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Alabama kicker Joseph Bulovas apologizes for missing game-tying FG in Iron Bowl

After missing the field goal that likely would have sent the Iron Bowl to overtime, Alabama kicker Joseph Bulovas offered an apology on Twitter.

With his team trailing Auburn 48-45 with 2:04 to play, Bulovas clanked a 30-yard field goal off the upright — a miss that allowed the Tigers to pull out a dramatic victory that dashed Alabama’s College Football Playoff hopes.

Bulovas, who hit from 43 yards out and was 6 for 6 on extra points earlier in the game, understandably felt terrible about missing the kick and vowed to work harder than ever to make sure he comes back from the experience with his head held high.

After reflecting on the game, I just wanted to express my apologies to the entire Crimson Tide nation. Nobody was more disappointed than myself. Regardless of the circumstances, that is a kick I should make in my sleep and nobody is as big of a critic as I am of myself. To the fans, my coaches and my teammates; I promise you will never see a guy work as hard as I will for the entirety of my career because I owe that to all of you.

I refuse to let this be anything more than a bump in the road and I’m confident I will come back better because of it. I wear my emotions on my sleeve and this one was hard to take to say the least, but I have confidence in this team and in myself and that’s what’s motivating going forward. I have and will always give it everything I’ve got for this team which is something that will never change. God Bless and Roll Tide.

The miss was just the third of the season by Bulovas, who is 8 for 11 on the year and took over as the team’s No. 1 kicker after starter Will Reichard was injured.

Alabama place kicker Joseph Bulovas (97) walks off the field after missing a field goal that would've tied the game late in the second half of an NCAA college football game against Auburn, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019, in Auburn, Ala. Auburn won 48-45. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Alabama place kicker Joseph Bulovas (97) walks off the field after missing a field goal that would've tied the game late in the second half of an NCAA college football game against Auburn, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019, in Auburn, Ala. Auburn won 48-45. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Alabama coach Nick Saban stuck up for Bulovas after the game.

“He’s done a great job for us this year in taking over. Nobody feels worse than him. We all feel bad, and we all should. I should feel bad that we didn’t do a better job with our team. And the players, it’s OK for them to feel bad, too, because we didn’t play as well as I hoped that we would,” Saban said after the game.

“Joe’s play is just one play. One play doesn’t win or lose the game. There were a lot of other plays in the game that put us in the situation that we were in. And I know nobody feels worse about it than Joe. He’s a great young man.”

After Bulovas missed the kick, Alabama’s defense had a chance to stop Auburn to get the ball back. However, Alabama was penalized for an illegal substitution when Auburn lined up in a trick formation on fourth down. The penalty gave Auburn a first down and allowed the Tigers to run the clock out for the win.

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