Never too early to think of Iron Bowl

BamaInBham

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Feb 14, 2007
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Bama is 17-17 in the IB in the last 34 yrs and post-Bryant. Has no bearing directly on the upcoming game I know but it is an interesting stat for those of us that like to look at them. Not a record that us Bama fans would prefer but I think it does show why this series is regarded as one of the best rivalry games in all of sports.
But that includes the worst 11 years in Bama history as well as the transition from Coach Bryant. Take out that sanction filled 11 year stretch and Bama is 37-20 since the series resumed in 1948. I.e., the norm is Bama wins. Even with it Bama is 40-28. If Bama had played AU between 1908-47, Bama would likely be ahead something like 74-45-1, rather than 44-35-1. But the past means little. Most know that the best team wins this game the vast majority of the time. The exceptions being 49, 72 wins for AU and ;59, 60, 84, 85, 01 wins for Bama. Some would make a case for AU in 2002 (Franchione game) and 2013 (AU was good and deserved that game. The FG return was a great play by them, not a failure by Saban or Griffith). I'm sure I'm missing something - this is mainly off of the top of my head.

If you want to look at "trends", 7 of 9, 3 in a row, and 3 of 4 at J-H are much more relevant than 34 years. But in reality neither matter much. Neither is intimidated, both want it badly and both are good. Bama has better players and Jalen and coaches. AU has a dominant DL and Bama injuries at one positon group and one position within that group. Though Bama is a great road team, it's usually better to be at home. Bama will probably have the psychological edge, since most of the media will be salivating and picking AU. And they will likely be propagating the myth that AU is better when both teams are top 10 or top 5.
 

bamabelle1991

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Jan 1, 2009
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Hello everyone, I realize I don't post very often ( 2 kids, work nights every weekend, and finishing my MSN [graduate in 1 month!!!!]), but from my perspective, other than injuries on defense of course, I think we're in a great spot for the Iron Bowl. I think a sense of urgency was instilled in our leaders Saturday night and they rose to the occasion, when it mattered most, on both sides of the ball. Auburn meanwhile will be propped up by the media for two weeks much the same way Georgia was. For the record, I think Auburn is better than Georgia and would beat them again in a rematch... unfortunately for them I don't think they get the chance!

The issues on defense are obviously concerning but we can still play good defense. I bet you could't find one Oklahoma fan right now that doesn't believe they can beat anyone they play with Mayfield despite their porous defense. I'm going to personally rally around Jalen this same way. I believe he and our other offensive leaders take care of business. Early score prediction: Alabama 38 Auburn 26 (4 Carlson FGs). Champions overcome adversity. Let's go be champions. Roll Tide!!
I like your positive attitude!! Please stick around!! RTR!!
 

deliveryman35

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But that includes the worst 11 years in Bama history as well as the transition from Coach Bryant. Take out that sanction filled 11 year stretch and Bama is 37-20 since the series resumed in 1948. I.e., the norm is Bama wins. Even with it Bama is 40-28. If Bama had played AU between 1908-47, Bama would likely be ahead something like 74-45-1, rather than 44-35-1. But the past means little. Most know that the best team wins this game the vast majority of the time. The exceptions being 49, 72 wins for AU and ;59, 60, 84, 85, 01 wins for Bama. Some would make a case for AU in 2002 (Franchione game) and 2013 (AU was good and deserved that game. The FG return was a great play by them, not a failure by Saban or Griffith). I'm sure I'm missing something - this is mainly off of the top of my head.

If you want to look at "trends", 7 of 9, 3 in a row, and 3 of 4 at J-H are much more relevant than 34 years. But in reality neither matter much. Neither is intimidated, both want it badly and both are good. Bama has better players and Jalen and coaches. AU has a dominant DL and Bama injuries at one positon group and one position within that group. Though Bama is a great road team, it's usually better to be at home. Bama will probably have the psychological edge, since most of the media will be salivating and picking AU. And they will likely be propagating the myth that AU is better when both teams are top 10 or top 5.
It also includes arguably the BEST 10 years in Bama’s history(‘08 to ‘17).

MY point was this has been a very evenly matched series over the course of 35 years or so and as such is highly regarded as one of the best rivalries in all of sports. That was not the case before then. And yes I agree the best team does win this game most of the time. At full strength, we have the best team this year. However, with the injury situation I think we are somewhat handicapped and have an uphill, though certainly not impossible, battle in front of us.
 
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RT27

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Aug 13, 2017
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We have a few things in our Favor, NICK , Jalen, and side to side top to bottom I feel we are better team. Offensively we have more weapons, and a QB that can use them. If we can crowd the line and stop carryon and put game on their QB we will win. Will be epic game as it usually is but Nick has more wins than losses to the barn. The one big thing we have is that clemson loss still burning this team. I hope and I truly feel this team wants it more this year than last year. I truly feel we will find a way to get to NC game.
 

rtrbama1

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May 31, 2015
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i know it's not in our nature year in and year out, but this is a year where we need to forget about Mercer and just game plan for Auburn.
there is no result against Mercer other than a loss that could affect our playoff prospects and there's no way we lose to them even if we simply run the starters out and run the most basic set of plays imaginable.
why even waste 1 minute game planning for Mercer unless there is something specific they do that actually relates to something Auburn does?
They can use Mercer as a chance to get someone like Dylan Moses or Keith Holcombe experience with handling assignments and communication. Or JC Hassenaeur more reps with the starting unit. Also work on general execution in all phases.
 
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BamaInBham

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It also includes arguably the BEST 10 years in Bama’s history(‘08 to ‘17).

MY point was this has been a very evenly matched series over the course of 35 years or so and as such is highly regarded as one of the best rivalries in all of sports. That was not the case before then. And yes I agree the best team does win this game most of the time. At full strength, we have the best team this year. However, with the injury situation I think we are somewhat handicapped and have an uphill, though certainly not impossible, battle in front of us.
This is the 6th such 7-15 year "good" period in Bama's history. Bama has had but one other "bad" period 55-57, 3 years. 66 of Bama's last 94 years have been coached by 5 coaches with a winning % > 80. There are only 3 other such coaches in SEC history: Neyland, Spurrier at UF and Meyer. Bama has 5. So Wade/Thomas/Bryant/Stallings/Saban are the norm. AU's best according to winning % (53 years): Bowden, Dye, Tuberville, Jordan are 73, 71, 68, 67.5. That is similar to Bama's next level coaches (17 years): Curry, Franchione, Perkins, Drew at 72, 68, 67.7, 65 respectively. I.e., AU's best is considered only decent or even failures at Bama.

Why not choose a more relevant time, since Bama began its current run in 08, the series is 7-2 Bama, etc. Why do you choose a time frame that puts Bama in the worst light ? Or if going for history why not 50 years: 30-20. But you choose 34 years. This is not an even series. My point is that the norm is Bama 65-35. A couple of months ago LSU and AU fans were bragging on an SEC board that they had beaten Bama twice in the last 9 years, more than anyone else but OM, who was absent. I.e., their failure was less than the others. This is not an even series.
 

Tideflyer

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They can use Mercer as a chance to get someone like Dylan Moses or Keith Holcombe experience with handling assignments and communication. Or JC Hassenaeur more reps with the starting unit. Also work on general execution in all phases.
I personally think that`s exactly what this game will (and should ) be about.
 

deliveryman35

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This is the 6th such 7-15 year "good" period in Bama's history. Bama has had but one other "bad" period 55-57, 3 years. 66 of Bama's last 94 years have been coached by 5 coaches with a winning % > 80. There are only 3 other such coaches in SEC history: Neyland, Spurrier at UF and Meyer. Bama has 5. So Wade/Thomas/Bryant/Stallings/Saban are the norm. AU's best according to winning % (53 years): Bowden, Dye, Tuberville, Jordan are 73, 71, 68, 67.5. That is similar to Bama's next level coaches (17 years): Curry, Franchione, Perkins, Drew at 72, 68, 67.7, 65 respectively. I.e., AU's best is considered only decent or even failures at Bama.

Why not choose a more relevant time, since Bama began its current run in 08, the series is 7-2 Bama, etc. Why do you choose a time frame that puts Bama in the worst light ? Or if going for history why not 50 years: 30-20. But you choose 34 years. This is not an even series. My point is that the norm is Bama 65-35. A couple of months ago LSU and AU fans were bragging on an SEC board that they had beaten Bama twice in the last 9 years, more than anyone else but OM, who was absent. I.e., their failure was less than the others. This is not an even series.
Alabama's ALL-TIME win percentage against the barn is .562(45-35-1 record)--in other words, we've won 56% of the games. So yes, Bama holds a slight edge in the series. Obviously, yes, both teams have had their periods of domination, like Bama currently winning 7 of the last 10 and 9 in a row in the '70's. The barn dominated in the '80's and in the early 2000's. Taken together collectively and added up, it's been a very competitive series.

We both are looking at the same thing, but from two different and historical perspectives, I guess is the best way to put it. And from a national perspective, I still argue that this series is highly regarded because it is NOT lopsided in favor of one or the other, like many of the other series out there that are(OU/Okie State, Notre Dame/USC, OU/Texas, etc.) That's what makes it such a hard-fought, bitter rivalry and one of, again, the best in all of sports.

Again, I'm talking about the SERIES between the two schools. Let there be no doubt who the best PROGRAM is though--the barn can't hold a candle to what Bama has accomplished and never will. But we all already know that.
 
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BamaInBham

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Alabama's ALL-TIME win percentage against the barn is .562(45-35-1 record)--in other words, we've won 56% of the games. So yes, Bama holds a slight edge in the series. Obviously, yes, both teams have had their periods of domination, like Bama currently winning 7 of the last 10 and 9 in a row in the '70's. The barn dominated in the '80's and in the early 2000's. Taken together collectively and added up, it's been a very competitive series.

We both are looking at the same thing, but from two different and historical perspectives, I guess is the best way to put it. And from a national perspective, I still argue that this series is highly regarded because it is NOT lopsided in favor of one or the other, like many of the other series out there that are(OU/Okie State, Notre Dame/USC, OU/Texas, etc.) That's what makes it such a hard-fought, bitter rivalry and one of, again, the best in all of sports.

Again, I'm talking about the SERIES between the two schools. Let there be no doubt who the best PROGRAM is though--the barn can't hold a candle to what Bama has accomplished and never will. But we all already know that.
My point is that under normal circumstances Bama wins 65% of the time - essentially 2-1. I would supply the numbers and rational, but I know we're both tired of this and it really means nothing regarding this game.
 

cbi1972

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In my lifetime, Bama has not beaten good Auburn teams very often.
Saban in particular has not beaten good Auburn teams.
Auburn usually beats Alabama if they beat Georgia, and loses to Alabama if they lose to Georgia.
This is a good Auburn team that throttled Georgia.
I look for all of this to change this year.
 

bamacpa

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Jul 19, 2006
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I think we'll see more zone read in part to keep that DL from pinning their ears back.
 

BamaInBham

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In my lifetime, Bama has not beaten good Auburn teams very often.
Saban in particular has not beaten good Auburn teams.
Auburn usually beats Alabama if they beat Georgia, and loses to Alabama if they lose to Georgia.
This is a good Auburn team that throttled Georgia.
I look for all of this to change this year.
How do you define a "good" team ? Since 08 when this run began, he's 2-2 vs ranked AU teams. The 2 losses were his 2 worst teams. The problem is that AU is not good more than half of the time. AU's 2 best teams since 08, 2 of the top 5 in their history, beat Bama's 2 worst teams record wise, during this run. Even then it took very strange "happenings".

Bama's record against AU when both were top ten is 4-4 (3 of AU's 4 wins are '72, '10, '13, three most fortunate wins) Bama is a hair from 7-1; both top five 1-1. Bama's record vs ranked AU: 13-22, AU's record vs ranked Bama: 13-34. So, Bama's record against ranked AU is better than theirs.
 

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