17. Auburn 28 vs. Alabama 18 – Nov. 19, 2005
Note: This game was #11 in the 2010 edition and #17 in the 2015 edition of this list.
How I Remember It: Sacks, sacks, and more sacks. Oh yeah, domination too. We all remember the 21-0 score at the end of the first quarter. We all remember Brodie laying on the ground for most of the game. We all remember the whooping that was the 2005 Iron Bowl.
I specifically remember the hype that surrounded Alabama. Everybody wanted their beloved, historical power to be back, especially Sports Illustrated. They did only have one loss, but Auburn was going for four in a row, and only had two losses on the season.
This was the most dominant performance by Auburn in an Iron Bowl in Jordan-Hare history. The Tigers made the previously once-beaten Tide look like they did for most of the 2000’s. This game was supposed to be a hard-nosed battle with both teams being ranked in the top-15, but Auburn shut down Alabama early and rode it out for the win.
Oh, this was also the game where Tommy did the whole four-fingers in the air thing. I remember actually watching him walk on the sideline and then throwing that four up. It was awesome.
What Really Happened: Auburn and Alabama both came into this game with one SEC loss, both losing to LSU. Auburn had the season-opening loss to Georgia Tech as well. Auburn was ranked 11th in the nation. Alabama was 8th.
All of the hype and anticipation for this game ended pretty quickly, as it was pretty much over after one quarter with Auburn scoring on their first three possessions. Ben Obomanu caught and rushed for two touchdowns, and Kenny Irons rushed for one more. The Auburn defense sacked Brodie five times in the first quarter as well.
The Tide would score after an Auburn fumble in the 2nd quarter, but Auburn answered with a Brandon Cox touchdown pass to Cole Bennett halfway through the quarter. At halftime, the score was 28-7.
Alabama added a field goal in the third quarter, and a touchdown with 2-point conversion in the 4th to make the final score 28-18. This prompted some Alabama fans to actually call for a 2nd half moral victory. “Well without that first quarter, we won.” Uh-huh…
Why did I pick this game? This was one of the most dominant performances in Iron Bowl history, which may cause some to ask why it’s as low as #11 on the list. My answer to that is “domination”. This is a list of the Top 30 Games in the last 30 years of Jordan-Hare, and there wasn’t really much of a game in this one. The first quarter was absolutely awesome, but I never felt worried, there was no nail-biting, and no comebacks. It was just a beatdown. The beatdown is what got this one on the list, but the domination is why it’s a little low.
Fun Facts: The Auburn defense sacked Brodie eleven times, seven in the first half alone. This was Auburn’s 6th win of their last seven games against top-10 teams.
Play of the Game: Ben Obomanu ran a reverse for a 45-yard touchdown to put the Tigers up 21-0 in the 1st quarter and put this one away only ten minutes into the game.
Player of the Game: Obomanu ran through the Tide defense scoring two touchdowns in the first quarter easily giving him the honor.
Quote of the Game: “I think they got full of themselves. They won some games this year by the skin of their teeth. We were watching it all year and we were like, ‘Man, these guys keep escaping.'” – Travis Williams
Game Story: ESPN
Game Highlights:
You can view the rest of the 2020 edition of this list here.
