1965 Iron Bowl

1965-11-27

Birmingham, AL (Legion Field)

ALABAMA

Ranked #5

WINNER

AUBURN

Game Summary

The 1965 Iron Bowl was a critical step in Alabama's national championship run. #5 Alabama defeated Auburn 30-3 at Legion Field, dominating their in-state rival in every facet of the game. Quarterback Steve Sloan played one of the best games of his career, throwing three touchdown passes. He picked apart the Auburn secondary, showing that Alabama could win through the air as well as on the ground. The decisive victory impressed voters and kept Alabama in the hunt. Following losses by other top teams, Alabama's eventual Orange Bowl victory would vault them to #1.

Series Snapshot

#30

Meeting of 90

15-14-1

Series after game

5-1-0

Record in the 1960s through this game

#19

Widest-margin rank

Before this meeting, the archive record stood at Alabama 14, Auburn 14, with 1 tie. The 1965 result moved it to Alabama 15, Auburn 14, with 1 tie.

This was the 6th listed Iron Bowl of the 1960s. Through this game, Alabama had 5 wins, Auburn had 1, and the decade included 0 ties.

The teams combined for 33 points, ranking #59 in total scoring among the 90 meetings in the current archive, with 2 games sharing that total. The 27-point margin ranks #19 by size, shared by 3 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 1964 and the next was 1966.

Decisive Moment

Steve Sloan's three touchdown passes that dismantled the Auburn secondary.

Key Players

Steve Sloan (Alabama)

Paul Crane (Alabama)

Tommy Tolleson (Alabama)

Alex Bowden (Auburn)

📜

Historical Deep Dive

The 1965 Iron Bowl was a critical step in Alabama’s national championship run. #5 Alabama defeated Auburn 30-3 at Legion Field, dominating their in-state rival in every facet of the game.

Sloan’s Air Show

Quarterback Steve Sloan played one of the best games of his career, throwing three touchdown passes. He picked apart the Auburn secondary, showing that Alabama could win through the air as well as on the ground.

National Title Implications

The decisive victory impressed voters and kept Alabama in the hunt. Following losses by other top teams in the bowl games, Alabama’s eventual Orange Bowl victory over Nebraska would vault them from #4 to #1, making this Iron Bowl win a cornerstone of the 1965 National Championship.

← Previous Game

1964

Alabama 21 - Auburn 14

Next Game →

1966

Alabama 31 - Auburn 0

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.