Alabama beat Auburn with a fourth-down touchdown pass on the Plains again this year, but this time it didn’t require the same level of heroics.
The Crimson Tide didn’t need a 31-yard pass on fourth down this time around. It only needed two yards for the first down and six yards for the score.
Then on fourth-and-2 on the Auburn 6-yard line with 3:52 left, Ty Simpson found Isaiah Horton in the end zone for the game-winning score.
As a result, No. 10 Alabama beat Auburn 27-20 on Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
At the time of the decision to go for it on fourth down, a field goal would have given the Crimson Tide the lead. But Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer decided to put the ball in the hands of his offense.
“I figured it was 29 yards shorter than the last time we needed a touchdown here,” DeBoer said. “Probably the percentages were much more in our favor.”
Then DeBoer smiled.
He wasn’t the coach in 2023 when Alabama used a fourth-and-31 pass to beat the Tigers. Nick Saban was. But DeBoer found a way to slip in a reference anyway, paying homage to an iconic Iron Bowl play.
Then he further explained the decision to go for it.
“I feel like there’s a confidence you have in the offense to get the two yards,” DeBoer said. “We didn’t need to have a touchdown on that play, but we needed the two yards. But I think there’s also a piece where backed up like that, you have confidence in your defense. In that situation, you’ve got a chance to score. You’ve got a chance to get a stop. And then you also have a chance to maybe get the ball back again. … Just a lot of trust in our guys on both sides of the ball that we can get it done.”
DeBoer with the win improved to 2-0 in the Iron Bowl. Alabama will finish the regular season with a 10-2 record.
With the play, and the win, Alabama secured a spot in the SEC Championship Game. The Crimson Tide will face Georgia on Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Just like two years ago after Jalen Milroe hit Isaiah Bond in the back of the end zone to beat Auburn.
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