Tigers vs. Crimson Tide: History of the Iron Bowl

Update (October 2, 2026): This article has been updated with the latest information about the Iron Bowl.

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

The 2026 game between both teams is on Saturday, November 28 at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

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, 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 a 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 conference rivalry against SEC 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 Iron Bowl gets its name from at one point traditionally being played at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama, a historic hub for the iron and steel industry in the Southern United States.

The first-ever iteration of the Iron Bowl came on February 22, 1893, at Lakeview Park in Birmingham, Alabama. Auburn bested Alabama, 32-22. The two teams have played a total of 90 times between 1893 and 2025, with the Crimson Tide holding a 52-37-1 series edge. Alabama has won the last six meetings, which is the second longest winning streak for them in the history of the storied rivalry.

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. Heavy rain soaked Legion Field, and the game 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 57-yard field goal that was returned by Chris Davis 109 yards for a touchdown on the way to a 34-28 win. The famous play is known as the Kick Six.

The rivalry has continued providing great moments into the 2020s.

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.

With 32 seconds left in the 2023 edition of the Iron Bowl, Alabama QB Jalen Milroe threw a game-winning touchdown to Isaiah Bond on 4-and-31 to give the Crimson Tide a clutch 27-24 win at Jordan-Hare. Most recently in 2025, Alabama won 27-20 to clinch a spot in the SEC Championship game.

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. Foy served as assistant dean of students at Alabama and dean of student affairs at Auburn. The trophy is traditionally presented not during the Iron Bowl, but at halftime of the Alabama vs. Auburn men’s basketball game at the winning team’s arena during college basketball season.

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, which has a capacity of 88,043.

The Alabama Crimson Tide play at Bryant-Denny Stadium on the campus of the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, with a seating capacity of 100,077.