|
|
|
|
Auburn Tigers © |
Alabama Crimson Tide |
|
Played December 3, 1983 at Legion Field Birmingham, Alabama |
|
Teams' Belt Records
|
Team |
Belt Reigns |
Overall Record |
Home Record |
Away Record |
Neutral Record |
||||||||||||
|
W |
L |
T |
PCT |
W |
L |
T |
PCT |
W |
L |
T |
PCT |
W |
L |
T |
PCT |
||
| Auburn © | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .500 | ||||
| Alabama | 1 | 10 | 2 | 0 | .833 | 5 | 1 | 0 | .833 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .500 |
|
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
Final |
|
|
Auburn |
0 |
10 |
13 |
0 |
23 |
|
Alabama |
0 |
14 |
6 |
0 |
20 |
The 1983 Iron Bowl included The Belt with coach Pat Dye’s 3rd ranked Auburn Tigers at 9-1 meeting the 19th ranked, 7-3 Alabama Crimson Tide with first-year coach Ray Perkins. Auburn's All-American RB Bo Jackson had touchdown runs of 69 & 71 yards while PK Al Del Greco kicked 3 field goals to lead the Tigers to a 23-20 win. The game was played on a soaked artificial turf as a storm with a seven-inch downpour had moved through the area the previous night. Neither team threatened to score in the 1st quarter but Alabama's PK Van Tiffin missed a 48-yard field goal attempt wide to the right on the first play of the 2nd quarter. The missed kick gave Auburn the ball at their own 31-yard line before Jackson scored on the next play. He tried to carry around left end but the Crimson Tide defense had filled all the gaps so Jackson reversed to the right side breaking free for the 69-yard touchdown run. Alabama tied the game at 7-7 when All-SEC QB Walter Lewis connected with WR Joey Jones on a 20-yard touchdown pass which finished an 8-play, 84-yard drive. Del Greco gave the Tigers the lead at 10-7 when he hit a 29-yard field goal after the Auburn drive stalled at the Alabama 12-yard line. The Crimson Tide got another touchdown pass from Lewis, this one a 3-yard toss to RB Joe Carter with just 0:46 left in the quarter, as Alabama took a 14-10 halftime lead. The 3rd quarter saw Del Greco kick field goals of 26 & 34 yards giving Auburn a 16-14 lead. The second field goal was set-up by a 17-yard Crimson Tide punt which gave the Tigers the ball at the Alabama 26-yard line. The Crimson Tide regained the lead with a 57-yard touchdown run from All-SEC RB Ricky Moore with 2:20 left in the 3rd quarter. The missed 2-point conversion attempt left Alabama with a 20-16 lead. On the next play from scrimmage, Jackson broke around the left end for a 71-yard touchdown run giving the Tigers a 23-20 lead with 2:03 left in the quarter. That lead became insurmountable when another torrential rainstorm moved into the area & neither team was able to move the ball in the final quarter. The closest either team came to scoring was when Auburn's S Vic Beasley intercepted Lewis for the first of 2 times in the game giving the Tigers the ball at the Alabama 11-yard line. Two plays later, Auburn's RB Tommie Agee fumbled & Alabama's DT Randy Edwards recovered. Auburn managed only 62 yards of total offense in the 4th quarter while Alabama netted only 18 yards. Jackson finished with 256 yards rushing with his 2 touchdowns for the Tigers while QB Randy Campbell threw for just 39 yards. For the Crimson Tide, Lewis threw for just 62 yards with his 2 touchdowns as well as 2 interceptions, RB Kerry Goode rushed for 142 yards, & Moore added 109 yards rushing with his touchdown in the loss. Auburn finished the season 11-1; SEC Champions, ranked 3rd nationally while the Crimson Tide finished 8-4 & ranked 15th nationally. Alabama would play for The Belt again in 1985.
