Iron Bowl

The Iron Bowl is an American college football rivalry game played annually by the football teams of the two largest public universities in the U.S. state of Alabama, the University of Alabama Crimson Tide and the Auburn University Tigers. The series is considered one of the best and most hard-fought rivalries in all of sports. As the rivalry was mainly played in Birmingham, Alabama, for many years, the name of the Iron Bowl comes from Birmingham's historic role in the steel industry. Alabama leads the series with an overall record of 42–34–1.

Since 2000, the games are played at Jordan–Hare Stadium in Auburn every odd-numbered year, and in Bryant–Denny Stadium at Tuscaloosa every even-numbered year. For much of the 20th century the game was played every year at Legion Field in Birmingham. Alabama has a 32–15 record in games played at Legion Field, while Auburn has a 7–4 record in games played at Jordan–Hare Stadium and a 7–2 record in games played in Tuscaloosa (5–2 at Bryant–Denny Stadium). The game is traditionally played on Thanksgiving Day weekend. In 1993 both schools agreed to move the game up to the week before Thanksgiving to give themselves a bye for a potential SEC Championship Game berth, but in 2007 the conference voted to disallow any team from having a bye before the league championship game, returning the game to its traditional Thanksgiving weekend spot.

History
Alabama and Auburn played their first football game in Lakeview Park in Birmingham, Alabama, on February 22, 1893. Auburn (then named the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama) won 32–22, before an estimated crowd of 5,000. 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.

Tensions further built when, after both 1906 and 1907 contests, Auburn head coach Mike Donahue threatened to cancel the series if Alabama head coach "Doc" Pollard continued employing his elaborate formations and shifts. The series was indeed 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". The schools were disinclined to resume the series despite the passage of the resolution, since it did not have the effect of law. However, the Alabama congress threatened to withhold state funding from the schools unless they did resume the rivalry. With that threat in mind, Ralph B. Draughon, the president of Auburn (then named the Alabama Polytechnic Institute), and Alabama president 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. The term Iron Bowl was coined by Auburn's coach at the time, Shug Jordan. Alabama's coach, Bear Bryant, said he preferred calling the game the Brag Bowl, since the winner's fans got to brag all year long.

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 witnessed 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. 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. The record was reset again in 2010, after another expansion to Alabama's Bryant–Denny Stadium, when a crowd of 101,821 witnessed an Auburn victory with a score of 28–27.

In 2009 and 2010 CBS Sports arranged an agreement between the two universities to have the game played in an exclusive time slot on the Friday following Thanksgiving. The 2009 game was the sixth Iron Bowl to be played on a Friday and the first in 21 years. CBS did not attempt to renew the agreement after 2010 due to criticism from within the state from both fan bases, returning the game to its traditional Saturday date.

The rivalry has long been reckoned as one of the most heated collegiate rivalries in the country. This is due to a number of factors. For a long time, they were the only Alabama schools in what is now Division I FBS; it is often said that the entire state of Alabama grinds to a halt to watch the game. Additionally, the two schools have been among the nation's elite teams for decades. They account for 30 SEC titles (23 by Alabama and seven by Auburn) and both are among the winningest programs in college football history (Alabama is seventh, Auburn is 16th). Before the SEC adopted a divisional format, the game frequently decided the SEC title, and it frequently decides the SEC West title. The two schools have been fixtures on national television for the better part of the last four decades, and the season-ending clash has been televised for all but one year since the late 1970s (the lone exception being 1993, when Auburn was barred from live TV due to NCAA sanctions).

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 Alabama-Auburn basketball game later in the same academic year at the winner's home court. At the start of each season the SGA Presidents of both schools agree to bet on the outcome of the Iron Bowl by agreeing that after the trophy presentation, the SGA President of the losing team will sing the winning team's fight song.

Notable games


1893: First Game - This was first meeting between Auburn and Alabama. Auburn beat Alabama in Birmingham 32-22. It was the second year of each university's football program.

1948: Rivalry Renewed - The rivalry resumed after being suspended for 41 years due issues related to player per diems and officiating. Alabama defeated Auburn 55-0 at Birmingham's Legion Field. It remains the largest margin of victory in series history.

1957: Auburn's National Championship - Auburn defeated Alabama 40-0 in Birmingham en route to a 10-0 regular season and the Associated Press (AP) national championship. This was the first of two Iron Bowls whereafter the winner was awarded the national championship. Auburn did not participate in post-season play due to NCAA probation.

1964: First Televised Iron Bowl - Played on November 26, 1964, this was the first Iron Bowl broadcast on national television. Quarterback Joe Namath led Alabama to a 21–14 victory over Auburn. Alabama finished the regular season 10-0, and won the SEC Championship. This was the second of two Iron Bowls whereafter the winner earned the AP National Championship. National championship trophies from the AP and UPI were awarded prior to the bowl games in 1964.

1967: The Run in the Mud – This was the first night game of the series. Thunderstorms soaked Legion Field, turning the field muddy. The game was frequently stopped to clear raincoats and other wet weather gear from the field. Late in the game, Alabama quarterback Kenny Stabler ran for 47–yards for touchdown to give Alabama a 7–3 victory.

1971: The Undefeateds - Both teams were playing for a berth in the Orange Bowl to face # 1-ranked Nebraska for the national championship. In the game # 3 Alabama defeated # 5 Auburn 31-7. The game featured Alabama's Heisman Trophy finalist Johnny Musso, and Auburn's Heisman Trophy winner, Pat Sullivan. The victory clinched the SEC Championship for Alabama that season.

1972: Punt Bama Punt – # 2 Alabama was leading Auburn 16-0 when an Auburn drive stalled, forcing the Tigers to settle for a field goal. On the ensuing possession Alabama was forced to punt. Auburn's Bill Newton blocked Greg Gantt's punt. Auburn teammate David Langner caught the blocked punt and ran the ball back 25 yards for an Auburn touchdown, narrowing the score to 16–10. Several minutes later, Alabama was forced to punt again. Once again Newton blocked the punt and Langner returned it for a touchdown. Gardner Jett kicked the extra point to give Auburn a 17-16 win. In August 2010, ESPN.com ranked the game as the 8th most painful outcome in college history. Despite the loss, Alabama won the SEC Championship that season.

1981: 315 – Alabama coach Paul "Bear" Bryant earned his 315th career victory after Alabama defeated Auburn 28-17. With the victory, Coach Bryant passed Amos Alonzo Stagg's winning record and became the all-time winningest FBS coach. Since then, Coach Bryant's wins have been surpassed by Florida State's Bobby Bowden, but Bryant remains second in the List of college football coaches with 200 wins. Alabama shared the SEC Championship that season with Georgia.

1982: Bo Over the Top – With two minutes remaining, Auburn drove the length of the field and scored when running back Bo Jackson jumped over the top of the defensive line for a touchdown. Auburn won the game 23–22. The victory ended Alabama's nine-game winning streak over Auburn. Coach Bryant ended his Iron Bowl career with this loss.

1983: Bye-Bye Bo - Auburn defeated Alabama 23-20 at Legion Field. Bo Jackson set the Iron Bowl rushing record for 256 yards. Auburn won the SEC championship that season. Auburn was awarded the national championship by Billingsley, FACT, Football Research, The New York Times, and Jeff Sagarin.

1984: Wrong Way Bo – Late in the game Auburn trailed by two-points, and had 4th-and-goal from the one yard line. Coach Pat Dye opted to go for a touchdown instead of a field goal. The ball was pitched to Auburn running back Brent Fullwood. Bo Jackson ran the wrong direction on the block, causing Fullwood to be forced out of bounds by an Alabama defender, Rory Turner. Alabama won the game 17–15.

1985: The Kick – After four lead changes in the fourth quarter, Alabama had the ball on their own 12-yard line, trailing by one point with 37 seconds remaining. Alabama quarterback Mike Shula led the offense to the Auburn 36 yard line. Alabama kicker Van Tiffin made a series-record-tying 52-yard field goal as time expired, and Alabama won the game 25–23.

1986: Reverse to Victory – Trailing 17-14, Auburn had the ball on the Alabama 7-yard line with 32 seconds remaining. The called play was a reverse to wide receiver Lawyer Tillman. Auburn Coach Dye ran down the sideline and shouted for Tillman to call a time out. Tillman attempted to call the timeout, but his signal was not seen by the officials. Auburn ran the reverse, scored a touchdown, and won the game 21–17. Speculation surrounded the play. Alabama's players saw Pat Dye's pleas for a time-out and froze, possibly giving Auburn the needed edge to run the risky reverse.

1989: The First Time Ever – Auburn defeated Alabama 30–20 in the first Iron Bowl played at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The SEC championship was shared that season among Alabama, Auburn, and Tennessee; Alabama represented the SEC in the Sugar Bowl.

1990: Tide Breaks the Streak - In Gene Stallings' first season as head coach, Alabama defeated Auburn 16-7 in a defensive struggle. The victory ended Auburn's four-game winning streak in the series. The Tide finished the regular season with a record of 7-4 after opening with three losses.

1993: Radio Championship – # 6 Auburn defeated # 11 Alabama 22-14. The game was not televised due to Auburn's probation, but was shown on closed-circuit television before 47,421 fans at Bryant–Denny Stadium, becoming the first college football game to sell out two stadiums. Despite the loss, Alabama earned a berth in the SEC Championship for the second straight season Auburn finished the season undefeated and was awarded the national championship by the National Championship Foundation. This is documented in the 2012 NCAA Football Records Book online. Other national championship selectors included Harry Frye, Nutshell Sports, Sparks Achievement, and David Wilson.

1994: The Inch that Stole Christmas - # 3 Alabama defeated # 6 Auburn 21–14. Auburn's drive late in the game ended when they were denied a first-down by approximately one inch. The victory ended Auburn's 21–game unbeaten streak, and earned Alabama a berth in the SEC Championship game for the third straight season.

1996: Gene's Farewell - Alabama came from behind to beat Auburn 24–23 in the final minutes of Gene Stallings' final Iron Bowl as Alabama head coach. The win earned Alabama a berth in the SEC Championship game for the fourth time in five years. Later inducted into the Hall of Fame Coach Stallings finished his career with a 5–2 record over Alabama's in-state rival.

1999: Alabama's Win on the Plains - Alabama defeated Auburn 28-17, giving the Crimson Tide its first victory at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The win earned Alabama a berth in the 1999 SEC Championship game. Alabama won the SEC Championship in 1999.

2000: Shut Out in T-Town - The Iron Bowl returned to Tuscaloosa for the first time in 99 years. Amidst cold weather and sleet Auburn defeated Alabama in a 9-0 victory, and earned Auburn a berth in the 2000 SEC Championship game. It was the final game for Alabama head coach Mike DuBose.

2004: Championship Season - Alabama came into the game unranked but led # 3 Auburn by a score of 6-0 at halftime thanks to two Brian Bostick field goals. In the second half, Auburn quarterback Jason Campbell and running back Carnell "Cadillac" Williams led Auburn to 3 touchdowns, winning the game 21-13. The win earned Auburn a berth in the SEC Championship game. Auburn won the SEC Championship that season.

2005: Sacked Bama Sacked - Auburn set a new school and series record by sacking Alabama quarterback Brodie Croyle 11 times. Seven different Auburn players recorded at least half a sack in the game, leading Auburn to a 28–18.

2008: The Beat Down in T-town – # 1 Alabama defeated Auburn 36–0 in Tommy Tuberville's last game as Auburn's head coach. The win resulted in a 12-0 regular season for Alabama (first time in SEC history), and earned Alabama a berth in the SEC Championship game

2009: The Drive - Auburn led #2 Alabama 21-20 with 8:27 left in the game. Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy led a drive starting at the Alabama 21 yard line, completing seven consecutive passes, including a touchdown pass to third-string tailback Roy Upchurch with 1:24 remaining. Alabama won the game 26-21 en route to an SEC Championship rematch with #1 ranked Florida.

2010: The Cam-Back - #2 Auburn defeated #11 Alabama 28-27 after overcoming a 24-0 deficit when Cam Newton rallied his troops to lead Auburn on a 28 point scoring spree, ending with a touchdown pass to Philip Lutzenkirchen late in the 4th quarter. It was the biggest deficit overcome in Iron Bowl history.

Game results
Since 1893, the Crimson Tide and Tigers have played 77 times. Alabama leads the all-time series, with 42 wins to Auburn's 34, with one tie. 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 (7–2) and Auburn (7–4). The series is tied in Montgomery (2–2). Alabama leads the series since it was resumed in the modern era in 1948 (38-27). For the first time in the series history, the previous four winners have all gone on to win the BCS National Championship Game: Alabama in 2009, Auburn in 2010, and Alabama again in 2011 and 2012. It also marks the first time that two different teams from the same state won consecutive BCS National Championships.

''Alabama victories are colored ██ crimson. Auburn victories are colored ██ navy blue. Ties are white.''

Series record sources: 2011 Alabama Football Media Guide, 2011 Auburn Football Media Guide, and College Football Data Warehouse.