Punt Bama Punt

Punt Bama Punt
Auburn Tigers Alabama Crimson Tide
(8–1) (10–0)
17 16
Head coach: 
Ralph Jordan		 Head coach: 
Paul Bryant
APCoaches
99
APCoaches
22
1234 Total
Auburn 00017 17
Alabama 0970 16
DateDecember 2, 1972
Season1972
StadiumLegion Field
LocationBirmingham, Alabama
FavoriteAlabama by 14[1]

Punt Bama Punt is the nickname given to the 1972 Iron Bowl football game between the Auburn Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide, in which Auburn blocked two Alabama punts and ran them back for touchdowns to win the game.

The game was played on December 2, 1972, at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. The 2nd-ranked and undefeated (10–0) Alabama team led by head coach Paul Bryant came into the game as a 14-point favorite[1] over the Ralph "Shug" Jordan-coached Tigers, 8–1. An Alabama win meant the Tide would earn a chance to play for the national championship against Texas in the upcoming Cotton Bowl. For the first three and a half quarters, the Tide seemed to have the game well in hand.

Alabama led 16–0 with ten minutes left in the game. With less than 10 minutes left, an Auburn drive stalled and managed only a field goal, which made it 16–3.[2] On the ensuing possession, Alabama was forced to punt. Auburn's Bill Newton blocked Greg Gantt's punt and his teammate David Langner ran the ball back 25 yards for an Auburn touchdown, narrowing the score to 16–10. Several minutes later, Alabama was forced to punt again. Like the previous time, Newton blocked the punt and Langner returned it for a touchdown. Gardner Jett kicked the extra point to give Auburn a 17–16 lead. With the clock winding down, Langner intercepted an Alabama pass to stop their attempted comeback.

In June 2007, Punt Bama Punt was ranked #55 by ESPN.com in its list of the 100 defining moments of college football.[3] In July 2007, CollegeFootballNews.com ranked the game #85 on its list of the 100 Greatest Finishes.[4] In August 2010, ESPN.com ranked the game as the 8th most painful outcome in college history.[5]

  1. ^ a b "Iron Bowl turns mortals into heroes". ESPN.go.com. November 19, 2004. Retrieved August 15, 2012.
  2. ^ "Ready, set, celebrate SEC's 75th: Today's No. 1". The Times Free Press. August 25, 2007. Archived from the original on January 16, 2010. Retrieved August 15, 2012.
  3. ^ Maisel, Ivan (June 25, 2007). "Iconic moments for college football's time capsule". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 2, 2007.
  4. ^ Fiutak, Pete (July 9, 2007). "100 Greatest Finishes - No. 81 to 90". CollegeFootballNews.com. Retrieved July 17, 2007.
  5. ^ "College Football: House of Pain". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 26, 2021.