The Alabama Crimson Tide and the Auburn Tigers rivalry could be the most heated rivalry in the SEC Conference. Alabama and Auburn both play in the state of Alabama and there is not a love for each other.
The Crimson Tide and the Tigers have won national titles during this century. Alabama and Auburn is always played during the last week of the regular season before the SEC Championship Game. This rivalry is known as the Iron Bowl. Alabama has won the last couple of meetings against Auburn.
The Athletic Ranks the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Auburn Tigers Rivalry As the Second-Best Rivalry In College Football
The Athletic decided to rank its Top 100 rivalries in the sport of college football. At number one was the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Michigan Wolverines rivalry. At number two, it was the Auburn and the Alabama rivalry. The Iron Bowl rivalry is not a surprise because the Tigers and the Crimson Tide do not like each other.
Scott Dochterman of The Athletic said about this rivalry,
“What to know: Every traditional in-state rivalry is filled with emotion. Then there is Auburn-Alabama. No college sports rivalry consumes an entire state like this one. The Iron Bowl permeates nearly every aspect of life in Alabama, and its national impact regularly exceeds its hyper-local importance. That’s why it’s greater than every rivalry save for one.
- The Iron Bowl has produced more legendary moments than any other in-state rivalry. In 1972, Auburn blocked two punts and returned them for touchdowns in the fourth quarter to win 17-16. That’s known as “Punt, Bama, Punt.” In 2010, Auburn QB Cam Newton led the “Camback” from a 24-0 deficit to win 28-27. On fourth-and-goal from the 31-yard line in 2023, Alabama’s Bryce Young completed a TD pass to Isaiah Bond on a play called “Grave Digger.”
- The schools broke off relations from one another after their 1907 game and didn’t meet again in football until 1948. The Alabama state senate threatened to reduce appropriations to both universities if they didn’t restore the football series. They now have played 77 straight years.
- The schools have 24 ranked meetings (Auburn 14-10), including eight in the top 10 (5-3 Auburn).
Biggest game: With a spot in the SEC championship at stake in 2013, No. 1 Alabama traveled to No. 4 Auburn. With the score tied at 28-28, Alabama kicker Adam Griffith attempted a 57-yard field goal on the game’s final snap. It was short and Auburn’s Chris Davis caught it in the end zone. Davis darted up the middle, then bent to the left. He raced up the sideline for the game-winning touchdown in a 34-28 win. Perhaps the greatest play in college football history, it’s forever known as the “Kick Six.””
The Kick Six was one of the most iconic finishes in college football season. That win for Auburn helped them get to the national championship game against the Florida State Seminoles, but they lost the game in the final minute. Alabama and Auburn were both ranked in the Top 5 entering that game in 2013.
The Tigers and the Crimson Tide have had some other crazy moments. In 2010, Auburn trailed 24-0 at one point and came back to win against Alabama 28-27. The Tigers won the national title that season. In this rivalry’s history, Alabama leads Auburn 51-37-1, and they have met 89 times. They first met on February 22, 1893.
No matter what the records are for the Tigers and the Crimson Tide, there is always going to be bad blood between these two teams. The whole state of Alabama is watching whenever Alabama and Auburn play each other in the Iron Bowl during the college football season.
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