Alabama’s Bryce Young found John Metchie III with a pass for a 2-point conversion in the fourth overtime to give the Crimson Tide a 24-22 victory over Auburn in the Iron Bowl.
The teams battled to a 10-10 tie at the end of regulation after Alabama scored on a 97-yard drive in the final minute.
Auburn’s 2-point conversion in the fourth OT was unsuccessful and Young connected with Metchie III, who also caught a pass for 2 points in the third extra session.
Alabama plays Georgia next Saturday in the SEC Championship Game.
College football rules have teams attempting 2-point conversions when games go to the third overtime and beyond.
Quick reminder: pic.twitter.com/wIyyTba7ti
— SEConCBS (@SEConCBS) November 28, 2021
The first overtime saw Young throw a touchdown pass that Auburn’s TJ Finley matched with a throw to Landen King, who made a great catch in the back of the end zone.
AUBURN WITH THE ANSWER@AuburnFootball's Landen King goes one-handed! pic.twitter.com/b2Lb7ck9VU
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) November 28, 2021
Auburn’s Ben Patton, a backup kicker, nailed a 49-yard field goal — the longest of his college career — to give the Tigers a 20-17 lead in the second overtime.
Patton became Auburn’s kicker because senior kicker Anders Carlson suffered a season-ending ACL injury attempting an onside kick at the end of a 43-34 loss to Mississippi State earlier this month.
Will Reichard kicked a 38-yard field goal and the Iron Bowl was going to be settled by 2-point conversions.
Alabama only had a field goal for more than 55 minutes of the game.
The Crimson Tide, trailing 10-3, started on the 2-yard line on one drive and had turned the ball over on downs.
The next time Auburn pinned Alabama at the 3 on another brilliant Oscar Chapman punt.
However, Bryce Young led a 97-yard drive over 12 plays that finished with a 28-yard TD pass to Ja’Corey Brooks for the game-tying score, sending the Iron Bowl to OT for the first time in its history.
