Terrion Arnold Seals Iron Bowl With Interception on Final Play
AUBURN, Ala. — It seemed like the Jordan-Hare magic was at it again.
Late in the fourth quarter of the 88th Iron Bowl, Alabama trailed on the Plains. The Auburn offense, which looked inept just seven days ago against the likes of New Mexico State, had gashed Alabama all night long.
By the end of the game, the Tigers posted 337 yards of offense, 244 of which came on the ground. Auburn's offense exploded for big play after big play, and the Crimson Tide defense was back on its heels for the first time since facing Heisman frontrunner Jayden Daniels and LSU.
But late in the fourth quarter, the defense showed up, when it mattered most.
Auburn drove the ball down inside the Alabama 10-yard-line, holding a 24-20 lead about midway through the final stanza. The Crimson Tide defense bent, but it didn't break, holding to a field goal.
"We were down in the game, but we just kept fighting, from the start to the finish," defensive back Malachi Moore said. "Good plays, bad plays, we just regrouped on the sideline, at halftime, always staying positive talking to each other."
Alabama punted, but forced a punt after a short 5-play drive on the ensuing Auburn possession. The Tigers' shocking muffed punt followed, and then Jalen Milroe shocked the world with a 4th-and-31 touchdown to put the Crimson Tide ahead.
But the game wasn't over yet.
This was the Iron Bowl. Ten years ago, Auburn needed just one second to pull off a miraculous win in this very building. This time, they had 26 of those.
The Alabama defense was having none of it, though. Cornerback Terrion Arnold intercepted Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne on the final play of the game, and pandemonium ensued.
Alabama had won the football game, and everyone played a part in it.
"In my head I'm thinking, like, dang, I'm trying to make a play," Arnold said of the interception.
Arnold wanted to run the interception back for a touchdown, and thought he did, until his head coach had to give him the unfortunate news after the game.
"Coach Saban, he came and broke the news to me talking about some, 'you stepped out of bounds,'" Arnold said. "I definitely wanted a pick-six. They had Kick Six, I wanted pick six. But it's all right."
The 2013 Iron Bowl is one that Arnold remembers from his childhood, even with him not being from the state of Alabama. On the 10-year anniversary of the Kick Six, Auburn made sure to show replays on the video board throughout the game, and Arnold brought the play up multiple times after the game.
"I'll never forget, I was watching the game with my mom, I was ten years old," Arnold said. "I just remember the commentator saying 'There goes Davis,' now it's 'There goes Arnold.'"
Arnold held zero doubt that the massive win was one earned through the work they've put in all season.
"I felt like that went all the way back to the summer," Arnold said. "Coach Saban, you know back in the summer before we started fall camp, he replayed where LSU and Tennessee scored on the last play. That's just going through our mind and being cognizant, and focusing and keying in on what we had to do. We never lost faith, we prepared for moments like this."
And prepared, they were.
It's unbelievable what has taken place over the course of this Alabama football season, from the early season loss to Texas, to now being 11-1 with an SEC Championship matchup against Georgia on deck.
At this point, what can't this team accomplish?
