2021 Iron Bowl

2021-11-27

Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn, AL

ALABAMA

Ranked #2

24

WINNER

VS

AUBURN

22

Attendance: 87,451

Game Summary

The 2021 Iron Bowl was a defensive struggle that morphed into an instant classic, becoming the first game in the rivalry's history to go to overtime—let alone four of them. #3 Alabama entered the game as heavy favorites but was completely stifled by a ferocious Auburn pass rush that sacked Bryce Young seven times. Trailing 10-3 with under two minutes to play and 97 yards of field ahead of them, Young orchestrated a legendary game-tying drive. He connected with Ja'Corey Brooks for a 28-yard touchdown with 24 seconds remaining to force overtime at 10-10. After trading touchdowns in the first overtime and field goals in the second, the game moved to a two-point conversion shootout. In the fourth overtime, Alabama's defense denied Auburn, setting the stage for the winner. Young found John Metchie III in the end zone for the decisive conversion, giving Alabama a heart-stopping 24-22 victory. The win preserved Alabama's SEC West title hopes and paved the way for Young's Heisman Trophy campaign.

Decisive Moment

Bryce Young's pass to John Metchie III in the fourth overtime sealed the 24-22 victory.

Key Players

Bryce Young (Alabama) ↗

John Metchie III (Alabama)

Roger McCreary (Auburn)

T.J. Finley (Auburn)

📜

Historical Deep Dive

The 2021 Iron Bowl was the first game in the history of the storied rivalry to go to overtime—and it didn’t settle for just one. The four-overtime epic at Jordan-Hare Stadium was a defensive slugfest that morphed into a heart-stopping shootout, defining Bryce Young’s Heisman campaign and saving Alabama’s playoff hopes.

The Defensive Struggle

For 58 minutes, Alabama played one of its worst offensive games of the Nick Saban era. The Auburn pass rush, fueled by a relentless crowd, sacked Bryce Young seven times and held the Crimson Tide to exactly zero points through three quarters. Alabama trailed 10-0 in the fourth quarter, and their offense looked completely broken. A field goal cut it to 10-3, but time was running out.

The Drive (97 Yards to History)

With 1:35 remaining and no timeouts, Alabama took over at their own 3-yard line. What followed was legendary. Bryce Young, displaying the poise that would win him the Heisman, engineered a 12-play, 97-yard march. He converted a critical 4th-and-short, scrambled for key yards, and finally found freshman Ja’Corey Brooks for a 28-yard touchdown with just 24 seconds left. The silence at Jordan-Hare was deafening.

Overtime Chaos

Regulation ended 10-10.

1st OT: Both teams scored touchdowns (Alabama’s Slade Bolden, Auburn’s Landen King).
2nd OT: Both teams kicked field goals.
3rd OT: The new rule (2-point conversions only) kicked in. Both teams converted.
4th OT: Auburn failed. Alabama needed a score to win. Bryce Young rolled right and fired a strike to John Metchie III in the slide of the end zone.

Game over. Alabama 24, Auburn 22. It was an escape act that kept Alabama’s destination set for the National Championship game.