Why Is the Alabama-Auburn Game Called the Iron Bowl?

Alabama and Auburn is one of the biggest rivalry games in sports. (Getty)

One of the biggest rivalry games in sports has one of the more unique names for the annual contest. The game is referred to as the Iron Bowl but it is rarely explained how the matchup got such a name.

The game started as a neutral site game in Birmingham, Ala. It was played at Legion Field prior to alternating between Auburn and Alabama campuses. According to About.com, it was called the Iron Bowl because of Brimingham’s proximity to iron deposits.

According to The Washington Post, the phrase itself was first uttered in 1964 by former Auburn head coach Ralph “Shug” Jordan when he stated: “We’ve got our bowl game. We have it every year. It’s the Iron Bowl in Birmingham.”

The term has little to do with the modern day rivalry, but the name stuck.

Alabama leads Auburn in the series 43-35-1. Alabama coach Nick Saban is 5-3 in the game while Auburn coach Guz Malzahn is 1-1. The one win came in the infamous “Kick Six” game when the Tigers returned a missed field goal to win the game as time expired.