Alabama v. Auburn

For the last weekend of the regular season, we have what I consider to be the best rivalry in all of college football -- and probably the best rivalry in all of sports.  No place on earth cares as much about any sport as the State of Alabama cares about college football.  The only place that compares is Kentucky with its love of college basketball.  But while Kentucky is largely united behind UK, Alabama is bitterly divided between Alabama fans and Auburn fans.  And while most sports rivals meet at least twice per season, the Iron Bowl between Alabama and Auburn only takes place once a year.  That's it -- you lose that game, you have to wait a whole year to get revenge.  The once-a-year showdown creates a sense of drama unmatched by anything else in sports.

Alabama leads the all-time series 44-35-1, and many of those games are legends.  These teams have met for the UCFC on three different occasions, with Alabama winning in 1971 and 1977, and Auburn taking the Big Gold Trophy in 1983.  But it's only appropriate that they meet now, because this is truly the Golden Age of the Iron Bowl.  Alabama has recently won four national titles:  2009, 2011, 2012, and 2015.  Auburn won the national title in 2010, and played for the national title in 2013.  So six of the last seven Iron Bowls featured a team that played for, or won, the national championship. Here are the scores of those games (home team listed first):

2009:  Auburn 21 - 26 Alabama (Alabama wins the National Championship)
2010:  Alabama 27 - 28 Auburn (Auburn wins the National Championship)
2011:  Auburn 14 - 41 Alabama (Alabama wins the National Championship)
2012:  Alabama 49 - 0 Auburn (Alabama wins the National Championship)
2013:  Auburn 34 - 28 Alabama (Auburn plays for the National Championship)
2014:  Alabama 55 - 44 Auburn (Alabama wins the SEC Championship)
2015:  Auburn 13 - 29 Alabama (Alabama wins the National Championship)

There are some real classics in there, along with some clunkers where Auburn was struggling under Gene Chizik or simply over matched.

What will we get today?  Alabama is 11-0, they are ranked number one by everyone, and they may be one of the greatest teams Alabama has ever had.  Auburn is 8-3, with losses only to Clemson, Texas A & M, and Georgia.  I believe that Auburn's coach, Gus Malzahn, is one of the most underrated coaches in the country.  As offensive coordinator, he was the true mastermind behind Auburn's run to the title in 2010; as the head coach, he led the Tigers back to the title game in 2013; and he has put together yet another solid squad this year.  If anyone in the country could go to Tuscaloosa and beat Alabama, it is an Auburn team coached by Gus Malzahn.  But Alabama is very, very good.

The oddsmakers have Alabama favored by 18 points in a game where they expect 47 points to be scored.  That would indicate an Alabama victory by something like 32-14.  I will be surprised if Alabama wins this game by 18 points or more.