Cary Clark's Greates Games: 1979 Iron Bowl

Steadman Shealy, Jeremiah Castille made plays when Alabama needed them

Top-ranked Alabama should have handled Auburn that Birmingham December day but fumbles by the Crimson Tide kept the Tigers in it. Senior quarterback Steadman Shealy had to lead a late 82-yard drive to pull out the 25-18 win in the 1979 Iron Bowl.

“It was a real tough football game,” said Alabama head coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. “I think I’ve seen better games and I guess the fans have too, but I don’t think I’ve seen two teams that played any harder or hit any harder. There was […] hard hitting in the game.

“We like to think the fourth quarter’s ours, and I believe it was.”

After Shealy scored both a touchdown from the 8 and a 2-point conversion to put the Crimson Tide up a touchdown with just over eight minutes left, Auburn’s speedy James Brooks broke free on a kickoff return but was tackled from behind by Jeremiah Castille and Don McNeal after a 64-yard ramble to the Alabama 31.

The game was not on live TV, but those in Bama nation at the 50/50 split Legion Field could be heard first gasping and then sighing in relief. I know. I was one of them.

Team Manager Colin “Big C” Macguire remembers the play well. “When James Brooks broke free, I could see my National Championship ring slipping away. Thank God for Jeremiah Castille.”

He got his ring a month later when the Alabama defeated Arkansas 24-9 in the Sugar Bowl. He wears it to this day.

After Brooks’ scare, the Tigers turned the ball over on downs but Charlie Trotman’s fourth-down pass was batted by the Crimson Tide and nearly found the waiting arms of Tigers tight end Mike Locklear.

It’s a game of inches, folks.

Another hero that day for Alabama was wishbone fullback Steve Whitman, who gutted the Tigers for 107 yards. Shealy ran for two TD’s and 99 yards and hit split end Keith Pugh on a 28-yard TD to open the scoring.

Alabama dropped to No. 2 in the polls with the sloppy win but bounced back a month later in New Orleans with help from USC’s 17-16 win over top-ranked Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. Bama finished 1979 12-0 and consensus national champions.