There’s no sport quite like college football - especially in Alabama! Team pride is often mixed with disdain for an opposing team, which makes for fun storylines throughout the year. The intensity of the first 11 games each year builds an excitement around the looming playoff and bowl season, but it’s the 12th game of the year that brings the most excitement (and the most nerves) to college football fans. Lovingly referred to as “Rivalry Week” this is the showdown with the most ego and pride attached to it. Fans will tell you it doesn’t matter what the other team’s record is - a true rivalry means anything could happen on the football field that day. Everyone is playing their best. Everyone wants to hoist a trophy at the end of their game. But only one team can win each game - until we do it all again next year! 

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Fortunately my team, Mississippi State, already went to Oxford to win the Egg Bowl in a thrilling showdown on Thanksgiving night. The game had everything one could want in a rivalry game: a close score throughout, hometown heroes making big plays, and this author’s team winning at the end. Now I get to set back and watch dozens of other teams go through the same stress and anxiety that Mississippi’s two SEC teams just experienced. Ohio State and Michigan have to face each other in a game that will help determine the CFB playoffs. Other ranked showdowns include Notre Dame at USC, Tulane at Cincinnati, and Oregon at Oregon State. In Alabama, many teams already played their in-state rivals. For example, it was October when Troy bested South Alabama in a close 10-6 matchup and Alabama State came back to beat Alabama A&M. But we do have one of the top sporting rivalries to look forward to on Saturday - the Iron Bowl. This year’s game can be watched all around Birmingham including showings at Sidewalk, Saturn, and Back Forty. 

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Iron Bowl (Auburn at Alabama)

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One of the most storied rivalries in any sport returns to Tuscaloosa this Saturday at 2:30pm. The Iron Bowl has turned players into forever legends at both schools. Moments like the Kick 6 will forever go down in college football lore (sorry Alabama fans - but on the bright side y’all still have a ridiculous amount of championship rings and Nick Saban). This year’s showdown features two schools that are trying to end the 2022 season on high notes and features former star Running Back turned Interim Head Coach “Cadillac” Williams on the Auburn sideline - which has created a lot of excitement on The Plains. The Crimson Tide is heading into the Iron Bowl with two losses in the regular season (which hadn’t occurred since 2010) but still find themselves as long-shot hopefuls for a playoff berth and certainly want to beat their in-state rivals. As always, this Iron Bowl outcome is impossible to predict - all we know is two hard-working teams are about to bring their all to one of the biggest stages these players will see in their lifetime. May the best team win! 

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Cover image from Unsplash

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