Alabama’s largest win over Auburn since the 1948 renewal came in Joe Namath’s sophomore season, and it was over before half-time.
Six ways to score
George Wilson returned the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown. Namath ran 17 yards for a second, and Bill Battle fell on a blocked punt in the Auburn end zone for a third: 21-0 at the interval. In the third quarter Namath threw 15 yards to Cotton Clark and Tim Davis kicked a 39-yard field goal, and in the fourth Namath found Richard Williamson from 16 yards. Kickoff return, rushing touchdown, blocked punt, two touchdown passes and a field goal — Alabama scored six different ways and conceded nothing.
Lee Roy Jordan’s last season
Jordan was a senior in 1962 and an All-American, and the Alabama defence he anchored shut Auburn out for the second consecutive year. Across 1961 and 1962 Auburn played Alabama twice and did not score.
Where it left both sides
Alabama went to 10-1 and finished fifth in the final Associated Press poll after beating Oklahoma 17-0 in the Orange Bowl on 1 January 1963. The one defeat, to Georgia Tech, had cost them a second consecutive national title. Auburn finished 6-3-1 in Shug Jordan’s twelfth season.
The 38-point margin was the largest Alabama had beaten Auburn by since the 1948 renewal, and it stayed that way until 2012.