Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Greatest college football rivalry

Alabama and Auburn played their first football game in Lakeview Park in Birmingham, Alabama on February 22, 1893. Auburn won, 32-22, before an estimated crowd of 2,000. The early series of the game was suspended in 1907 with disagreement between the schools. In 1948 the schools resolved their conflict and re-established the series in the largest stadium in the state, Legion Field. Alabama won, 55-0, the most lopsided victory to date. From 1948 to 1988 the series was played in Birmingham, Alabama. The tough rivalry between the team and the location contributed to the title of the Iron Bowl.

Through the years legends passed through, most notable, Shug Jordan and Bear Bryant. Bryant dominated the rivalry through the years by posting a 19-6 record with a longest streak of nine through '73-'81. A lot of great games played have been marked with titles such as "The Mud Bowl" and "The Kick". While others have been marked with despair, as "Punt Bama, Punt" and "Bo over the top".

Since the dominance of the Bear, the Tide has had nine head coaches and the Tigers, five. The last victory against the Tigers to date is November 11, 2001 where the Tide won 31-7. Auburn has posted five victories since then. Every year, the two schools face off in a rivalry game where records don't matter, hero's are born, and family's break apart. The winner of the game receives the Foy-ODK Sportsmanship Award trophy, which is presented at halftime of the Auburn-Alabama basketball game later in the year at the winner's coliseum.

November 24, 2007 will be the 72nd meeting. Alabama leads the series 38-32-1.

Since the retirement of Bear Bryant following the 1982 season, Auburn leads the series 14-10.

Auburn has only had one other series winning five in a row, '54-'58.

Alabama head coach Nick Saban is 2-3 (.400) in his career against the Auburn Tigers.

Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville is 6-6 (.455) in his head coaching career against Alabama, 6-2 (.750) as head coach at Auburn.

Alabama head coaches are 6-10 (.375) in their first game against Auburn.

Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville lost his first Alabama-Auburn game, falling 28-17 at Jordan Hare Stadium in 1999.

Alabama is 7-1-2 (.800) in games played on Nov. 24 and has not played on this date since the 1956 season.

The Crimson Tide's last game on Nov. 24 was a 13-13 tie with Southern Mississippi in Tuscaloosa during the 1956 season.

Auburn has an all-time record of 6-5-2 in games played on Nov. 24, but has not played on this date since 1962, a 14-14 tie with Florida State.

Alabama and Auburn have never met on this date.

To read more about the game's players, coaches and history, visit RollTide.com.

3 Comments:

At November 20, 2007 at 3:10 PM , Blogger Andy said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

 
At November 20, 2007 at 3:11 PM , Blogger Andy said...

Since this season has been so wild, it makes this game easy to pick. Everyone thinks that Alabama is down and out and Alabama probably is. And let's face it, Alabama has been hot and cold all season. Why can't Alabama beat Auburn? After 48 hours of hell of reliving the ULM game, I'm convinced that Alabama will beat Auburn. It only makes sense. The law of averages has to prevail.

 
At November 21, 2007 at 7:58 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

nice page - I am pretty sure your picture of the Bear shaking hands with the tiger is actually the lsu tiger and not Aubie.

 

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