Explain this to me: Iron Bowl since 1982

Bama is AU’s biggest game every year. They win a lot of them when they are not the better team. They are the better team this year though.

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Bama is definitely the #1 program all time, but it's not like Auburn is a bottom feeder. Auburn is probably a top 15 all time program. Top 20 at the worst.

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Notre Dame leads USC by 10 games. Texas leads Oklahoma by 16. Bama leads Tennessee by 18. Bama leads LSU by 26. Just a few examples where historically better programs than Auburn are further behind in their rivalries.

Easy. You have an administration, football program, and fanbase which made the decision to focus all efforts into challenging Alabama above all else every year- win the state, then worry about other things which may come. This was epitomized years back by the speech given by David Housel.

Alabama has not taken that approach. Say what you will, be it because Alabama focuses on championships and not individual opponents, Tennessee is just as big of a rival as Auburn, etc., etc. Whatever it is, Alabama doesn't put as much all-consuming emphasis on beating Auburn compared to what is received.

Personally, I would like for this to be different, but it is what it is at this point. For some reason, Saban seems to really dislike Tennessee. Go back to his days at LSU. Tennessee still fielded good teams during that time, as did Auburn. However, Saban struggled with Auburn but almost never missed the opportunity to get up for Tennessee. Granted, correlation is not causation, but I've always wondered if something was there with that apparent dichotomy.

That 41-year gap where we didn't play is why the series is as close as it is. Look at the program difference during those periods. The series would look a lot like LSU-Alabama had we played.

Probation hurt us under CMS, gave the boogs 7 wins in a row. No way that happens otherwise.

We were also much better than the barn during the span we didn't play them. Threw off our lead a good bit:

Didn't play from 1908-1947.

BAMA's record during that time 266-74-20
AU's record during that time 196-136-10

National Titles during time-frame
BAMA - 5
AU - 0

Conf Titles during time-frame
BAMA - 4 Southern Conf, 4 SEC - 8
AU - 1 Southern Conf, 0 SEC - 1

Series record prior to stoppage - 3-2-1 BAMA
First game in the series restart - BAMA 55-0

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Auburn had better coaches in that span. The three Mikes didn't help.

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We were on severe probation, lost numerous key starters for half or more of seasons (Croyle, W. Britt, T. Castille), and yet they never beat us by more than 10 pts.

Exactly, yesterday was the first real win they've had over us in a decade.

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Probation hurt us under CMS, gave the boogs 7 wins in a row. No way that happens otherwise.

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6. They beat Franchione his last year. Actually, it looked like he gifted them the game, then hugging Tuberville at midfield, I thought he was going to make out with him, and I am pretty sure he did put his tongue in Wingnut's ear.

Then they beat Shula all 4 years, and Saban's first year. So 6, though that's bad enough.

edit: They won more games from 1982-1989 while they were cheating their asses off, and for which they were busted. Then they won more games after we were busted for cheating ourselves in the DuBose years. 4 of those losses, as noted, were vs Mike Shula, bless his heart. So only when they were cheating like crazy or when we were under severe scholarship limitations due to our stupidity, have they won more games since Bryant. And that now stands at 1 in their favor. I am pretty certain we will fix that next year.

They're going to win one every few years, in spite of hell. I remember the bizarre shite in 2010. Fumble bouncing straight down the sideline for 20 yards and out of the endzone. TR dropping a wide open pass on the goal line, the fumble at about the 3 that lay on the turf for what seemed like minutes, till their guy ran around 3 of our players and fell on it. Weird stuff.

Perkins split 2&2
Stallings won 5 of 7
DuBose split 2&2
Franchione 1&1
Saban now 7&4

Poor old Mike Shula and Billy Curry were winless.
Yes, I do realize most of you already know these things, but just to put things in perspective.

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Just a few examples where historically better programs than Auburn are further behind in their rivalries.

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Miami leads Florida State by 2, Georgia leads Florida by 7, Alabama leads Auburn by 9, Michigan leads Ohio State by 9, Notre Dame leads USC by 10, Texas leads Oklahoma by 16...

That's what makes them rivalry games