For Alabama and Auburn fans, the Iron Bowl is a dish best served cold.
In a rivalry that is fueled by passion and bragging rights, there is a preconceived understanding of how one institution is better than the other.
Lumped in the middle of Thanksgiving, National Football League action and Black Friday – for those willing to fight for early Christmas gifts – fans of the Crimson Tide (especially UA students) relish this game for the expletives added in the song “Dixieland Delight” and showing Tiger fans that they have to catch up to the standard.
As for Auburn University, its fan base proudly reminds Alabama that 10 of the last 18 Iron Bowls have gone in the way of the Tigers since 2000. Even with Nick Saban winning a College Football Playoff national title in 2017, Gus Malzahn and War Eagle nation still flaunts its 26-14 victory and how Jordan-Hare Stadium was the lone atmosphere that caused the Tide to stumble.
Upon looking at some of the greatest rivalries in sports, one can’t start a conversation without having Celtics-Lakers (NBA), Yankees-Red Sox (MLB), Steelers-Cowboys (NFL) and Duke-North Carolina in terms of college basketball.
Whether it is a tradition of winning, downright hatred or mutual respect for each other, it is expected for attention, ratings and much discussion around the water cooler at work, to be had when these teams battle each other.
The same falls in line for college football.
Anyone who begins the talk of greatest rivalries and does not have Ohio State-Michigan, Army-Navy, Miami-Florida State or even Oklahoma-Texas in the discussion is immediately questioned on his or her investment in the sport.
Despite all of these suggestions, there are some things about the Alabama-Auburn rivalry that makes it more compelling than the others.
Listed below are the reasons.
Recruiting Wars
From birth, future athletes in the state of Alabama are forced with two choices: Alabama or Auburn.
An individual has to solely make up its mind on either Roll Tide or War Eagle and deal with the consequences (both good and bad) that come behind it. With a lot of recruits hailing from Birmingham, Ala., they are in the middle of the rivalry and it is the hardest for them.
Former Tide star Da’Ron Payne and current defensive lineman Quinnen Williams both had Auburn on their radar, but chose Tuscaloosa. Williams was thought to be a hard commitment to the Tigers at one point in his recruitment, before handing his letter of intent to Nick Saban.
When it comes to the severity of the rivalry in recruiting, an unexpected breaking point happened during the 2013 and 2014 cycles. The in-state prize in both situations were linebackers Reuben Foster (2013) and Rashaan Evans (2014).
As products of Auburn High School, the coaching staff and fans of the Tigers just knew it had both five-star talents shipped for Jordan-Hare Stadium.
With Foster flipping his verbal statements between the schools and Evans keeping quiet, National Signing Day for both guys was interesting. Seeing the two choose the Tide infuriated Auburn fans and for the high school coach, he would later be fired from the program.
Lyndell “Mack” Wilson and Henry Ruggs III have had their own share of friction with the Alabama-Auburn rivalry, especially with both players being from Montgomery.
During his interview period with the media, Wilson said trash talk happens back home whether you win or lose the game. Prior to Saban arriving in Tuscaloosa in 2007, Auburn owned the state in recruiting. Getting the likes of Julio Jones to the Tide stamped Saban as an elite recruiter in 2008, and it has been a battle ever since for Auburn to keep pace with its in-state foe.
Reputation of Coaches
It does not have to be stated in a contract for coaches of Alabama and Auburn to know how important the game is for the parties involved. No matter how many other awards one coach may earn, not beating the in-state rival becomes a major thorn in its side.
Eugene “Gene” Stallings, ex-Tide coach and 1992 national champion, said it best in the ESPN 30 for 30: Roll Tide/War Eagle, when he said “you don’t have to beat Auburn every year, but you do have to beat them more times than they beat you.” Bill Curry, Ray Perkins and Mike Shula were all great men of character; however, none of these three lasted long at Alabama as head coaches.
The trio combined for a 2-9 all-time record versus the Tigers, with Perkins being credited with wins in 1984 and 1985. For legendary coach Paul Bryant, he made sure the Tide took care of being state champions each year as he won 19 of 25 Iron Bowls from 1958 to 1982.
Saban has done his best to keep the legacy going in winning seven of the 11 state titles since coming to the Tide in 2007, and even when it did not win last year, the College Football Playoff committee still banked on Alabama – placing the program as one of the top four seeds.
Malzahn lost to Saban three years in a row prior to 2017; nonetheless, one win has done nothing to quench the thirst of Auburn fans that desire a national championship. He will not accomplish the goal this season, which makes winning the Iron Bowl all the more important.
All in all, coaches that win this matchup become legends and those that lose are forever marked with “he did not get the job done.”
Divided homes
The Alabama-Auburn rivalry is like getting a visit from your in-law’s that you have nothing in common with or cannot stand, or it is like having the one person that irks your nerves sit next to you in church. Wives and husbands on opposite sides do not speak to each other that day, don’t sleep together that night (regardless of result) and probably, do not get the home cooked meal.
Best friends cease talking to each other for one day, money is lost because of this game, and there has even been some situations where tires have been slashed on cars. Things due return to normal weeks later, but emotions run high for what this game means to so many people.
Overall
Not a lot of people watch professional sports.
They view it as a money thing; nevertheless, they enjoy college sports for the pageantry, bragging rights and love of the game. The one rivalry they seem to carry about is the Iron Bowl, and whether you are in the community, on social media, in the barbershop or any other place for that matter, the question is always: “Who’s going to the Iron Bowl?” Or “How much you want to bet on the Iron Bowl?”
This year’s matchup will be no different as the Tide looks to continue a national title push, while the Tigers play spoiler and position itself or a better bowl game.
Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
