College Football

No. 3 Alabama rallies late, survives 4 OTs to beat Auburn

Published

5 years ago

November 28, 2021

AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Pushed to the limits, Alabama delivered plays to celebrate in a stadium that has produced a few devastating ones.

The result was another unforgettable Iron Bowl.

John Metchie caught a scoring pass from Bryce Young in the fourth overtime to give No. 3 Alabama a 24-22 comeback victory over rival Auburn on Saturday, rescuing the Crimson Tide’s national title hopes.

It was the first overtime in the Iron Bowl.

“Wow, what a game,” Tide coach Nick Saban said.

Freshman Kool-Aid McKinstry tipped away T.J. Finley’s pass in the final OT and Young hit Metchie just as he did in the previous one.

Alabama (11-1, 7-1 Southeastern Conference, No. 3 CFP) moves on to face No. 1 Georgia in the league championship game with its College Football Playoff hopes on the line. The Tigers (6-6, 3-5) dropped their fourth straight game after smothering Young and the Tide’s prolific offense most of the way.

“After halftime, it just seemed like everybody was all in and we were fighting like I’ve never seen us fight all year long,” Saban said. “Our players were as happy as I’ve ever seen them after the game.”

Young capped a 97-yard drive with a 28-yard touchdown to freshman Ja’Corey Brooks — his fourth catch and first touchdown this season — with 24 seconds left in regulation.

Young converted a fourth-and-7 to Jahleel Billingsley, followed by two incompletions under pressure for an offense that had been held in check for 59 minutes.

“It was crazy. It was crazy,” said Young, who passed for 317 yards and two touchdowns with an interception. “When you’re playing in the Iron Bowl, what else are you supposed to expect? Throughout all the ups and downs, even that last drive, I have so much faith in my guys. My confidence never wavered.”

There were times when it easily could have against an Auburn defense that was yielding little.

The Tigers had been trying to win their third straight Iron Bowl at Jordan-Hare Stadium, and fourth in five years. They nearly pulled it off. Auburn had won with a Kick-Six (2013) and two pick-sixes (2019).

Fans didn’t get to storm the field this time.

“There was a lot of fight from our team,” first-year Auburn coach Bryan Harsin said. “I’m proud of our guys. I told them I was proud of their fight. … Our guys played hard and put ourselves in a position to win the game. We just came up short.”

The teams traded touchdowns and field goals in the first overtime and both delivered scoring passes after lining up from the 3 the first time.

Alabama was without two of its top offensive players in the overtime periods.

Tailback Brian Robinson was on the sideline with an apparent leg injury sustained earlier in the game. Star receiver Jameson Williams was ejected for targeting on punt coverage in the first half.

Held to 70 passing yards in the first half, Young finished 25 of 51, many of the completions to Metchie.

Metchie caught 13 passes for 150 yards.

Auburn’s T.J. Finley, who started the final two games after Bo Nix’s season-ending ankle injury, was 17 of 26 for 137 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He left the game at one point with a left ankle injury and returned with it taped up.

“I really couldn’t move how I wanted to,” Finley said. “I’m a big guy, so I don’t really move as much anyway. When your ankle is kind of bothering you … it forces you to stand in the pocket and deliver great balls.”

Kicker Ben Patton, a sub for injured Anders Carlson, kept Auburn alive with a 49-yard field goal in the second overtime.

Derick Hall had three sacks for the Tigers.

“When you come down to the wire like that and don’t finish, it sucks,” Hall said. “It’s painful.”

THE TAKEAWAY

Alabama hardly looked ready to face the Bulldogs and the nation’s top defense most of the way. The Tide had 11 penalties for 129 yards and gave up seven sacks a few days after Saban called out the fans for being critical because his team wasn’t blowing out opponents.

Auburn’s defense played terrific and held on for dear life for a team that had blown two straight double-digit leads. The home-field advantage continues to be huge in this intense rivalry even if the Tigers fell short in the end.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Alabama had a chance to move up a spot after No. 2 Ohio State fell 42-27 to fifth-ranked Michigan. The game-long struggle with an unranked team makes that far less certain.

UP NEXT

Alabama: Faces No. 1 Georgia in the SEC Championship game.

Auburn: Awaits bowl destination.

Central Florida News

USF Defeats UAB 30–10, Secures Fourth Consecutive Bowl-Eligible Season

Published

1 week ago

November 3, 2026

NISEY LOU S.

C.J. Hicks (#1) USF defensive end lines up before the snap during the Bulls’ 30–10 victory over UAB at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on October 31, 2026. Photo by Nisey Spruill / Florida National News

Bulls overcome early deficit behind defensive touchdowns and a record-tying performance from C.J. Hicks.

TAMPA, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — The University of South Florida (USF) secured its sixth victory of the season Saturday, October 31, defeating the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) 30–10 at Raymond James Stadium. The victory improved the Bulls’ record to 6–2 overall and 2–2 in American Conference play, making the program bowl-eligible for the fourth consecutive season.

Defense Turns the Game Around

UAB opened the game with a 10–0 first-quarter lead, but South Florida responded with 30 unanswered points, highlighted by two defensive touchdowns.

Defensive end C.J. Hicks delivered one of the game’s most significant performances, recording four sacks to tie the USF single-game record. Two of those sacks forced fumbles that resulted in touchdowns.

Late in the second quarter, Hicks forced a fumble by UAB quarterback Ryder Burton, allowing USF defender Asani Redwood to recover the football and return it six yards for a touchdown. The play gave South Florida a 17–10 halftime lead.

Asani Redwood and UAB #71 UAB defensive lineman #71 attempts to tackle USF’s Asani Redwood during the October 31, 2026, matchup at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Photo by Nisey Spruill / Florida National News

Hicks created another scoring opportunity in the fourth quarter, forcing a second fumble that linebacker Grayson Howard recovered and returned 13 yards for a touchdown, extending USF’s lead to 27–10.

South Florida’s defense finished with six sacks and 11 tackles for loss, limiting UAB to just 177 total offensive yards, including 17 rushing yards.

Offensive Adjustments Provide Momentum

Following an injury to starting quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr., sophomore Luke Kromenhoek entered the game and helped shift momentum in South Florida’s favor.

Luke Kromenhoek (#17) USF quarterback Luke Kromenhoek (#17) carries the football while facing pressure from a UAB defender during the Bulls’ 30–10 victory at Raymond James Stadium on October 31, 2026. Photo by Nisey Spruill / Florida National News

Kromenhoek finished with a career-high 92 rushing yards, including a 42-yard run that helped establish the Bulls’ offensive rhythm.

Running back Jason Collins Jr. added a six-yard rushing touchdown late in the second quarter to tie the game at 10–10.

Kicker Nico Gramatica contributed three field goals, connecting from 31, 30 and 33 yards to help secure the victory.

Bowl Eligibility Marks Another Program Milestone

With its sixth win, South Florida secured bowl eligibility for the fourth consecutive season, matching the second-longest such streak in program history.

The accomplishment allows USF to qualify for postseason bowl consideration, although an official bowl invitation and destination have yet to be determined.

The victory also kept the Bulls competitive in the American Conference standings, with four regular-season games remaining following the UAB matchup.

Looking Ahead

USF will return to conference competition Friday, November 6, traveling to face East Carolina as the Bulls continue their pursuit of a stronger conference finish and a postseason bowl invitation.

Final Score: USF 30, UAB 10

– Nisey Spruill is a reporter and photojournalist for Florida National News (FNN), covering major news, sports and special events across Florida and nationwide. Contact sports@FloridaNationalNews.com

Central Florida News

USF Comes Up Short at UTSA as Late Touchdown Seals 31-24 Loss

Published

1 month ago

October 9, 2026

NISEY LOU S.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — USF running back D.J. Crowther (5) crosses the goal line on a 15-yard touchdown run to open the scoring against UTSA Thursday night at the Alamodome. Photo by Stephen Galvin / University of South Florida Athletics.

South Florida held an early advantage and reclaimed the lead late, but UTSA’s second-half execution proved to be the difference Thursday night at the Alamodome.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (FNN SPORTS) — South Florida gave itself a chance to steal a road win Thursday night, but UTSA answered when it mattered most, defeating the Bulls 31-24 at the Alamodome.

USF struck first behind D.J. Crowther, who broke through for a 15-yard touchdown run to give the Bulls an early advantage. Quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. helped keep South Florida’s offense moving throughout the night as the Bulls continued to respond whenever UTSA threatened to take control.

USF stayed within reach from start to finish, but the second half belonged to a UTSA offense that consistently found a way to finish drives.

UTSA Finds Its Rhythm

Running back A’Marion Peterson became the difference-maker for the Roadrunners, finishing with 92 rushing yards and three touchdowns.

UTSA scored on every second-half possession, gradually shifting momentum away from a USF team that continued to battle offensively. The Roadrunners leaned heavily on their ground game while keeping the Bulls from building any sustained separation.

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Central Florida News

Temple Hands USF First Loss, 17-13

Published

1 month ago

October 4, 2026

NISEY LOU S.

Cameron Seldon races toward the sideline as Temple defenders force him out of bounds. Photo Credit: Nisey Spruill / Florida National News

Bulls move to 4-1 as Hartline turns attention toward corrections and the week ahead

TAMPA, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — South Florida’s unbeaten start ended Saturday night at Raymond James Stadium as Temple defeated the Bulls 17-13. USF struck first behind a Nico Gramatica field goal but went into halftime trailing 10-3 before finding momentum after the break.

USF responded in the third quarter as D.J. Crowther’s one-yard touchdown tied the game at 10.

USF and Temple battle at the line of scrimmage. Photo Credit: Nisey Spruill / Florida National News

The Bulls’ defense added a key stop when No. 1 C.J. Hicks recovered a Temple fumble in the end zone. Gramatica later connected from 49 yards to give USF a 13-10 fourth-quarter lead. Temple answered with the defining possession of the night, driving 96 yards before quarterback No. 13 Ajani Sheppard scored on a 34-yard run to put the Owls ahead for good.

Temple’s 96-yard fourth-quarter drive became the turning point in the 17-13 finish.

Joshua Porter sprints for catch with Adrian Laing closing in for Temple. Photo Credit: Nisey Spruill / Florida National News

USF was unable to answer late, dropping to 4-1. Following the game, head coach Brian Hartline focused on returning to the film, correcting the mistakes that surfaced and making sure the Bulls use the loss to improve heading into the next week.

FINAL: Temple 17, USF 13

Up Next: USF travels to San Antonio to face UTSA on Thursday night.