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Iron Bowl: The Five Greatest Auburn Football Wins Over Alabama (With Video)

By Nicholas Ian Allen

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Nov 30, 2013; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers former running back Bo Jackson waves to fans during the first quarter of the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Jordan Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

1982: “Bo Over the Top”

It had been nearly a decade since the Auburn family had been able to celebrate a win in the Iron Bowl. They had suffered nine straight losses, which is the longest drought in series history.

The Tigers entered the game 7-3 following a confidence boosting 19-14 home loss to the top ranked Georgia Bulldogs two weeks earlier. Alabama was also 7-3 in Bear Bryant’s final season and the teams played once again at Legion Field in Birmingham and for a national television audience.

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    • Auburn led 14-13 at the half, but the Tigers were no match for Alabama’s powerful rushing attack and the Tide ran for a mind-boggling 507 yards. But, the Tigers had a true freshman running back named Bo Jackson.

    Jackson ran for 829 yards and nine touchdowns on 127 carries in 1982, but the most important and most famous came with the Tigers facing a fourth and goal at the Alabama one-yard line and trailing 22-16. Auburn lined up in a tight wishbone formation and handed to Jackson with two lead blockers. Instead of lowering his shoulder and following the others into the pile, Jackson soared into the air and across the goal line.

    “Bo over the top” gave the Tigers a 23-22 victory to snap the streak and also gave Dye his first win over the Crimson Tide as the Auburn football coach. At the time, and for many years to come, it was the greatest single play in Auburn football history.

    Jackson went on to help the Tigers win the 1983 SEC Championship and the dual-sport star won the 1985 Heisman Trophy before playing in the NFL and becoming a Major League All-Star.

    From the ESPN 30 for 30: You Don’t Know Bo:

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