1963 Iron Bowl

1963-11-30

Birmingham, AL (Legion Field)

ALABAMA

Ranked #6

AUBURN

Ranked #9

WINNER

Game Summary

The 1963 Iron Bowl was a stunning upset and a chaotic chapter in rivalry lore. #9 Auburn defeated #6 Alabama 10-8 at Legion Field, ending Alabama's hopes for an SEC title. Alabama quarterback Joe Namath led a late touchdown drive and converted a two-point conversion to cut the lead to 10-8, but it wasn't enough. Auburn's defense, led by Jimmy Burson and Bill Cody, held firm. The loss was compounded by controversy. Shortly after the game, Coach Bear Bryant suspended Joe Namath for the remainder of the season for violating team rules.

Series Snapshot

#28

Meeting of 90

13-14-1

Series after game

3-1-0

Record in the 1960s through this game

#80

Widest-margin rank

Before this meeting, the archive record stood at Alabama 13, Auburn 13, with 1 tie. The 1963 result moved it to Alabama 13, Auburn 14, with 1 tie.

This was the 4th listed Iron Bowl of the 1960s. Through this game, Alabama had 3 wins, Auburn had 1, and the decade included 0 ties.

The teams combined for 18 points, ranking #79 in total scoring among the 90 meetings in the current archive, with 2 games sharing that total. The 2-point margin ranks #80 by size, shared by 4 games.

This archive page combines verified game data with available rivalry context for the modern series record. In the surrounding chronology, the previous listed meeting was 1962 and the next was 1964.

Decisive Moment

Auburn's defense stopping Alabama's final drive to preserve the 10-8 upset.

Key Players

Joe Namath (Alabama) ↗

Mailon Kent (Auburn)

Tucker Frederickson (Auburn)

Benny Nelson (Alabama)

📜

Historical Deep Dive

The 1963 Iron Bowl was a stunning upset and a chaotic chapter in rivalry lore. #9 Auburn defeated #6 Alabama 10-8 at Legion Field, ending Alabama’s hopes for an SEC title and providing a major coup for Coach Shug Jordan.

The Game

Alabama quarterback Joe Namath led a late touchdown drive and converted a two-point conversion to cut the lead to 10-8, but it wasn’t enough. Auburn’s defense, led by Jimmy Burson and Bill Cody, held firm.

The Aftermath

The loss was compounded by controversy. Shortly after the game, Coach Bear Bryant suspended Joe Namath for the remainder of the season (including the Sugar Bowl) for violating team rules. It remains one of the most dramatic weeks in Alabama football history.

← Previous Game

1962

Alabama 38 - Auburn 0

Next Game →

1964

Alabama 21 - Auburn 14

Editorial note

Iron Bowl History separates verified game data from editorial interpretation. Scores, dates, and rivalry records are maintained from official records, media guides, game books, and contemporary accounts when available. See our sources and methodology page for correction standards.