Alabama Rallies, Beats Auburn in 4OT to Remain Playoff Hopefuls

As Alabama took the field on its own 3-yard line with 1:32 remaining, the gravity of the moment had to be weighing on the Tide. The defending champions were 92 seconds away from their second loss of the season, with no two-loss team ever making it to the College Football Playoff.

In 12 plays and 97 yards, Alabama found the end zone for the first time all game and evened up the score. Four overtimes later, the Tide brought Jordan-Hare Stadium to a defeated hush.

No. 2 Alabama rallied to a wild 24–22 win in quadruple overtime, defeating Auburn in Jordan-Hare for the first time since 2015 and keeping its playoff hopes firmly intact after struggling to do much of anything against an inspired Tigers defense. Quarterback Bryce Young found wide receiver John Metchie III for the decisive two-point conversion after the two sides went back-and-forth in the first three overtime periods.

Auburn led, 10–3, with the ball and under two minutes left, but was unable to pick up a first down to run out the clock. A punt gave Alabama the ball at its own 3-yard line with 1:32 and no timeouts remaining. Young engineered a 12-play, 97-yard drive capped by a 28-yard touchdown pass to Ja'Corey Brooks with 24 seconds remaining. Young was 4-for-10 on the drive for 85 yards while adding 12 yards on the ground.

Each team scored a touchdown on its first overtime possession, then traded field goals in the second. Both sides scored on their two-point attempts in the third overtime, but Auburn quarterback TJ Finley's pass in the fourth OT was broken up in the end zone. This was the first overtime game in the history of the Iron Bowl.

Auburn's front seven hounded Young all game long, sacking the Heisman hopeful seven times. The Tigers held the Tide to a just 71 rushing yards on 37 attempts, an average of 1.9 yards per carry. The Alabama defense was even more dominant, limiting Auburn to a mere 159 total yards.

No two-loss team has ever made the playoff since the CFP's inception in 2014. Alabama will face unbeaten No. 1 Georgia next week in the SEC championship game. Georgia has not beaten Alabama since Sept. 22 2007, with the Tide winning the last six meetings.

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