And you thought Ricardo Louis’ catch couldn’t be topped.
College football, I give you Chris Davis and his 100-yard sprint to destiny.
Two games. Two rivals. Two once-and-a-lifetime plays.
Just when you thought you’d seen it all … Auburn does it again. This time over No. 1 Alabama in the biggest Iron Bowl in the 78-year history of the rivalry. This time on a walk-off. This time on a play that has been done four times in major college football history.
Oh, mercy.
State champs. SEC West champs. And probably the favorite to win the conference championship.
Just 365 days ago, this team was 3-9.
“We believe in miracles around here,” junior safety Jermaine Whitehead said.
Now, everyone believes in Auburn.
How can you not?
“The way we won the last two weeks is really unbelievable,” Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. “Our guys believed. They weathered the storm. It’s just been an amazing year so far. It’s not over with yet, but it’s a huge win.”
No, it’s not over yet. The SEC Championship game is up next against Missouri. I’m not sure if there’s a line on that game yet, but take Auburn. How can you not?
In the greatest game I’ve ever seen — which followed one of the greatest games I’ve ever seen — Auburn is on the brink of everything it ever dreamed of just a year removed from everything it tried to forget.
Team of destiny? You better believe it.
Especially now.
Especially after The Prayer is topped by The Return.
“It’s indescribable, man,” senior Dee Ford said. “If you weren’t there, I can’t really explain it to you.”
Sporting a Superman undershirt that a few players were seen wearing in the postgame media room, junior Robenson Therezie said this team feels like the Man of Steel when he looks back at the Tigers’ season.
“Of course, we all feel like Superman,” he said. “Pretty solid and, you know, shocking the world. We feel great about it.”
Ford, though, doesn’t look at Auburn’s season as the stars aligning as much as he believes in the value of belief and determination. Especially after last season.
“Are we a team of destiny? You could say that,” Ford said. “I believe we’re a team that really plays to the whistle. We’re going to play to the end of the game. We don’t care about what happens. Because when you go through a year like last year, what is the worst that can happen? That is the worst that can happen. Especially coming off some embarrassing losses like that, that is the worst thing that can happen. All we have to do is fight to the whistle.
“We had no pressure coming into this game. What easier thing to do that to play to the whistle?”
And what’s more incredible than Auburn’s season?
It’s almost like the SEC title game is a mere formality. Auburn’s got to win that game, right? Right?
“We ain’t got no choice but to go all the way,” Therezie said. “You saw the Georgia game, this game, so we can’t let down now. We ain’t got no choice but to keep moving forward and keep moving up.”
Destiny awaits.
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