Editor's Note: This page was previously framed as an oral history. It has been revised as a source-based reconstruction because Iron Bowl History does not have original interview transcripts for the attributed voices that appeared in the older version.
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.
That choice is the hinge of the play. A long field goal at the edge of a kicker's range can either end the game or create a live-ball return with unusual spacing, because the coverage unit is made of field-goal personnel rather than kickoff specialists.
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 remains the Iron Bowl's clearest example of how the rivalry compresses an entire season into a single decision. Alabama was close enough to win the game with one swing of the leg. Auburn was prepared for the only counterpunch left.
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.
How The Archive Treats The Play
This page avoids presenting invented first-person memories because Iron Bowl History does not have original interview transcripts from the players, coaches or broadcasters involved. The better archive format is a reconstruction: score, clock, ranking context, field position, source notes and an explanation of why the decision mattered.
That distinction is important for search quality and for readers. The Kick Six has been described in countless ways over the years, but a reliable reference page should separate the verified sequence from later mythology. The verified sequence is already dramatic enough: a tied game, one second restored, a long field-goal attempt, a returner stationed deep, and a touchdown as time expired.
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, which had been chasing another perfect regular season, left Jordan-Hare with one of the most discussed losses of the Nick Saban era. The result did not need exaggeration to matter; the official path of both teams changed immediately.
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 archive value is also procedural. The final play shows why time, timeout usage, field-goal range and return alignment matter as much as the box score. A reader can understand the result only by seeing how those details lined up before the ball was snapped.
Sources reviewedExpand
Reference notes
MethodologyUpdated May 12, 2026: This article was revised to remove unsourced first-person quote blocks. Factual claims are checked against the sources above; legacy sections are editorial analysis.
Used for the game sequence, final score, and immediate postgame context.
Used to verify Auburn's 2013 results, the Alabama game listing, and postseason path.