Alex McPherson drilled a 34-yard field goal as time expired, delivering an unbelievable 27-24 upset for unranked Auburn over No. 1 Georgia right there in Athens. Forget the score for a second, because that kick, as clutch as it was, isn’t even the half of what makes this story an absolute must-hear.
The Unranked Underdog Shakes Up the Top Spot
Let’s just get the football part out of the way, because it was wild. Auburn, sitting there unranked, rolled into Georgia as an 18.5-point underdog against the No. 1 team in the nation. Nobody, and I mean nobody, gave them a shot. Then McPherson lines up, game tied, the clock hitting zero, and he nails a 34-yarder that sends the entire college football world into a frenzy. This isn’t just any upset, either. It’s the second weekend in a row that the top-ranked team went down to an unranked foe, with Oklahoma having taken down No. 1 Texas just last Saturday. The top of the polls? Absolutely chaotic right now.
From 110 Pounds to Game-Winner: Alex McPherson’s Unbelievable Comeback
Here’s the real story, the one that makes that game-winning kick so much more. This kid, Alex McPherson, had a brutal battle with severe ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease back in 2024. He literally had his entire large intestine removed. Think about that for a second. He told us last year that when he first got sick, he was running to the bathroom 15 to 20 times a day. He thought it was just the flu or a stomach bug, but his weight plummeted. He lost 20 pounds, then eventually a staggering 55 pounds, hitting a frightening 110 pounds when he was admitted to the hospital. A guy who, by the way, ripped a 61-yard field goal in high school! Now, he’s thankfully back to full health. McPherson summed it up perfectly: “It’s been really fun, really excited just to be back to normal from where I was.” And yeah, his older brother, Evan, is out there kicking for the Cincinnati Bengals, doing the family business proud too.
What a moment for Alex McPherson. This kid, who literally fought for his health just two years ago, just knocked off the top team in the nation. Talk about a comeback for the ages, right? It just shows you what grit can do, whether you’re battling on the field or off it. You absolutely love to see it.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
Leave a Reply