| Wins against Kentucky - 0 | Losses against Kentucky - 5 |
Alma Mater: Auburn [1932]
Hometown: Selma, AL
Date Born: September 25, 1910
Date Died: July 17, 1980
Overall Record: 136-103 [14 Seasons]
Date | Matchup | UK Result | Score | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
2/21/1949 | Georgia at Kentucky | W | 95 - 40 | - |
1/20/1948 | Kentucky at Georgia | W | 88 - 51 | - |
2/10/1947 | Georgia at Kentucky | W | 81 - 40 | - |
1/21/1947 | Kentucky at Georgia | W | 84 - 45 | - |
2/28/1946 | Kentucky vs. Auburn | W | 69 - 24 | SEC Tournament (at Louisville, KY) |
Obituary - Pensacola (FL) News Journal (July 19, 1980)
Shug
Hundreds Pay Respects to Auburn's Jordan
Jordan died Thursday of acute leukemia at his home near the church. He was 69 years old. Among those in attendance were Alabama Gov. Fob James, a star running back for Jordan in the 1950s; University of Georgia coach Vince Dooley, who played and coached under Jordan; and Jordan's cross-state rival, University of Alabama coach Paul (Bear) Bryant. Also in attendance were scores of players coached by Jordan during his 25 years as Tiger mentor, including Heisman Trophy winner Pat Sullivan and Terry Beasley, both pallbearers at the services. There were few words of praise Friday. Those had come Thursday when Jordan's death was announced. Friday was a day of silent reflection on Jordan the man, the coach, the father, the husband, the friend. The Rev. McLemore said the Episcopal Church has no tradition of eulogies. But he said to those attending the services that, "No eulogy is greater than your presence here today. You each have your own private eulogy of Ralph Jordan." Graveside services were as brief as those at the church as Jordan was laid to rest in the east Alabama town that, to some, became synonymous with the gentlemanly coach. "In many ways he was Auburn," Auburn athletic director Lee Hayley said of Jordan on Thursday. That was evident here Friday. The university was all but shut down, and many merchants in downtown Auburn closed their shops so they and their employees could attend the memorial services for Jordan. Jordan himself once summed up his relationship with Auburn when, in 1955, after turning down a coaching offer from the Philadelphia Eagles, he said, "I like Auburn. Auburn is my cup of tea." A native of Selma, Jordan came to Auburn as a student after working a year for the state highway department to earn enough money for college. By the time he graduated in 1932, he had starred in football, basketball and baseball. He then became an assistant freshman football coach at Auburn. Two years later he became basketball coach and ran up a 91-72 record before entering the Army during World War II> After the war, he became an assistant coach at the University of Georgia before returning to Auburn in 1951 to take over a Tiger team that had scored only four touchdowns while losing all 10 games in 1950. It didn't take Jordan long to turn things around at his alma mater. In his third year, the Tigers were 7-2-1. And from 1953-60, Auburn was 63-14-2, including a national championship in 1957. Jordan's four straight victories over Alabama during that period - by a total score of 128-7 - forced Alabama to look for someone who could compete with him. They found Bryant. By the time Jordan retired in 1975, he had become a Dixie gridiron legend, compiling a career record of 175-83-7 that included 12 bowl trips. To honor him, the university renamed its Cliff Hare Stadium the Jordan-Hare Stadium. But perhaps one of the greatest tributes he received in life came from his greatest player, Sullivan, who once said: "Winning the Heisman Trophy was the second highest honor of my life. The first was playing for Coach Jordan."