Victory Gives Tigers Spot in SEC Title Game

AUBURN, Ala. — Add another amazing Iron Bowl to the history books. And cement Jaret Holmes’ name into the annals of Auburn-Alabama lore.

Holmes kicked a 39-yard field goal with 15 seconds remaining Saturday night to give No. 13 Auburn an 18-17 victory over Alabama in a game that had seemed lost for the Tigers moments earlier.

Auburn, 9-2 overall, 6-2 in the Southeastern Conference, clinched its first SEC West title. Despite its best effort of the season, Alabama (4-7, 2-6) finished with its worst record since 1957.

After booting his fourth field goal of the game, Holmes pumped his fist and dropped to both knees, facing the screaming student section at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

It was the first Iron Bowl to be decided by a last-second field goal since Alabama’s Van Tiffin beat Auburn with a 52-yarder in 1985.

“It can’t get any better than this,” said Holmes, who had not faced a game-winning situation in his two years at Auburn. “Coach Bowden wondered if I could do this, but I wasn’t scared at all. It was the biggest kick of my life.”

Yet incredibly, after it sailed through, there was one more chance for Alabama.

Tide fullback Ed Scissum returned the ensuing squib kick 25 yards. A 15-yard facemask penalty brought the ball to the Auburn 40, but A.J. Diaz’s 57-yard field goal attempt fell well short as time expired and the crowd of 85,214 celebrated wild again.

The goalposts came down about 20 minutes later as Auburn improved to 4-0 at home and 26-35-1 overall against its fiercest rival.

“It was one for the record books, one for the museum,” Auburn Coach Terry Bowden said. “It was the best kind of win we could have hoped for in this kind of traditional game.”

It was a turnabout from last year, when Alabama scored late to defeat Auburn, 24-23.

Leading, 17-15, with less than two minutes left and sitting at its 36, Alabama was a punt away from pinning Auburn deep and leaving the game to a surprisingly recharged defense.

But Scissum fumbled a third-down reception from Freddie Kitchens and it was recovered by Quinton Reese at the 33. Auburn gained 11 yards over the next four plays to set up the game-winner from Holmes.