The Stakes
The 2013 Iron Bowl matched No. 1 Alabama against No. 4 Auburn with the SEC West on the line. Alabama was pursuing another national-title run under Nick Saban, while Auburn had surged from a 3-9 season in 2012 into Gus Malzahn's first-year turnaround.
The game was tied 28-28 in the final minute after Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall found Sammie Coates for a late touchdown. Alabama answered by moving into long field-goal range, and a replay review put one second back on the clock.
The Decision
Alabama sent freshman kicker Adam Griffith out for a 57-yard attempt. Auburn placed Chris Davis deep in the end zone, protecting against the possibility that the kick would fall short and become returnable.
A long kick that falls short can be returned. Alabama's field-goal unit then had to defend a return across the length of the field.
The Return
Griffith's kick came up short. Davis caught it near the back of the end zone and returned it down the sideline for a touchdown as time expired. The official scoring line lists the play as a 100-yard missed field-goal return, while Auburn's and popular accounts often describe the full run as 109 yards because Davis fielded the ball deep in the end zone.
The return gave Auburn a 34-28 win, sent the Tigers to the SEC Championship Game, and ended Alabama's bid for a perfect regular season.
Why It Endured
The Kick Six decided the SEC West race in the final second of a tied game. Alabama tried to win with a long field goal; Auburn positioned Davis to return a short kick.
Its legacy is not only the touchdown. It is the combination of stakes, clock, field position, and tactical choice: one second, a tie game, a long field goal, and an Auburn returner waiting where most plays would already be over.
What Changed Afterward
Auburn's win sent the Tigers to the SEC Championship Game and kept alive a season that reached the BCS National Championship Game. Alabama's perfect regular-season bid ended at Jordan-Hare.
In the longer rivalry record, the game became a reference point for how end-of-game special teams can alter postseason history. That is why the play still belongs beside other Iron Bowl turning points such as Punt Bama Punt, Bo Over the Top and the 2021 overtime finish.
The final play turned on the remaining time, field-goal range and Davis's position deep in the end zone.