Former Auburn HC recalls where he was during all-time program moment

During the Kick Six, one of the all-time moments in not only the history of the Auburn football program and the Iron Bowl rivalry with Alabama but in the sport of college football as well, Gus Malzahn was right at the 50-yard line in the middle of it all — watching in disbelief like the rest of the world as Chris Davis took Adam Griffith’s missed field goal back 109 yards for a touchdown to break a 28-28 tie.

The current UCF head coach humorously recalled the legendary Plains moment on Twitter in response to the SEC Network’s share of the famous play during the network’s dedicated day to Auburn Athletics on July 3.

This was the second time in the last 13 months Malzahn has taken to social media to comment on AU’s 2013 Iron Bowl victory, answering the question “What’s the best play in college football you’ve seen in-person?” with “Kick Six.”

Auburn football victory over Alabama would’ve been more legendary if Nick Saban retired: Analyst

On August 19, 2022, The Athletic’s Andy Staples (subscription required) released a list of the 2000’s most legendary moment in college football, but the Kick Six was only ranked No. 6. The reason? Nick Saban didn’t retire afterward.

“The Kick Six, one of the most dramatic final plays in college football history, might have ranked higher on this list had Saban followed through on an impulse he had in the aftermath of the 34-28 Iron Bowl loss to the Tigers,” Staples wrote.

Of course, Saban has only added three more national titles to Alabama’s trophy total in the years since that Iron Bowl loss; though AU did defeat the Crimson Tide in two of those seasons. Had the Kick Six ended the Saban era in Tuscaloosa, or if the Tigers had won the 2013/2014 BCS title, there’d be no doubt the moment would be universally seen as college football’s most epic.

Even still, it has a damn good case.