Ranking the most memorable Iron Bowl moments in Auburn football history

Ranking the most memorable Iron Bowl moments in Auburn football history

Some Sensational Sports Sevens from a native Alabamian who has been obsessing over these things for 50 years. This week, we rank the seven most memorable Iron Bowl moments in Auburn history. Once you’ve finished reading and think of something I missed, let me know at [email protected]. Your input may be included in a future Sensational Sports Seven.

Auburn running back Carnell “Cadillac” Williams started the 2003 Iron Bowl with an 80-yard touchdown run. (AP file)(AP Photo/Dave Martin)

7. Go crazy, Cadillac. Go crazy!: The Iron Bowl has featured all sorts of fantastic finishes. But the 2003 game undoubtedly began with the most memorable first play in series history. Auburn entered the game at Jordan Hare Stadium with three straight conference losses. But that was forgotten when Carnell “Cadillac” Williams took a handoff from Jason Campell on the opening play and raced 80 yards for a touchdown. He finished the game with 204 yards in a 28-23 win. As Williams celebrated in the end zone, Auburn play-by-play announcer Rod Blamblett delivered perhaps his most iconic call of “Go crazy, Cadillac. Go Crazy!” The play, the radio call and the career of Williams grew more significant when he took over as interim coach last season and restored a sense of pride in the program in the aftermath of the Bryan Harsin disaster.

6. Honk if you sacked Brodie: The Tigers arrived at the 2005 Iron Bowl ranked No. 11 and with an 8-2 record, while Alabama had won its first nine games and was ranked eighth. On the first play of the game, Auburn’s Wayne Dickens sacked Brodie Croyle. On the third play, Croyle was sacked by Quentin Groves. By the end of the game, Auburn had recorded 11 sacks on the way to a 28-18 victory. The win led to Auburn fans creating joyful noise pollution around the state with their “Honk if you sacked Brodie” bumper stickers.

5. Bo Over the Top: The Tigers had lost nine straight to the Crimson Tide and trailed 22-17 in the fourth quarter of the 1982 game. But the Tigers had freshman Bo Jackson, who dove over the top of the pile for the winning touchdown. Two weeks later, legendary Alabama coach Bear Bryant would retire, and the momentum in the series would finally shift to Auburn.

4. The Lutzie completes the Camback: Auburn won the 2010 national championship on the strength of the program’s greatest comeback – or Camback. Heisman Trophy quarterback Cam Newton led the Tigers back from a 24-0 deficit to win 28-27 at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The winning play was a seven-yard touchdown pass from Newton to Philip Lutzenkirchen, who celebrated with a dance that was as infectious as it was awkward. The play, which involved the tight end slipping all to the way across to the field undetected to the left corner of the end zone, is still known by football teams around the country as The Lutzie.