Auburn has a quarterback featured on a December cover of a well-respected sports magazine this week…
Just like we did 3,172 weeks ago – Travelin’ Travis Tidwell.
The yard-scarfing phenom lead the nation in total yards that year, same as he did as a freshman in 1946 (he was the first – and one of only two – freshmen to ever do so).
It was he who engineered the legendary 14-13 upset victory over Alabama in 1949, which inspired several delightful Auburn parodies of T’was The Night Before Christmas. (We were three touchdown underdogs.)
Speaking of, if you have not already, please take the time to read the comment on our post of said parodies by the son of one the authors. It will blow your mind.
If memory serves the 1948 win wasn’t a comeback. It was a huge upset but AU led the whole way. Ed Salem missed an extra point trying to tie the game. Tidwell once claimed to have scared Salem into missing it.
Correction 1949
You’re right — got mixed up with this year — ‘upset’ it is.