re: Best SEC rivalry

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Another underrated rivalry was Auburn/Florida. It is too bad that one ended because of expansion. It is still a big game when we play, but not what it used to be.

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Yes. Would love to see it return.

I remember driving from Auburn to Gainesville for games when I was in school. There’s nothing in between but it was actually not a very long drive.

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Don't forget about Little Bowden beating Spurrier 2 years in a row in the mid 90's.

October 16, 1993 Auburn, AL - #19 Auburn 38

#4 Florida 35 October 15, 1994 Gainesville, FL - #6 Auburn 36 #1 Florida 33

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I went to both of these games. I was in th 6th and 7th grades at the time. These two games were probably the two most influential in turning me into an Auburn fan (I came from a home where one parent graduated from AU and one from Bama). They were epic.

I'd say the Tennessee game has a little more juice than the IB right now. Tennessee can actually beat Bama sometimes.

Since the kick six happened 12 years ago Auburn's only won twice

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Tennessee can actually beat Bama sometimes.

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frick Tennessee.

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Fulmer was actually taking about his relationship with krispy kreme here.

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Tennessee basically gave up from 2009 until about 2021 or so. I was at the TSIO in Neyland in 2018 and there were empty seats everywhere because they knew they were about to get mudstomped, and they did. They sucked to the point that it took some of the luster off of the rivalry. I still hate them as much as ever and always will, but kids who came of age within the past 15 years probably don't think of Tennessee much differently than they think of Arkansas.

Here are how the SEC’s major 7 rivalry games stack up in terms of average TV viewership (stats since 2013):

Average # of TV Viewers (2013-2024)

9,885,000- The Iron Bowl
6,000,000- Third Saturday in October
5,650,000- Cocktail Party
5,235,000- Red River Rivalry
5,034,000- Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry
2,356,000- The Egg Bowl

**All of the above have 12 regular meetings averaged except for the Egg Bowl which only has 10 meetings airing on a metered network.

*Texas vs Texas A&M only has one meeting during the time frame, but came in strong with 9.45 million viewers

While the Iron Bowl and the 3rd Saturday came in at the top, it’s worth noting that all games involving Alabama come in stronger than most others…

Top Rates Regular Season “Rivalries” involving Alabama (Average Viewership 2013-2024):

9,885,000- The Iron Bowl (12 meetings)
9,241,000- Alabama vs LSU (12 meetings)
6,910,000- Alabama vs Texas A&M (11 meetings)
6,000,000- Third Saturday in October (12 meetings)
5,404,000- Alabama vs Ole Miss (11 meetings)
4,621,000- Alabama vs Miss St (11 meetings)
3,732,000- Alabama vs Arkansas (11 meetings)

**worth noting that the TSIO comes in as the 4th most viewed Alabama annual rivalry game on average.

The average Alabama game from 2013-2024 involving a team that Bama played annually up through ‘23 averaged 6,033,000 viewers. So the TSIO was actually just barely BELOW the average. This involves 68 regular season games played between Bama and Auburn, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Miss St, LSU, Texas A&M, and Tennessee.

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I liked it better when it was the Red River Shootout. When y'all caved to the anti 2A crowd and changed it to the Red River Rivalry

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Dude, ESPN can call shite whatever they want to. And that's who caved. We just sell t-shirts.

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Oklahoma is a blue blood.

Texas is not.

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You just had to throw that out there didn't you.