Alabama vs. Auburn: National Football Championship Could Hinge on the Iron Bowl

Auburn Looking to Derail Alabama's Undefeated Season and Shot at National Title

The Alabama Crimson Tide faces off against its cross-state rivals, the Auburn Tigers, in the fall football classic known as the Iron Bowl Friday afternoon. Many times over the years, one or the other of the two teams has had national championship potential -- and occasionally they both held national prominence. This year's incarnation of the Iron Bowl -- so named because the game was played in Birmingham, steel capital of the South, for years -- is the 74th meeting between Alabama and Auburn and another potential national championship is on the line. Alabama leads the series 39-34-1. Alabama rolls into the Iron Bowl undefeated and ranked #2 in the nation. Auburn's football team has produced a disappointing 7-4 record, but a win still leaves them in the hunt for a Cotton Bowl berth.

Records aside, the Iron Bowl is a rivalry, which means school pride is on the line as well as bragging rights -- personal, local, state, and national. Stretching back to 1893, the rivalry between Alabama and Auburn is entrenched and flows in the blood. The fact that Alabama hasn't lost a regular season game in two years is meaningless to the Auburn football squad. They look to be the first team to topple the Crimson Tide in two years. As an added bonus, Auburn also knows that if they defeat Alabama, they just might knock their arch rivals out of position to play for the national championship, even though Alabama has already sewed up a berth in the SouthEast Conference championship game against Florida.

But Auburn is facing an uphill battle. Although Auburn has the nation's 11th ranked rushing offense going into the game, they face an Alabama football team ranked No. 1 in overall defense and second in the nation against the rush. Auburn's rushing defense ranks 88th in the nation and they'll face an Alabama offense that generates an average of almost 226 yards per game and ranked 10th in the nation.