#1 Alabama were 10-0 and #14 Auburn were 8-2 when they met at Legion Field on 1 December 1979, in front of 77,918. It was the last obstacle between Alabama and a perfect season, and for three quarters it did not look like a formality.
How the scoring ran
Auburn led 3-0 after the first quarter. Alabama went in at half-time 14-3 ahead, and led 17-12 after the third. The last eight points came in the fourth: a touchdown and a two-point conversion, which is the only way 25 points arrives from that position.
Steadman Shealy ran for 99 yards and two touchdowns and threw a third, 28 yards to Keith Pugh. Steve Whitman carried fourteen times for 107 yards. Auburn had the better-known backfield â Joe Cribbs ran for 98 yards here and passed 1,000 for the season, and James Brooks returned a kickoff 64 yards â and still lost.
âWe like to think the fourth quarterâs ours,â Bryant said afterwards, âand I believe it was.â
The best defence Bryant had
Alabama conceded 67 points across twelve games in 1979, an average of 5.6 a game. Auburnâs eighteen was the most anyone managed against them all season, and it was not enough.
An undisputed championship
Alabama beat Arkansas 24-9 in the Sugar Bowl to finish 12-0. Southern Californiaâs Rose Bowl win over Ohio State removed the only other unbeaten claim, and Alabama were named national champions by both wire services without dissent. It was Bryantâs sixth and last title, and the 1979 side is generally reckoned the best he had.
For Auburn it was a seventh consecutive defeat in the fixture. Two more followed before the run ended.