"They say the day you're born you must decide whether you're Crimson or Blue."
"My favorite team is Alabama and whoever's playing Auburn"
"Punt 'Bama, Punt"
"I'd prefer to beat that cow college once than beat Texas ten times"
"War Damn Eagle"
"Roll Tide"
Crimson or Blue? They aren't just colors in the state of Alabama; they're a way of life. Who are you? How do you see yourself? In Alabama, whether you're Crimson or Blue is part of who you are. On the national scale, the Michigan-Ohio State game may cast a bigger shadow, but no rivalry in sports can match the passion and hatred between Alabama and Auburn. The state of Alabama has no professional sports teams. Alabama has college football, and it is what defines its people. The Alabama/Auburn rivalry is the lifeblood that runs through the people 365 days a year. On Christmas, New Year's, and Thanksgiving, the last Saturday of the season is always a topic of conversation. The Iron Bowl can turn best friends into worst enemies, it can mend feuds, it can starts feuds. They say it cannot truly be comprehended by an outsider who doesn't hear a radio broadcaster in May discussing the Iron Bowl. No where else in the country can 60 minutes define an entire year.
Lakeview Baseball Park in Birmingham hosted the first game of what would become the nation's most bitter rivalry. On February 22, 1893 Auburn defeated Alabama 32-22, thus beginning a fourteen year stretch of annual contests that saw Auburn take 11 victories. In 1907, the two played to a 6-6 tie, but this time instead of holding onto the thought that in 364 days there'd be another chance to defeat the rival school, the fans of the two schools had to wait 41 years, living with the tie the whole while. Depending on who you talk to, the four decade suspension of the series is either the result of game expenses, an argument over whether the referees were biased, or a fight following the '07 game. Either way, the hiatus only strengthened the fury between the two schools, until the series resumed in 1948. During this time Alabama had risen to national prominence while Auburn had fallen out of the nation's elite. And with no ‘Bama at the end of those schedules, there were no chances to salvage a bad campaign.
Finally as the 364 day wait to undo the '07 tie turned into nearly 15,000 days, the two teams finally got back onto the Birmingham's Legion Field to renew the rivalry. The Tide rolled to a dominating 55-0 blowout. Finally, the Tide faithful, who successes seemed just a little less gratifying before, had gotten their much anticipated victory over Auburn. Prior to the game, the student bodies of the schools shouted at one another across the field for hours, "War Eagle" and "Roll Tide" echoed throughout the stadium until kickoff, when emotions were at a fever pitch. But it was the fans clad in crimson that would laugh last and shout loudest as the state of Alabama that had waited 41 years for the two teams to once again battle, saw the Tide embarrass the Tigers.
For the next year a new generation of Alabama inhabitants was introduced to the meaning of the phrase "365." As the '48 finale drew closer, there was little doubt about what the outcome would be. ‘Bama, who a season earlier had physically taken Auburn apart entered the game 6-2-1, facing a weak team in the Tigers who had managed just one win all season. But as is common in most rivalries, when game day arrives, you can throw the records out the window. The outmanned Auburn squad pulled off one of the series' biggest upsets with a 14-13 win. But the following year Alabama not only embarrassed Auburn in the season's final game, Bobby Marlow scored three times in a 34-0 Tide win, but they left the Auburn faithful with their only winless season in school history, 0-10.
The next half decade would see the ‘Bama win two more games followed by three Auburn wins leading up to the infamous 1957 game. In essence, Auburn would be playing for two achievements that day, Alabama State Champions, and National Champions. The undefeated Tigers entered Legion Field as heavy favorites and thoroughly beat the Tide 40-0, claiming both titles. But the '57 game was important in Crimson Tide history as well. Following the embarrassing loss and in the midst of a four year skid in the Iron Bowl, just days after the loss Alabama hired Bear Bryant away from Texas A&M. The course of the rivalry and the history of college football would forever change.
"We're gonna beat that cow college on the other side of the state," Bryant told his club when he met with them. That cow college did get the best of the Tide in '58 though. But after an encouraging 14-8 loss in that first game, Bryant ran off 10 out of 11 against the hated rivals. He had delivered on his promise, and after Auburn had taken a few from ‘Bama, another game etched in not only Iron Bowl lore, but college football history as well. The year was 1972, Alabama was undefeated and ranked number two in the country, searching for another National Title, much like Auburn in the '57 game. Prior to the game, Bryant summed up what this rivalry means in one sentence. "I'd prefer to beat that cow college once than beat Texas ten times." It looked as though the Tide was well on its way to doing just that. ‘Bama led 16-3 with the ball and just over five minutes to play. It was fourth down, and the ball lay on the ‘Bama 45 yard line. The Crimson Tide was just moments away from the National Title. But ‘Bama's punt attempt was blocked by Auburn's Bill Newton and fortuitously into the hands of David Langer who took it the last 25 yards for the touchdown to close the gap 16-10. On the next ‘Bama possession, lightning struck again, and Langer ran in for the winning score. Auburn had beaten Alabama 17-16, and with it took the Tide's dream of a National Title. And "Punt ‘Bama, Punt" had entered the Iron Bowl dialogue. The following year ‘Bama made up for its blunder by beating the Tigers 35-0, clinching that National Title.
The Iron Bowl had traditionally been played at Birmingham’s Legion Field. For all but five games since the rivalry's inception, the city built around the iron ore deposits, hosted America's most bitter rivalry (Montgomery and Tuscaloosa had also hosted.) 1989 marked the first time that the Iron Bowl would be played in Auburn at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Thousands of fans in blue and orange watched their team march from the dorms to the Stadium during the "Tiger Walk." The stadium was electric, if there was ever a time in which emotion could exceed the Iron Bowl's already ultimate pitch of emotion it was December 2, 1989 at Jordan-Hare. As if it wasn't enough that it was Alabama, and on top of that it was the first time the Tide had ever come to play at Auburn, but it was also another chance to spoil a ‘Bama perfect season as they entered the game 10-0. The Tide had no shot. After an uncharacteristic deep throw on the first possession that seemed to be dropped from heaven, the Tigers could do no wrong. This win was meant to be, and the Tigers captured a win for the ages 30-20. Tears of joy flowed throughout the stadium that day. This one would last a whole lot longer the 365, this was a game that father's would tell there sons about, a game that would be passed down from generation to generation like a family heirloom. "Grandpop was there the day undefeated Tide came to Auburn and left with their tales between their legs."
There was the Snake's "Run in the Mud" in the '67 game to give ‘Bama a 7-3 win in front of a packed Legion Field despite torrential storms. And there was "The Kick," in '85 that gave ‘Bama a 25-23 win. The next year Lawyer Tillman scored on his first ever rushing play with 32 seconds left to give Auburn a 21-17 win. The only thing is he wasn't supposed to get the ball. In the 1906 edition, Auburn protested the 10-0 ‘Bama win claiming one of the ‘Bama guards was "illegal." And then, then there was December 3, 1983. Maybe the greatest player the Iron Bowl has ever seen, Bo Jackson, had a monster game. 256 yards and touchdowns of 69 and 71 yards immortalized Bo and helped give the Tigers a 23-20 victory.
The Tide lead the series 38-29-1. From those earliest days of 500 spectators at a baseball field to this past season's Auburn win. From Stabler to Croyle, Bo to Cadillac, the Lakeview Baseball Park to Jordan-Hare, every game is the most important game there is until of course the next Iron Bowl rolls around. The passion and fire of the Alabama/Auburn rivalry will never cease.
I could go on and on about the great players, great plays, and nail biting games in this series. But what makes this rivalry so great is, quite simply, the fans. There are no weddings on the day of the Iron Bowl. For all intensive purposes, that last Saturday of the season is holiday bigger than Christmas, and it makes or breaks your next 364 days. Maybe you've never seen an Iron Bowl on TV. Maybe you've never heard of the phrase "Punt ‘Bama, Punt." Heck, maybe you didn't even know that Bo Jackson was a Tiger. But this rivalry is no joke. As sure as the sun will rise on the plains of Alabama, so will the topic of the Iron Bowl. If you get a chance, try and catch the 2005 edition and look closely at the fans and the players because this one game is more than just 60 minutes of football.