Tigers vs. Crimson Tide: History of the Iron Bowl

When Do the Auburn Tigers and the Alabama Crimson Tide Play Next?

Upcoming game information can be found below. Auburn Tigers tickets and Alabama Crimson Tide tickets can be found on their respective team pages.

Are the Auburn Tigers and the Alabama Crimson Tide Rivals?

Yes, the Auburn Tigers and the Alabama Crimson Tide are rivals. The two teams both compete in the SEC West division, and play each other every year. The annual game is referred to as The Iron Bowl, and is widely considered to be among the most fierce rivalries in all of college football.

Who are the Alabama Crimson Tide’s Biggest Rivals?

The Alabama Crimson Tide have three key rivalries in the Southeastern Conference. The rivalry with the Tennessee Volunteers is commonly called the Third Saturday in October, based on when the teams play. The Tide also have an SEC West rivalry against the LSU Tigers, especially in high stakes matchups. But Alabama’s biggest rival is unquestionably the Auburn Tigers.

Who Are the Auburn Tigers’ Biggest Rivals?

The Auburn Tigers have two key rivals. Their first is a cross-divisional rivalry against SEC East foe the Georgia Bulldogs, a matchup called the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry. Their strongest and most competitive rivalry is the Iron Bowl against the Alabama Crimson Tide.

History of the Iron Bowl

The Iron Bowl is an intense college football rivalry between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Auburn Tigers. The first-ever iteration of the Iron Bowl came on February 22, 1893, at Legion Field on neutral grounds in Birmingham, when Auburn bested Alabama 32-22. Thee two teams have played a total of 86 times between 1893 and 2022. The Tide lead the margin of victory 48-37 with one tie.

Regardless of record or ranking, the Iron Bowl is known for exciting games and unexpected results. There have been games impacted by weather, like the 1967 matchup, which was the first game of the series to be held at night. Heavy rain soaked Legion Field and was frequently stopped, but eventually, Alabama won 7-3 off a Ken Stabler touchdown run.

Since the turn of the century there have been more than half a dozen games decided by 10 points or less. “The Sack Game” occurred in 2005 after Auburn’s defense sacked Alabama QB Brodie Croyle 11 times on the way to a 28-18 victory. “The Camback” game took place in 2010 when Auburn QB and eventual Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton erased a 24-0 deficit and bested the Tide 28-27.

The most famous game in the series came in 2013 when No. 4 Auburn defeated No. 1 Alabama and ruined the Tide’s National Championship hopes with a game-winning missed field goal returned for a touchdown on the way to a 34-28 win.

In 2021, No. 3 Alabama scratched by an unranked Auburn 24-22 in a quadruple overtime victory. Alabama had not scored a touchdown for the first 58 minutes of the game, and trailed 10-3 before their final drive of regulation. They drove 97 yards down the field for the game-tying touchdown and won the first and only overtime game in Iron Bowl history.

They say throw out the record books in college football when two rivals meet, and that certainly holds true in the Iron Bowl.

James E. Foy, V-ODK Sportsmanship Trophy

The James E. Foy, V-ODK Sportsmanship Trophy is handed out to the winner of the Iron Bowl rivalry played in college football between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Auburn Tigers.

Where Do the Auburn Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide Play?

The Auburn Tigers play at Jordan-Hare Stadium on the campus of Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. Jordan-Hare is the nation’s 10th largest on-campus stadium and has a capacity of 87,451.

The Alabama Crimson Tide play at Bryant-Denny Stadium on the campus of the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. With a seating capacity of 100,077, Bryant-Denny is the fourth-largest stadium in the SEC.