1976 Iron Bowl

1976-11-27

Birmingham, AL (Legion Field)

ALABAMA

Ranked #18

WINNER

AUBURN

Game Summary

The 1976 Iron Bowl was a showcase for the Alabama defense. #18 Alabama defeated Auburn 38-7 at Legion Field, thanks largely to a suffocating defensive performance led by cornerback Mike Tucker. Mike Tucker had a career day, recording two interceptions and four pass deflections. The Alabama defense forced multiple turnovers, giving their offense short fields. Quarterback Jeff Rutledge and running back Tony Nathan capitalized, turning the game into a rout in the second half. The win marked Alabama's fourth consecutive victory in the series. It was a bright spot in a season where Alabama had struggled early but found their rhythm down the stretch.

Series Snapshot

#41

Meeting of 90

23-17-1

Series after game

5-2-0

Record in the 1970s through this game

#11

Widest-margin rank

Before this meeting, the archive record stood at Alabama 22, Auburn 17, with 1 tie. The 1976 result moved it to Alabama 23, Auburn 17, with 1 tie.

This was the 7th listed Iron Bowl of the 1970s. Through this game, Alabama had 5 wins, Auburn had 2, and the decade included 0 ties.

The teams combined for 45 points, ranking #31 in total scoring among the 90 meetings in the current archive, with 4 games sharing that total. The 31-point margin ranks #11 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 1975 and the next was 1977.

Decisive Moment

Mike Tucker's two interceptions and defensive dominance stifled Auburn's offense.

Key Players

Mike Tucker (Alabama)

Jeff Rutledge (Alabama)

Tony Nathan (Alabama)

Phil Gargis (Auburn)

📜

Historical Deep Dive

The 1976 Iron Bowl was a showcase for the Alabama defense. #18 Alabama defeated Auburn 38-7 at Legion Field, thanks largely to a suffocating defensive performance led by cornerback Mike Tucker.

Turnover Machine

Mike Tucker had a career day, recording two interceptions and four pass deflections. The Alabama defense forced multiple turnovers, giving their offense short fields. Quarterback Jeff Rutledge and running back Tony Nathan capitalized, turning the game into a rout in the second half.

Fourth Straight

The win marked Alabama’s fourth consecutive victory in the series. It was a bright spot in a season where Alabama had struggled early but found their rhythm down the stretch. For Auburn, it was a disappointing end to a 3-8 season.

← Previous Game

1975

Alabama 28 - Auburn 0

Next Game →

1977

Alabama 48 - Auburn 21

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.