Auburn/Alabama rivalry
Auburn-Alabama. In the heart of Dixie, whichever way you look at it, you live it 365 days a year. The passion is unparalleled in all of collegiate athletics.
The series between Auburn and Alabama began on Feb. 22, 1893, when the two teams met for "I'm a Big 10 person. I've been to the Big House in Ann Arbor and the Horseshoe in Columbus. And we've got our Little Brown Jug and the Old Oaken Bucket, but I'm really humbled ... this Auburn-Alabama rivalry is bigger than any game I've been to.
Walking to the stadium, people don't just say 'Hello', they say 'War Eagle' or 'Roll Tide.' I've tried to read books about this rivalry, but I've given up trying to comprehend this thing that is so full of culture and history. Instead, I just sit back and enjoy it."
–
the first time at Birmingham’s Lakeview Park. An estimated 2,000 fans were in attendance that day to see the Auburn Orange and Blue defeat the Alabama Crimsons 32-22. Thus, began a rivalry that is the nation’s fiercest.
Disagreements between the schools started immediately after their first game. Alabama includes the loss as the last game of the 1892 season while Auburn puts the victory as the first game of the 1893 season. It was the first of many disputes that has made the rivalry more than just a football game.
The rivalry went on 41-year hiatus after the teams met for the 12th time in 1907. The schools became involved in what seemed to be a minor dispute involving teams’ expenses and officiating. Neither team could agree on how much money each player should be allotted for the team’s trip to Birmingham for the game. A disagreement on what section of the country the officials should come from also existed.