Defense and Field Goals

One week earlier they were outmanned, outplayed and embarrassed. The Tom Osborne led Nebraska Cornhuskers took them to the woodshed, picked up a piece of split cordwood and put a whipping on them that was demoralizing and deflating. The visiting Huskers thrashed the Auburn Tigers 41-7 in front of a sellout crowd and national television audience, and the game wasn’t even that close.

Afterwards, Coach Pat Dye challenged the defense to pick themselves up and look in the mirror and have some Tiger Pride. There was an SEC game only 7 days away. Coach Wayne Hall and the rest of the defensive staff put the Tigers through torment and anguish that week. “Get Tough!” was the mantle.

The following Saturday, October 9, 1982 the defense was strong, hard hitting and tough, giving up only 72 yards rushing for the day. On the very first play, the Auburn defense dropped the Wildcats for a 4 yard loss, and that set the tone. The Kentucky Wildcats got inside the Auburn 20 yard line only once. A 51 yard pass from Randy Jenkins to Alan Watson with 35 seconds left to play, the Wildcats found themselves on the Auburn 10 yard line. On the very next play, Dennis Collier intercepted the ball for the Tigers. The defense didn’t give up a touchdown that day.

It was a good thing that the defense stood tall, because the offense, led by Bo Jackson and Randy Campbell, couldn’t put the ball in the endzone.

It became a day for the place kicker.

Through the first 4 games of the season, Al Del Greco was one of five in field goal attempts. In fact, Coach Dye considered benching Del Greco for another place kicker. Prior to the Kentucky game, Del Greco was quoted as saying “I read that if I missed one more attempt, they were going to find someone else.”

Al Del Greco set a Southeastern Conference record against the Kentucky Wildcats that day. He kicked six field goals in one game, which accounted for all of Auburn’s 18 points. In fact, had a 39 yarder not been 2 feet wide left, he would have had seven.

Up until that point, George Portela held the Auburn record with 5 set in 1977.

With successful kicks of 22, 28, 26, 23, 39 and 38 yards, Al Del Greco wrote his name in the record book.

After the Kentucky game, he said, “I just wanted one more opportunity. Maybe now, everybody will believe in me.”

Auburn won the game 18-3, giving them a 4-1 mark, while the Kentucky Wildcats went to 0-4-1.

The Tigers finish the season 9-3 that year. They would celebrate a tremendous victory in the Iron Bowl. The win would end the Tide’s Iron Bowl win streak at 9. “Bo over the top” would be Bear Bryant’s last game against Auburn. The Tigers would go on to defeat Doug Flutie and the Boston College Eagles in the Tangerine Bowl that year.

But those memorable feats would occur later that season. On this day, it was Al Del Greco who was the MVP.

Twenty-Eight years to the day from this Saturday, when the Auburn Tigers once again tangle with the Kentucky Wildcats.