Iron Bowl

The Iron Bowl is the name given to the annual intercollegiate football game between the teams of Auburn University and the University of Alabama. The deep-seated football rivalry between Alabama and Auburn has historically spilled over into the politics and society of the state of Alabama. 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. In a survey done by Sports Illustrated it ranked #2 after Boston Red Sox-New York Yankees as the greatest rivalry.Fact|date=November 2007 ESPNU ranked the rivalry #1 in their "Top Ten College Football Rivalries".cite web |url=http://www.collegenews.org/x7359.xml |title=ESPNU's Top Ten College Football Rivalries |accessdate=2007-11-25 |work=College News ] Alabama leads the series 38–33–1. The longest streak of the series was a nine game winning streak by Alabama from 1973–1981.

The games are played at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa every even-numbered year and at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn every odd-numbered year. For much of the twentieth century the game was played every year in Birmingham. In 2007, the Iron Bowl was pushed back a week, to Thanksgiving weekend. It will remain that weekend in 2008.

History

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. As if a signal of the future, disagreement between the schools began immediately as Alabama considered the game to be the final matchup of the 1892 season and Auburn recorded it as the first of 1893. The series was suspended after the 1907 game when the schools could not come to agreement over the amount of expenses to be paid players, as well as from where officials for the game should be obtained.

In 1947 the Alabama House of Representatives passed a resolution encouraging the schools to "make possible the inauguration of a full athletic program between the two schools". [cite web | year=2006 | url=http://www.coloradotigers.com/concourse/traditions_ironbowl.htm | title=The Auburn-Alabama Rivalry, "The Iron Bowl" | publisher=Rocky Mountain Auburn Club | accessdate=2006-12-04] . Auburn president Dr. Ralph B. Draughon and Alabama president Dr. John Gallalee decided during the winter and spring of 1948 to end the disagreement and renew the series. The games would be played in Birmingham because it had the largest stadium in the state, 44,000-seat Legion Field, and the tickets would be split evenly between the two schools. Alabama won the first game when the series renewed 55-0, the most lopsided victory of the series.

By 1980 the series had come to be called the Iron Bowl, due to Birmingham’s prominence as a center of iron and steel production. Throughout the 1980s, Auburn made additions to Jordan-Hare Stadium, and in 1987, it eclipsed Legion Field in size. Auburn desired to make the Iron Bowl a “home-and-home” series, and the schools reached an agreement where Auburn could play their home games for the Iron Bowl in Auburn starting in 1989 (except for the 1991 game, which was played at Legion Field), and Alabama would have a "home" ticket allocation for games in Legion Field. On December 2, 1989, Alabama came to Auburn's Jordan-Hare Stadium for the first time in the history of the rivalry. A sellout crowd would witness Auburn win its first true "home" game of the series, 30–20 over an Alabama team that entered the game unbeaten and ranked #2 in the country.

Alabama continued to hold their home game at Legion Field. In 1998, Alabama expanded Bryant-Denny Stadium to a capacity of 83,818, exceeding Legion Field by a few hundred. Alabama moved their home games in the series to Bryant-Denny Stadium in 2000, only the third time the Iron Bowl was played in Tuscaloosa, and the first time since 1901. A new attendance record for the Iron Bowl was set in 2006 as the latest expansion to Bryant-Denny Stadium increased its capacity to 92,138.

Foy-ODK Sportsmanship Award

The trophy given to the winner of the game is the Foy-ODK Sportsmanship Award. It is named after James E. Foy, an Alabama graduate and former Auburn dean of students and Omicron Delta Kappa Honor Society – which was established on both campuses during the 1920s. The Foy Trophy is presented at halftime of the Auburn–Alabama basketball game later in the same academic year at the winner's coliseum. After the trophy presentation, the SGA President of the losing school must recite his or her adversary's fight song.

Famous moments

With a rivalry of this stature, there are a number of games and moments that define the rivalry.

1964 – National Television:The Iron Bowl was first broadcasted nationally on November 26, 1964. Joe Namath led Alabama to a 21–14 victory over Auburn, and Alabama would go on to win its 7th national championship.

1967 – The Run in the mud:On a stormy night in 1967, Alabama quarterback Kenny Stabler ran for a 53 yard touchdown to give Bama a 7–3 win.

1972 – Punt Bama Punt:Trailing 16–3 with 6 minutes left, Auburn blocked and scored on two Alabama punts to win the game 17–16.

1981 – 315:Alabama Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant got his 315th career victory to pass Amos Alonzo Stagg to become the all-time winningest Division I-A coach in a 28–17 win over Auburn.

1982 – Bo Over the Top:Auburn drove the field and scored with 2 minutes left when Bo Jackson jumped over the top of the pile on the one yard line. Auburn won the game 23–22.

1985 – Van Tiffin's Kick:Trailing 23-22 with only 57 seconds remaining, Alabama quarterback Mike Shula and the Tide offense drove 65 yards in the final 57 seconds, to set up a 53-yard field goal by Van Tiffin, winning the game 25–23 as time expired.

1989 – First Time Ever:In the first game ever played in Auburn, the Tigers beat #2 Alabama 30–20.

1994 – Battle of The South's Unbeatens:10-0 Alabama (#3 AP) defeated 9–0–1 Auburn (#6 AP) 21–14 in a matchup of undefeated teams, snapping Auburn's 21-game unbeaten streak.

1999 – Saturday Morning Virgin:Alabama gets their first win ever at Auburn, 28–17.

Game results

Since 1893, The Crimson Tide and Tigers have played 72 times. Alabama leads the all-time series, with 38 wins to Auburn's 33, with one tie.cite web |url=http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/sec/alabama/opponents_records.php?teamid=220 |title=Alabama vs. Auburn series history |accessdate=2007-09-30 |work=College Football Data Warehouse ] The game has been played in four cities: Auburn, Birmingham, Montgomery, and Tuscaloosa. Alabama leads the series in Birmingham (34-18-1). Auburn leads the series in Tuscaloosa (6-0-0) and Auburn (7-2-0). The series is tied in Montgomery (2-2-0).

"Alabama victories are shaded ██ light red. Auburn victories shaded in ██ light blue."

ee also

*List of NCAA college football rivalry games

References