ESPN Must SE-See

On ESPN Full Circle Tonight, FLA vs Auburn

AUBURN, Ala. (AP) -- Stunning upsets. Thrilling comebacks. Heisman Trophy moments. Even a 24-year jinx.

The Florida-Auburn rivalry has had it all.

There were famous kicks by Steve Spurrier -- yes, that Steve Spurrier -- and Damon Duval. There was the Gators stuffing Bo Jackson in 1985 and rising to No. 1 for the first time.

And what about the so-called Cliff Hare Stadium jinx, when Florida failed to win at Auburn's place from 1949-72? The entire time the stadium held that name, in fact.

But you don't have to go back nearly that far to appreciate the rivalry that will be renewed Saturday night, when No. 2 Florida (6-0, 4-0 Southeastern Conference) and No. 11 Auburn (5-1, 3-1) meet in another high-stakes showdown.

Just consider, for starters, the last two meetings:

• In 2001, an unranked Auburn team knocked off Spurrier and No. 1 Florida 23-20 on Damon Duval's 44-yard field goal with 10 seconds left. The kick was set up by the passing of backup quarterback Daniel Cobb, who replaced a struggling Jason Campbell.

• The next season, Auburn scored two touchdowns and converted a pair of 2-point conversions in the fourth quarter to force overtime. Duval had another chance to win it, but Bobby McCray blocked his 23-yarder with 30 seconds left. Then Rex Grossman hit Taylor Jacobs on a 25-yard, third-down touchdown pass in overtime for a 30-23 victory.

Current Auburn defensive back Patrick Lee watched that one on television.

"I was like, 'That's a big game and I'd love to be in it,"' Lee, a Miami native, said. "I can't wait for this one. It's going to be lovely out there."

It sure could be, judging by history.

The teams haven't played since that 2002 game. The annual rivalry was a casualty of an SEC scheduling change that rotated non-divisional opponents, to the dismay of David Housel and Norm Carlson. They're the resident football historians at their respective schools.

"To me that's kind of like Oklahoma and Nebraska not playing every year," said Housel, retired from posts as Auburn's athletic and sports information director. "There are some rivalries that should just be played."

"There have just been so many great games over the years," echoed Carlson, Florida's former SID. "I really miss it."

Georgia and Georgia Tech are the only teams Auburn has faced more often than the Gators, and the Tigers lead the series by a not-so-commanding 40-38-2. Florida has played only Georgia more often.