The game-winning, Texas-made Nike football carried by Auburn’s Chris Davis in the Iron Bowl was retrieved by an Auburn ball boy and given to the Tigers’ Athletic Director. The ball is said to have a historic value, and can be worth around $100,000 if Auburn can find a way to win the National Championship, according to Brandon Steiner, a sports memorabilia auctioneer. Right now, the ball is worth $50,000.“It’s one of the great balls from one of the great games,” Steiner said. Maybe the greatest game.
The interesting thing is that the Nike football, made by Big Game USA in Frisco, Texas,actually belongs to Alabama as it was their ball that was returned for an Auburn touchdown. Normally, the Bama ball boys would have retrieved the football. But after the kick was missed and Davis scored, chaos ensued andthe ball was seemingly lost in the madness and gone forever — but an alert Auburn ball boy found it.
It seems to me that Alabama has a right to their football — especially considering the value. I wouldn’t want my arch rival to benefit after they just plucked a third straight National Championship from my grasp. If I’m Nick Saban, I would want to take my football and go home.