Looking Back on Auburn's 'Prayer at Jordan-Hare' Against Georgia

This desperation play lifted Auburn not just to a win over Georgia, but also helped lift them to an appearance in the BCS National Championship

Look back at a moment that helped Auburn reach the BCS National Championship | John Reed-Imagn Images

AUBURN, Ala.- With the renewal of the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry on Saturday, Auburn Tigers on SI rewinds the clock to go in depth on Auburn's 2013 victory over the Bulldogs. 

In the 2013 matchup, Auburn entered the matchup ranked at the No.7 spot and Georgia ranked No.25 in the AP Poll. The quarterback leading the Tigers was Nick Marshall, a defensive back turned quarterback at Auburn. The Tigers jumped out to a 27-10 halftime lead with touchdowns from Corey Grant and Tre Mason, finding the endzone twice. Auburn Kicker Cody Parkey added field goals from 22, 35 and 36, respectively, in the first half of that game. 

Although the Bulldogs were down 17 at halftime, they did not quit, coming out of halftime and scoring a touchdown on a 10-play 75-yard drive. However, the Tigers responded immediately with their own 7-play 77-yard drive, which only took 2:14 total off the game clock. 

After that touchdown, the Tigers were not able to reach the end zone again until the fourth quarter. The third quarter of the game was rather quiet after both teams scored on their initial drives, with neither team scoring after those drives for the rest of the quarter. However, the fourth quarter is where things got interesting.

In the fourth, the Bulldogs scored 21 unanswered points after an Auburn field goal, giving them a 38-37 lead with 1:49 left in the game. The Auburn crowd was stunned that their team allowed the Bulldogs to not only come back, but to take the lead. But Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall did not back down from the challenge. 

The Tigers were not in a favorable position. It looked like the Tigers were about to lose the game based on how the game was going. On the first down of the ensuing drive after picking up a first down, Nick Marshall completed a pass that lost two yards, then Marshall threw an incomplete deep ball. 

Auburn started at a third down and long. When Nick Marshall was trying to buy time so that his receivers could get downfield, he was brought down by a Bulldog defensive lineman, which then put the Tigers in a 4th and 18. Then, the real magic happened. 

On 4th and 18, the Bulldogs only rushed three, which gave Nick Marshall more than enough time to get the ball off. When he threw it downfield, there was a single Auburn receiver, Ricardo Louis, and three Georgia defenders in the area, not the odds you want if you’re an Auburn fan. 

However, the Georgia defenders, instead of intercepting or batting the ball down, tipped the pass directly into the hands of Ricardo Louis, and the rest is history. The play was a 73-yard touchdown pass from Nick Marshall, which put the Tigers back in front 43-38 with 25 seconds left in the game. 

November 16, 2013: The Prayer at Jordan Hare.

Auburn 43 Georgia 38.

Rod Bramblett and Stan White on the call. pic.twitter.com/40tyTDZeif

— This Day In Sports Clips (@TDISportsClips) November 16, 2023

Although the play became known as “The Prayer at Jordan-Hare”, the Bulldogs also did not back down. The Bulldogs drove immediately down the field with big plays and eventually were left with three seconds on the game clock on the Auburn 20-yard line. Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray danced around the pocket to buy time, but was absolutely clobbered by an Auburn defensive lineman to end the game. Auburn went on to become the SEC Champions that year and had a national championship appearance later that season. 

Auburn is set to yet again host the Bulldogs, where they are hoping to pull out a victory over the Bulldogs for the first time since 2017. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on ABC.