1986 Iron Bowl

1986-11-29

Birmingham, AL (Legion Field)

ALABAMA

Ranked #7

17

VS

AUBURN

Ranked #14

21

WINNER

Game Summary

The 1986 Iron Bowl produced one of the most famous plays in Auburn history. Trailing 17-14 with under a minute to play, the Tigers faced a desperate situation. What followed—"The Rover"—stunned Legion Field and gave Auburn a 21-17 victory. Alabama had controlled the game, leading 17-7 in the fourth quarter. But Auburn clawed back with a Brent Fullwood touchdown run. With 32 seconds left, Auburn faced 2nd down from the 7-yard line. Quarterback Jeff Burger pitched the ball to running back Brent Fullwood, who then handed it to wide receiver Lawyer Tillman on a reverse. Tillman raced untouched into the corner of the end zone. The stadium erupted. The win denied Alabama a 10-win season and proved that under Pat Dye, Auburn was never out of a fight.

Decisive Moment

Lawyer Tillman's reverse touchdown run (The Rover) with 32 seconds left stunned Alabama.

Key Players

Lawyer Tillman (Auburn) ↗

Brent Fullwood (Auburn) ↗

Jeff Burger (Auburn)

Bobby Humphrey (Alabama)

📜

Historical Deep Dive

The 1986 Iron Bowl produced one of the most famous plays in Auburn history. Trailing 17-14 with under a minute to play, the Tigers faced a desperate situation. What followed—“The Rover”—stunned Legion Field and gave Auburn a 21-17 victory.

The Setup

Alabama had controlled the game, leading 17-7 in the fourth quarter. But Auburn clawed back with a Brent Fullwood touchdown run. With 32 seconds left, Auburn faced 2nd down from the 7-yard line.

The Play

Quarterback Jeff Burger pitched the ball to running back Brent Fullwood, who then handed it to wide receiver Lawyer Tillman on a reverse. Tillman raced untouched into the corner of the end zone. The stadium erupted. The win denied Alabama a 10-win season and proved that under Pat Dye, Auburn was never out of a fight.