The landscape was already changing in the eternal Alabama-Auburn tug of war even before last season’s game.
That’s assuming you want to call it a game.
Either way, we were reminded just how much it had changed last November when Alabama pummeled Auburn 36-0 at Bryant-Denny Stadium in the most lopsided Iron Bowl in 46 years.
The Crimson Tide snapped a six-game losing streak to the Tigers and capped their first unbeaten regular season since 1994.
It was a statement heard in every corner of the state -- from Fairhope, to Fort Payne, to Phenix City.
Alabama was serious about defending its turf.
And just in case anybody forgot during the offseason, Nick Saban offered a subtle reminder when he and the Alabama players accepted the Iron Bowl trophy at halftime of a basketball game last March.
Saban took the microphone, thanked his team, thanked the fans and said very matter of factly, “This is an honor for the University of Alabama and everybody associated with the university that we have this trophy in our possession for this year and many years to come.”
The Alabama fans roared, and they’ve been roaring ever since.
The Crimson Tide (11-0, 7-0) are working on a second straight unbeaten regular season -- something that hasn’t been done in the SEC since Bear Bryant led Alabama to unbeaten seasons in 1973 and 1974.
The road to 12-0 for a second straight year goes through Auburn on Friday, yet another chance for Alabama to remind everybody who’s boss in this state when it comes to football.
Really, it was one of the first orders of business for Saban when he took this job, to re-establish Alabama as the preeminent football program in the state.
On the field and on the recruiting trail.
When you look at the Crimson Tide’s recruiting the last couple of years, it’s safe to say they’ve done that. Their last two classes have been ranked in the top two in the country.
And on the field, keeping that Iron Bowl trophy at the Capstone for “many years to come” is the first thing any coach at Alabama needs to do.
Holding onto the No. 2 spot this week in the BCS standings, Alabama obviously has bigger goals in mind than merely holding onto state bragging rights.
But nothing would undo the momentum this program has generated under Saban any quicker than stumbling now to Auburn, especially with so much at stake for the Crimson Tide.
Throw in this being Gene Chizik’s first season at Auburn, and a loss by Alabama is magnified that much more.
It gives Auburn validity. It gives Chizik validity. It gives all those recruits in the state who hadn’t really given much consideration to the Tigers a reason to reconsider.
The only thing Alabama is interested in is giving that Iron Bowl trophy a home … for good.
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Paul Jasienski/US PresswireNick Saban is intent on keeping the Iron Bowl trophy in Tuscaloosa.
Either way, we were reminded just how much it had changed last November when Alabama pummeled Auburn 36-0 at Bryant-Denny Stadium in the most lopsided Iron Bowl in 46 years.
The Crimson Tide snapped a six-game losing streak to the Tigers and capped their first unbeaten regular season since 1994.
It was a statement heard in every corner of the state -- from Fairhope, to Fort Payne, to Phenix City.
Alabama was serious about defending its turf.
And just in case anybody forgot during the offseason, Nick Saban offered a subtle reminder when he and the Alabama players accepted the Iron Bowl trophy at halftime of a basketball game last March.
Saban took the microphone, thanked his team, thanked the fans and said very matter of factly, “This is an honor for the University of Alabama and everybody associated with the university that we have this trophy in our possession for this year and many years to come.”
The Alabama fans roared, and they’ve been roaring ever since.
The Crimson Tide (11-0, 7-0) are working on a second straight unbeaten regular season -- something that hasn’t been done in the SEC since Bear Bryant led Alabama to unbeaten seasons in 1973 and 1974.
The road to 12-0 for a second straight year goes through Auburn on Friday, yet another chance for Alabama to remind everybody who’s boss in this state when it comes to football.
Really, it was one of the first orders of business for Saban when he took this job, to re-establish Alabama as the preeminent football program in the state.
On the field and on the recruiting trail.
When you look at the Crimson Tide’s recruiting the last couple of years, it’s safe to say they’ve done that. Their last two classes have been ranked in the top two in the country.
And on the field, keeping that Iron Bowl trophy at the Capstone for “many years to come” is the first thing any coach at Alabama needs to do.
Holding onto the No. 2 spot this week in the BCS standings, Alabama obviously has bigger goals in mind than merely holding onto state bragging rights.
But nothing would undo the momentum this program has generated under Saban any quicker than stumbling now to Auburn, especially with so much at stake for the Crimson Tide.
Throw in this being Gene Chizik’s first season at Auburn, and a loss by Alabama is magnified that much more.
It gives Auburn validity. It gives Chizik validity. It gives all those recruits in the state who hadn’t really given much consideration to the Tigers a reason to reconsider.
The only thing Alabama is interested in is giving that Iron Bowl trophy a home … for good.
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
Chris Low
Low joined ESPN.com in 2007 after 10 years with The (Nashville) Tennessean covering the University of Tennessee and SEC. The Rock Hill, S.C., native lives with his wife in Knoxville and has three sons.
