1949 Iron Bowl

1949-12-03
Birmingham, AL (Legion Field)
ALABAMA
0
13
VS
AUBURN
0
14
WINNER

Game Summary

The 1949 Iron Bowl is one of the biggest upsets in series history. An Auburn team that had won only one game all year (1-4-3) stunned favored Alabama 14-13. Auburn took an early lead on a Johnny Wallis interception return. The game came down to the wire. Alabama scored late to make it 14-13, but the usually reliable Ed Salem missed the extra point that would have tied the game. The victory was a massive morale boost for Auburn.

Decisive Moment

Ed Salem's missed extra point late in the game that preserved Auburn's 14-13 upset win.

Key Players

Travis Tidwell (Auburn)
Johnny Wallis (Auburn)
Ed Salem (Alabama)
Butch Avinger (Alabama)
📜

Historical Deep Dive

The 1949 Iron Bowl is one of the biggest upsets in series history. An Auburn team that had won only one game all year (1-4-3) stunned heavily favored Alabama 14-13.

The Missed kick

Auburn took an early lead on a Johnny Wallis interception return. The game came down to the wire. Alabama scored late to make it 14-13, but the usually reliable Ed Salem missed the extra point that would have tied the game.

A Program Saver

The victory was a massive morale boost for Auburn. It prevented a disastrous season from being a total failure and proved that in the Iron Bowl, records truly don’t matter.