Re: Auburn stepping up and beating Bama ... possibility?
People like to say this, a lot, but it really almost never happens.
In the Iron Bowl, the better team almost always wins. Even in 1984 - which is probably the biggest "upset" the Iron Bowl has seen - it wasn't that big of an upset and the barn had no real Championship aspirations. They were 8-3 going into the game, having already lost to Miami, Texas, and Florida. And, yes, Bama was 4-6 heading into the game but the record alone is a bit misleading. We lost 4 of our first 5 games that year. The 6th game of the season is where we kind of turned it around, beating #11 Penn State. The two games we lost between then and the Iron Bowl, to Tennessee and LSU, were by a combined 3 points - 27-28 and 14-16, respectively. We were a much better football team at the end of the season than we were at the beginning.
And in 1972, when the Barn beat Bama to virtually end Bama's shot at a National Championship, they were also 9-1 and a Top 10 team. Of course, even had Bama beaten the Barn, the chances of Bama being awarded a National Championship were slim as an undefeated USC team, which had been ranked #1 since the first week of the season, would most likely have been unanimously crowned as National Champions regardless of whether or not #2 Bama would have won the Iron Bowl.
This Auburn team is pretty horrendous. I say that with no relish (ok a little bit). However, both teams in the past have stepped up their game for the Iron Bowl in seasons where each was playing well below expectations and blasted the other, killing any title hopes for them. What's the liklihood of this happening? Does anyone know of a season where one team was down so much but somehow mustered enough pride and grit for the day to bring the other one down? Any occurrence that compares to 2-7 Auburn vs a 9-1 Bama team?
If it happened, how would this affect the next year for you? I am a Bama fan through and through and nothing will ever change that but I have to admit it would be very soul crushing. I would avoid Barners for some time afterwards.
People like to say this, a lot, but it really almost never happens.
In the Iron Bowl, the better team almost always wins. Even in 1984 - which is probably the biggest "upset" the Iron Bowl has seen - it wasn't that big of an upset and the barn had no real Championship aspirations. They were 8-3 going into the game, having already lost to Miami, Texas, and Florida. And, yes, Bama was 4-6 heading into the game but the record alone is a bit misleading. We lost 4 of our first 5 games that year. The 6th game of the season is where we kind of turned it around, beating #11 Penn State. The two games we lost between then and the Iron Bowl, to Tennessee and LSU, were by a combined 3 points - 27-28 and 14-16, respectively. We were a much better football team at the end of the season than we were at the beginning.
And in 1972, when the Barn beat Bama to virtually end Bama's shot at a National Championship, they were also 9-1 and a Top 10 team. Of course, even had Bama beaten the Barn, the chances of Bama being awarded a National Championship were slim as an undefeated USC team, which had been ranked #1 since the first week of the season, would most likely have been unanimously crowned as National Champions regardless of whether or not #2 Bama would have won the Iron Bowl.