Field Level Media
Nov 25, 2023
Jalen Milroe hit Isaiah Bond for a 31-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-goal with 32 seconds remaining to give No. 8 Alabama a 27-24 win against host Auburn on Saturday.
Alabama trailed 24-20 in the fourth quarter but got the ball at the Auburn 30-yard line with 4:48 remaining after recovering a muffed punt.
The Crimson Tide (11-1, 8-0 Southeastern Conference) converted a fourth-and-1 from the Auburn 10-yard line on a 3-yard run by Roydell Williams, but then on second down, a snap went past Milroe, who recovered it at the Auburn 26-yard line.
Facing a fourth-and-goal from the Auburn 31 after a penalty, Milroe threw a pass into the back left corner of the end zone to Bond, who snatched it out of the air for an improbable touchdown that turned out to be the winning score.
Milroe completed 16 of 24 passes for 259 yards with two TDs and no interceptions. He also rushed for 107 yards on 18 carries. Payton Thorne threw for 91 yards, a touchdown and two picks on 5-of-16 passing for the Tigers (6-6, 3-5).
Jarquez Hunter ran for 93 yards on 14 carries for Auburn.
Alabama scored first, taking a 7-0 lead with 10:53 remaining in the first quarter on a 2-yard touchdown run by Williams.
Auburn answered later in the first, tying the game at 7-7 on a 4-yard touchdown run by Damari Alston with 5:00 to go.
Following a 32-yard field goal by Will Reichard with 14:09 left in the second quarter that gave Alabama a 10-7 lead, Auburn grabbed a 14-10 lead on a 12-yard touchdown run by Ja'Varrius Johnson with 2:24 remaining in the second.
The lead was short-lived for Auburn, as Alabama took a 17-14 lead with 1:33 left in the second quarter on a 68-yard touchdown pass from Milroe to Jermaine Burton.
After Alabama took a 20-14 lead on a 22-yard field goal by Reichard, Auburn drove 75 yards in five plays and took a 21-20 lead on a 27-yard touchdown pass from Thorne to Johnson.
Auburn took a 24-20 lead with 10:15 remaining in the game on a 21-yard field goal by Alex McPherson.
--Field Level Media