play to end with a whistle or a missed kick. Instead, they got a 109-yard nightmare.
The Anatomy of the Return
The roar. That’s what people talk about. If you listen to the radio call from Rod Bramblett—"There goes Davis! Oh my God!"—you can hear the stadium literally shaking the microphone. Davis headed up the left sideline. He caught a couple of crucial blocks, specifically from Robenson Therezie, who leveled an Alabama defender near the 40-yard line.
Suddenly, there was nobody left.
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Alabama’s massive linemen were gasping for air. They were trying to chase a sprinter in open space. It was a mismatch of epic proportions. As Davis crossed the 20, the Auburn bench started spilling onto the field before he even scored. It was chaos. Total, unadulterated sports gore.
Misconceptions About the Kick
- The kick was blocked: Nope. It was just short. Griffith actually hit it pretty straight, but 57 yards into a slight breeze is a monster.
- Davis stepped out: Bama fans have spent a decade squinting at low-res YouTube clips trying to prove his heel touched the white line at the 45. The SEC officials looked at it. He was in.
- It was all luck: Luck played a part, but Auburn practiced this. They called it "Cripple Cat," a specific drill for returning missed long field goals.
The Ripple Effect on College Football
The Auburn Alabama Kick Six didn't just end a game; it broke the BCS. If Alabama wins that game, they likely play Florida State for the title. Instead, Auburn went to the SEC Championship, smoked Missouri, and then headed to the final BCS National Championship game.
It also solidified the legend of the Iron Bowl. There is no rivalry like this. People in Alabama have lost jobs, ended marriages, and stopped speaking to siblings over this specific 13-second sequence of events. It represents the thin line between immortality and infamy.
Coaching Legacies
For Nick Saban, it was a rare moment of being out-maneuvered. He fought for the second that killed him. For Gus Malzahn, it was the peak of his career. He became the guy who could slay the dragon, even if only for a night.
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But let’s talk about Chris Davis. The guy wasn't even supposed to be the primary story that year. He was a solid corner, a good returner, but that one play made him a statue-worthy figure in Auburn lore. He can't walk into a restaurant in Lee County without someone trying to buy him a steak.
What We Can Learn From the Madness
If you're looking for a takeaway from the Auburn Alabama Kick Six, it’s that details matter. Coaching isn't just about the 60 minutes; it's about the contingency for the 61st minute.
- Preparation over Panic: Auburn had a plan for a missed kick. Alabama didn't have a plan for a return.
- The Danger of "The One Second": Sometimes, getting exactly what you want is the worst thing that can happen to you.
- Special Teams Win Championships: Or in this case, they lose them.
The game changed the way coaches think about long field goals at the end of halves. Now, you almost always see a "prevent" style return unit if a team tries a 50+ yarder. Nobody wants to be the next Alabama.
To really appreciate the gravity of the Auburn Alabama Kick Six, you have to look at the stats. Alabama outgained Auburn 495 to 393. They had more first downs. They controlled the clock. On paper, Alabama won that game. But football isn't played on paper. It’s played in the dirt, in the noise, and in that weird, flickering space where a missed kick becomes a 109-yard sprint to glory.
If you ever find yourself in Auburn, go to Toomer's Corner. They still talk about the 2013 Iron Bowl like it happened yesterday. The trees might be different, and the players are long gone, but that one second still hangs in the air, reminding everyone that in the SEC, nothing is ever actually over.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
- Study the "Cripple Cat" Drill: If you're a coach at any level, incorporate a missed-field-goal return drill into your special teams circuit. It happens once a decade, but when it does, it's the difference between a win and a loss.
- Watch the High-Angle Film: To truly understand the blocking, find the "All-22" footage of the return. It shows how Auburn’s wall formed near the 30-yard line, which is the real reason Davis made it to the end zone.
- Respect the Kicker: Don't blame Adam Griffith. A 57-yarder is a low-percentage play. The failure was in the kick coverage, not the leg.