Alabama wide receiver John Metchie III (8) catches a walk to people during the 4th overtime of an NCAA assemblage shot crippled to decision Auburn Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021, successful Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Pushed to the limits, Alabama delivered plays to observe successful a stadium that has produced a fewer devastating ones.
The effect was different unforgettable Iron Bowl.
John Metchie caught a scoring walk from Bryce Young successful the 4th overtime to springiness No. 3 Alabama a 24-22 comeback triumph implicit rival Auburn connected Saturday, rescuing the Crimson Tide’s nationalist rubric hopes.
It was the archetypal overtime successful the Iron Bowl.
“Wow, what a game,” Tide manager Nick Saban said.
Freshman Kool-Aid McKinstry tipped distant T.J. Finley’s walk successful the last OT and Young deed Metchie conscionable arsenic helium did successful the erstwhile one.
Alabama (11-1, 7-1 Southeastern Conference, No. 3 CFP) moves connected to look No. 1 Georgia successful the league title crippled with its College Football Playoff hopes connected the line. The Tigers (6-6, 3-5) dropped their 4th consecutive crippled aft smothering Young and the Tide’s prolific discourtesy astir of the way.
“After halftime, it conscionable seemed similar everybody was each successful and we were warring similar I’ve ne'er seen america combat each twelvemonth long,” Saban said. “Our players were arsenic blessed arsenic I’ve ever seen them aft the game.”
Young capped a 97-yard thrust with a 28-yard touchdown to freshman Ja’Corey Brooks — his 4th drawback and archetypal touchdown this play — with 24 seconds near successful regulation.
Young converted a fourth-and-7 to Jahleel Billingsley, followed by 2 incompletions nether unit for an discourtesy that had been held successful cheque for 59 minutes.
“It was crazy. It was crazy,” said Young, who passed for 317 yards and 2 touchdowns with an interception. “When you’re playing successful the Iron Bowl, what other are you expected to expect? Throughout each the ups and downs, adjacent that past drive, I person truthful overmuch religion successful my guys. My assurance ne'er wavered.”
There were times erstwhile it easy could person against an Auburn defence that was yielding little.
The Tigers had been trying to triumph their 3rd consecutive Iron Bowl astatine Jordan-Hare Stadium, and 4th successful 5 years. They astir pulled it off. Auburn had won with a Kick-Six (2013) and 2 pick-sixes (2019).
Fans didn’t get to tempest the tract this time.
“There was a batch of combat from our team,” first-year Auburn manager Bryan Harsin said. “I’m arrogant of our guys. I told them I was arrogant of their fight. … Our guys played hard and enactment ourselves successful a presumption to triumph the game. We conscionable came up short.”
The teams traded touchdowns and tract goals successful the archetypal overtime and some delivered scoring passes aft lining up from the 3 the archetypal time.
Alabama was without 2 of its apical violative players successful the overtime periods.
Tailback Brian Robinson was connected the sideline with an evident limb wounded sustained earlier successful the game. Star receiver Jameson Williams was ejected for targeting connected punt sum successful the archetypal half.
Held to 70 passing yards successful the archetypal half, Young finished 25 of 51, galore of the completions to Metchie.
Metchie caught 13 passes for 150 yards.
Auburn’s T.J. Finley, who started the last 2 games aft Bo Nix’s season-ending ankle injury, was 17 of 26 for 137 yards and a brace of touchdowns. He near the crippled astatine 1 constituent with a near ankle wounded and returned with it taped up.
“I truly couldn’t determination however I wanted to,” Finley said. “I’m a large guy, truthful I don’t truly determination arsenic overmuch anyway. When your ankle is benignant of bothering you … it forces you to basal successful the pouch and present large balls.”
Kicker Ben Patton, a sub for injured Anders Carlson, kept Auburn live with a 49-yard tract extremity successful the 2nd overtime.
Derick Hall had 3 sacks for the Tigers.
“When you travel down to the ligament similar that and don’t finish, it sucks,” Hall said. “It’s painful.”
THE TAKEAWAY
Alabama hardly looked acceptable to look the Bulldogs and the nation’s apical defence astir of the way. The Tide had 11 penalties for 129 yards and gave up 7 sacks a fewer days aft Saban called retired the fans for being captious due to the fact that his squad wasn’t blowing retired opponents.
Auburn’s defence played terrific and held connected for beloved beingness for a squad that had blown 2 consecutive double-digit leads. The home-field vantage continues to beryllium immense successful this aggravated rivalry adjacent if the Tigers fell abbreviated successful the end.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
Alabama had a accidental to determination up a spot aft No. 2 Ohio State fell 42-27 to fifth-ranked Michigan. The game-long conflict with an unranked squad makes that acold little certain.
UP NEXT
Alabama: Faces No. 1 Georgia successful the SEC Championship game.
Auburn: Awaits vessel destination.
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