Late Saturday night, as it became more and more apparent that unranked Auburn just might beat No. 1 Florida, a pair of kids with rolls of toilet paper in their arms appeared under the rafters of rain-soaked Jordan-Hare Stadium.

"Just sold me one," said one of the kids.

"Me, too," said the other little enterpriser as he headed back toward the bleacher seats.

Whatever they were charging, it wasn't enough, especially after Auburn's Damon Duval kicked a game-winning 44-yard field goal with 10 seconds remaining. Not since 1942 had an unranked Tigers team beaten a No. 1, so the Auburn fans were in the mood to celebrate. The same uprights through which Duval's kick sailed through were torn from the goal post minutes after the scoreboard flashed the final, sweet score. Fans stormed the field and stayed there, even though a mini-monsoon was sweeping through the loveliest village on the plain. And it didn't take long for Auburn followers to make a beeline for historic Toomer's Corner at the edge of campus and TP the old oak tree. Corny tradition, but still a sight to behold.

Auburn was at least a three-touchdown underdog to the Gators, who were ranked No. 1 in the AP poll and No. 2 in the coaches poll. Florida had the nation's best offense, a rising Heisman Trophy candidate in Rex Grossman, a defense that hadn't given up more than 15 points all season.

But Auburn won ... with a backup quarterback, a freshman cornerback, a linebacker coming off a knee injury, another linebacker who had never started before, a place-kicker who was nearly exiled two seasons ago.

Afterward, in the bedlam of the Auburn locker room, Tigers coach Tommy Tuberville stood in front of his team and awarded game balls to every player and coach that had anything to do with the upset of the year.

"We were 21-point underdogs," he said to his kneeling players. "One of those magazines picked us No. 55 before the season. We were picked last in the division. Let me tell you something, you guys just put on a great effort. A great effort. You played with your heart, with your soul and with what the good Lord gave you. Everybody feel this feeling, because it doesn't happen very often."

There was a fight song to be sung, hugs to be exchanged and every so often you could hear someone yell, "Who's No. 1 now?" Then the locker room doors were opened and in streamed dozens of high school recruits who had picked the right night to see Auburn at its best. As the recruits came inside several Auburn players moved toward the entrance to greet them. One recruit, wearing a little nametag and still awed by the victory, shook the hand of the first Tiger player he saw.

"Good job, dude," said the recruit. "Dang!"

Later, as the rain continued to pour down, a handful of Auburn starters ventured back onto the field for a look at the stub of a goal post. One had his photo taken in front of it. And then there was Tuberville, who found himself in a little room off the interview area. He had a pair of police escorts and a smile that couldn't be stopped.

"I'll tell you, that was something, wasn't it?" he said.

Tuberville didn't need an answer. But a roll of toilet paper would have been nice.

Gene Wojciechowski covers college football for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at gene.wojciechowski@espnmag.com.