BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- As the officials jogged out onto the field with the measuring sticks, a sellout crowd of 83,091 watched in anticipation, a state was paralyzed and a possible national championship was at stake.
And with one brief swing of his arm, referee Bill Goss brought Alabama's title hopes back to life and put Auburn players in tears.
Receiver Frank Sanders came up inches short on a fourth-down reception in the final minute, as No. 4 Alabama hung on for a 21-14 victory over in-state rival Auburn yesterday before an 80-percent pro-Crimson Tide crowd at Legion Field.
"I thought I had the first down," said Sanders, who watched his quarterback, Patrick Nix, repeatedly slam his helmet to the turf in disgust over the marking of the ball. "My heart was pumping like a train, and it felt like I could hear the pulse of our state as they stretched the chains. But they say football is a game of inches, and that was never more evident than the end of this game. It was a great one."
It was a game that will have this state buzzing for a long time. It will be remembered as the day Alabama coach Gene Stallings almost blew a 21-0 first-half lead. And how Crimson Tide running back Sherman Williams made cuts like Barry Sanders for 164 yards rushing.
And how No. 6 Auburn, seemingly lifeless after the first two quarters, came close to pulling off one of the greatest comebacks in Iron Bowl history, and extending its unbeaten streak to 22 games.
Almost.
"They were close, so close," said Stallings. "Too close."
With Alabama ahead 21-14, Auburn took control at its own half-yard line with 1:47 left in the game and no timeouts.
"A bleak picture for some teams, but we've been in this position so many times during the streak," said Auburn offensive tackle Willie Anderson. "I can remember at least six times we pulled games out in the end."
Alabama gave Auburn the short underneath passes, and Nix took them. Sixteen yards to tailback Fred Beasley on a swing pass. Eleven yards over the middle to receiver Thomas Bailey. Nine yards to Sanders. A Nix scramble for 15, and 7 more yards on a reception by Beasley down to the Alabama 42 on third down.
On fourth-and-three at the 42, Nix found Sanders over the middle. But so did strong safety Sam Shade and cornerback Tommy Johnson, who stopped Sanders short of the first down with 31 seconds left.
"We were in a prevent, prevent," said Shade. "But Nix has a habit of watching his prime receiver from the snap of the ball. I saw him look at Sanders and I latched on to him. He wasn't getting out of bounds and wasn't getting that first down.
"In those fleeting moments after the reception, everything we worked for was going through my head. It seemed like forever before the officials got on the field. Then there was relief when he pointed first down, the other way."
The victory touched off a wild celebration as local fire stations set off sirens and fans honked car horns.
The Crimson Tide (11-0, 8-0) prepares to meet Florida in two weeks for the Southeastern Conference championship. Alabama also stays in the title picture with No. 1 Nebraska and No. 2 Penn State, both of whom also are unbeaten and untied.
Auburn's unbeaten streak ended at 21 games at the same place the Tigers last lost, 17-0, on Nov. 26, 1992, to Alabama in Pat Dye's last game as coach. Auburn (9-1-1, 6-1-1) is barred from postseason play by NCAA probation.
"Our seniors are sad, but they have a lot to be proud of," said Terry Bowden, Auburn's second-year coach. "The game was there for us to win, but it just didn't happen. It's a game of inches, and Alabama has won the inches all year long."
Said Alabama inside linebacker John Walters: "When we're on, we can play with any team in the country. What we have to do is maintain intensity for 60 minutes."
For 30 minutes yesterday, Alabama was perfect. Williams was tap dancing through Auburn's defense, and the Crimson Tide was complementing him with some great play-action passes.
Williams scored with 2:38 left in the first quarter by running over linebacker Anthony Harris for a 13-yard touchdown. The run was set up by a Stephen Davis fumble that Alabama recovered at the Auburn 47.
Then on Alabama's next possession, quarterback Jay Barker connected with receiver Toderick Malone over the middle for a 20-yard reception that Malone turned into a 74-yard touchdown.
With 10:25 left in the half, Barker threw a perfect 49-yard touchdown pass to Marcel West, who had beaten cornerback Dell McGee.
Barker, a senior, turned in another adequate, but unspectacular performance, completing eight of 17 passes for 177 yards. He now has a 34-1-1 record as a starter, the best winning percentage in Alabama history, which includes the likes of Joe Namath, Jeff Rutledge, Ken Stabler and Richard Todd.
"He played great as usual," said Stallings. "He plays and knows how to win. But I know we both left each other open for some second-guessing, though."
Stallings' offense was wide-open in the first half, but Alabama went to ball control in the second. And the only time Barker threw was on obvious passing situations, which is not the Crimson Tide's forte.
On third-and-12 from the Auburn 19 with 10:37 left in the third quarter, Barker was hit and fumbled, and Auburn recovered.
Fourteen plays and nearly five minutes later, Nix sneaked over from the 1 to cut Alabama's lead to 21-7. Later, when faced with third-and-goal at the Auburn 9, Barker's pass into double coverage was intercepted by safety Brian Robinson in the end zone and returned to the Auburn 19.
Fortunately for Alabama, Nix had a pass batted and intercepted by defensive end Dameian Jeffries that stopped the Auburn drive at the Alabama 18 with 7:42 left.
But Auburn scored on its next possession with an 11-play, 73-yard drive that Nix finished with another 1-yard sneak with 2:23 remaining.
Auburn tried an onside kick, but Alabama recovered. The Tide could not get a first down, setting the stage for one last great Auburn drive.
"It never happened," said Shade. "If they had scored, they could have went for two and beat us. Gosh, I'm glad this game is over. People have been talking about this game since last March, and they won't stop until we play again next year."