As the 2019 season quickly approaches I’m taking the time to reflect on some of my favorite Auburn moments. Tonight I reflect on “the Miracle in Jordan Hare.”
If you were in Jordan Hare Stadium on the evening of November 16, 2013 then you experienced the true feeling of a prayer answered.
Fall 2013 was the first semester of my sophomore year at Auburn. The Tigers were returning with a new head coach and quarterback after an abysmal 3-9 season shrouded in controversy. Tensions were extremely high on the Plains back in those days. That spring SGA had a board on the concourse and invited students to leave comments on. Most comments read, “FIRE JAY JACOBS.”
Fire Jay Jacobs. #wareagle pic.twitter.com/8r47Z3pz
— FakeJayJacobs (@FireJayJacobs) November 11, 2012
As students we had no idea what to expect heading into 2013, but our curiosity was piqued when we witnessed Nick Marshall hit CJ Uzomah for the game winning touchdown with ten seconds remaining against Mississippi State. In that moment the Tigers’ 10 game SEC losing streak ended and Auburn people had renewed hope.
On November 16th the Georgia Bulldogs traveled to Jordan Hare led by veteran quarterback Aaron Murray and running back legend Todd Gurley. Even though the Tigers were 9-1 and had the momentum going into the game critics still refused to buy into the hype of the 2013 team. The college football world refused to see the same Auburn football team that we saw as students. It was time to send a message.
After leading 27-10 at the half we were all reduced to emotional wrecks by the fourth quarter because with 1:49 seconds remaining in the game Georgia took the lead 38-37. Sound crazy? Yes, yes it was. Those were the Ellis Johnson days. They were torture.
With 0:36 left we found ourselves staring down a 4th and 18 situation. The moment of opportunity felt fleeting and as Auburn and Georgia both took timeouts it felt as if time was standing still. Nobody in that stadium’s heart rate was normal at that time and shakers were being snapped. Students were kneeling in prayer in the stands. Anxiety had taken human form.
That’s why they call what happened next “the Miracle in Jordan Hare.”
In all honesty I was kneeling in prayer when both teams returned to the field after Georgia took a timeout. It was all I could do to keep myself from having a heart attack. When play started I slowly peered above the shoulders in front of me. I saw Nick Marshall stand in the pocket, I saw him step up, and I saw him launch a missile.
Jordan Hare fell silent while that ball sailed through mid air.
The ball was under thrown but was deflected off of the hands of TWO Georgia defenders (one of whom would later transfer to Auburn, s/o to Tray Matthews) and landed in the hands of Ricardo Louis. I still have no idea how he caught that. Maybe there was an angel in the end zone to answer our prayer?
The after roar was the loudest I’d ever heard (until 2 weeks later of course) and I don’t need a seismologist to tell me that the stadium was shaking. Nobody knew a stranger in Auburn that night. Everyone was united in jubilation in the 334 that night.
At that moment Auburn football was back. The scar of a 3-9 season was erased with the new blood of success and excitement. A prayer was answered.