It is no secret that the Saturday after Thanksgiving is the most important day of the year in Alabama. That is the day the Auburn Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide face of in one of America’s greatest rivalries, the Iron Bowl.
The outcome of that game determines how you will live your life in Alabama for the next calendar year. Fans become either the bashful victor or the sullen loser for the next 365 days.
But what makes this game so important?
The simple reasoning would be the state of Alabama does not have any NFL teams, therefore people in Alabama have no choice but to select a side, whether they went to school there or not.
But it goes deeper than that.
It might be because of the success of the two programs. Four out of the last six national championship trophies have gone to one of these schools. The Iron Bowl is full of rich history and usually has major championship implications. Every year since 2009, the winner of the Iron Bowl has been in the BCS National Championship or College Football Playoff.
But it goes deeper than that.
These teams have played each other 78 times over 112 years. These schools share a state, they battle for recruits, each trying to distance itself and make itself a clear number one.
But it goes deeper than that.
This rivalry hits the core of every fan. It is hard to put in words why you have disdain for the other school.
For some it has everything to do with tradition.
“I’ve grown up an Auburn fan, so I’ve grown up hating Alabama.” said senior Brantley Faith. “It's kind of like a family tradition of mine to go to these games and we all get really excited, and it's the biggest game of the year."
Even those who are not native to the state come to understand and appreciate the rich background the rivalry has.
“There is so much tradition that is behind the Iron Bowl.” said Alabama junior Emily Jaworski. “Coming from out of state, it was so cool to learn the culture behind it and be a part of it.”
But for others, it has a much deeper meaning.
“I think it really embodies the Auburn spirit," Alabama native Madison Gaines said. "It has this emotional unification. Auburn always claims to be a family, but you don't truly feel it until you are all together cheering on the same team. That is when it’s the strongest”.
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