Alabama Football: Top 5 moments of Tua Tagovailoa’s Tide career

3. Four-touchdown second half in 2018 Iron Bowl

The Iron Bowl is the greatest rivalry in all of college football and it is made that much more special when a great player from Alabama or Auburn gets to make their mark on the game. The only other name that could come close to Tagovailoa in terms of star power and likability on either side of the rivalry is Bo Jackson. He had his moments in the 1980s with ‘Bo Over the Top’ and his outstanding performances.

Luckily for the Tigers, they only got to face Tagovailoa once, while the Crimson Tide had to face Jackson in four consecutive years. While it was only one Iron Bowl, Tua made sure to put his stamp in the rivalry, exploding for 324 yards and six touchdowns (one rushing) at Bryant Denny Stadium. What was even more amazing was that most of it came in the second half.

Going into the locker room at halftime, Alabama had their smallest halftime lead of the entire year, leading 17-14. The Auburn defense had done a good job containing what people thought was an unstoppable offense to two punts and a turnover. Everything changed after the break, as four of Tagovailoa’s five passing touchdowns game in the second half. All to different receivers, Jerry Jeudy, Josh Jacobs, Devanta Smith, and Henry Ruggs all got in on the action, making it a blowout early in the fourth quarter.

From that point on, Tagovailoa did not take another snap. After only being up three at halftime and wondering if the Tigers were going to snatch another Iron Bowl victory, to not playing most of the fourth quarter. It was something magical that the rivalry had never seen before.