1984 Iron Bowl

1984-12-01

Birmingham, AL (Legion Field)

ALABAMA

WINNER

AUBURN

Ranked #11

Game Summary

The 1984 Iron Bowl produced arguably the strangest play in the rivalry's history. An unranked, 4-6 Alabama team stunned #11 Auburn 17-15 at Legion Field, thanks largely to a navigational error by Bo Jackson. Late in the fourth quarter, Auburn trailed 17-15 but had driven to the Alabama 1-yard line on 4th down. They called a toss sweep to the right for Brent Fullwood. However, Bo Jackson, the lead blocker, ran to the left ("Wrong Way Bo"), leaving Fullwood exposed. Alabama linebacker Rory Turner crashed through the unblocked hole and tackled Fullwood for a loss. The defensive stand saved the game. The win was a massive upset for Alabama coach Ray Perkins.

Series Snapshot

#49

Meeting of 90

29-19-1

Series after game

3-2-0

Record in the 1980s through this game

#80

Widest-margin rank

Before this meeting, the archive record stood at Alabama 28, Auburn 19, with 1 tie. The 1984 result moved it to Alabama 29, Auburn 19, with 1 tie.

This was the 5th listed Iron Bowl of the 1980s. Through this game, Alabama had 3 wins, Auburn had 2, and the decade included 0 ties.

The teams combined for 32 points, ranking #61 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 1983 and the next was 1985.

Decisive Moment

Bo Jackson running the wrong way on a crucial 4th-and-goal block allowed Rory Turner to stop Brent Fullwood.

Key Players

Rory Turner (Alabama)

Bo Jackson (Auburn) ↗

Brent Fullwood (Auburn) ↗

Mike Shula (Alabama)

📜

Historical Deep Dive

The 1984 Iron Bowl produced arguably the strangest play in the rivalry’s history. An unranked, 4-6 Alabama team stunned #11 Auburn 17-15 at Legion Field, thanks largely to a navigational error by Bo Jackson.

The Play

Late in the fourth quarter, Auburn trailed 17-15 but had driven to the Alabama 1-yard line on 4th down. They called a toss sweep to the right for Brent Fullwood. However, Bo Jackson, the lead blocker, ran to the left (“Wrong Way Bo”), leaving Fullwood exposed. Alabama linebacker Rory Turner crashed through the unblocked hole and tackled Fullwood for a loss. The defensive stand saved the game.

A Ray Perkins Masterpiece

The win was a massive upset for Alabama coach Ray Perkins. It salvaged a losing season and denied Auburn a Sugar Bowl berth. It proved that in the Iron Bowl, records truly don’t matter.

← Previous Game

1983

Alabama 20 - Auburn 23

Next Game →

1985

Alabama 25 - Auburn 23

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.