Former Alabama coach Nick Saban had a warning on Saturday for any team that dares venture into Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Saban and the “College GameDay” crew were discussing Texas A&M’s trip to Auburn on Saturday when the former Alabama coach sent a forceful message to any team that might have that road game on their schedule. Citing Alabama’s long history of shocking and heartbreaking Iron Bowl road losses, Saban proclaimed Jordan-Hare Stadium to be “haunted.”
“I would be alerting Texas A&M, because in my opinion, in 17 years of going to Auburn, playing in Jordan-Hare, that place is haunted. I guarantee it,” Saban said. “The way we lost games and the way we won games there, it’s unbelievable. Kick Six, and then the Grave Digger last year. I’m telling you, the place is haunted.”
Saban makes clear that the so-called haunting goes both ways. The “Grave Digger” play he references is the miraculous finish to last year’s game, which Alabama did win.
The Iron Bowl is one of the biggest games on Alabama’s schedule even if the Tigers are not at their best in any given year. Saban went 12-5 against the Tigers, but only 5-4 at Jordan Hare. If not for the improbable finish in 2023, he would have retired with a losing record at Jordan-Hare. Not many teams or venues can claim that.
This year’s Auburn team enters play Saturday at 4-6, though three of their four wins have come at home. Maybe the stadium is only haunted when Alabama is involved.
