The Iron Bowl is an informal nickname given to the annual intercollegiate football game between the teams of the University of Alabama and Auburn University. The Iron Bowl is considered by many fans of the sport to be the most heated intercollegiate football rivalry in the nation. The deep-seated football hatred between Alabama and Auburn has historically spilled over into the politics and society of the state of Alabama.
The winner of the game has statewide "bragging rights" until the next year, and as is typical of rivalry games of this nature, a win in this game can seemingly salvage an otherwise poor season for the winner, while a loss can ruin what had otherwise been a fine season for the loser. As is typical of such games, it is usually scheduled to be the final regular-season game for each team and is always played in late November.
The rivalry between The Alabama Crimson Tide and The Auburn Tigers began in Birmingham’s Lakeview Park in February 1893 with 2,000 fans in attendance. Auburn A&M won the coin toss and opted to play offense, that day Rufus Dorsey of Auburn lead the team to a 10 point victory with 3 touchdowns. Reporters called this "the best game ever played in the state of Alabama". Disagreements between the two schools started immediately, and it was the beginning of the greatest rivalry in the nation.
The two teams met again in November 1893, and Auburn won with a score of 40-16. In 1894 The Crimson Tide won it’s first victory over the Tigers with a score of 18-0.
In 1907 the two teams met again, Auburn was favored to win, but the Tide was able to hold on, which led to the first and only tie 6-6, this was also when Alabama‘s team was dubbed the Crimson Tide, because the game was played in a "sea of red mud", this was the last time the two teams would meet for 41 years.
In Birmingham the schools became involved in a conflict over money, Alabama proposed a $3.00 per person eating allowance for twenty players, Auburn wanted a $3.50 per person eating allowance for twenty two players this dispute cancelled the game until the state legislator passed an act mandating the teams to play, and in 1948 the student presidents of each school met and buried the hatchet.
On December 24, 1948 the rivalry was renewed and 41 years of pent up Tide pride led Alabama to a 55-0 victory. From 1954 -1958 Auburn went on to a five game winning streak, but in 1959 it was put to a stop by legendary coach Bear Bryant. Bryant led the Crimson Tide on a nine game winning streak from 1973-1981 and won 19 out of 25 games.
Lets just see whose fans are more loyal.
