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1958 Iron Bowl

1958-11-29
Birmingham, AL (Legion Field)
ALABAMA
0
8
VS
AUBURN
Ranked #2
14
WINNER

Game Summary

The 1958 Iron Bowl was the first chapter in the legendary rivalry between Bear Bryant and Shug Jordan. #2 Auburn, the defending national champions, defeated unranked Alabama 14-8 at Legion Field, extending their winning streak to five games. Despite the loss, the game showed that Alabama was a different team under Bryant. They fought the heavily favored Tigers to the wire. Auburn's defense, still one of the best in the country, made the necessary stops to preserve the win.

Series Snapshot

#23
Meeting of 90
9-13-1
Series after game
4-5-0
Record in the 1950s through this game
#65
Widest-margin rank

Before this meeting, the archive record stood at Alabama 9, Auburn 12, with 1 tie. The 1958 result moved it to Alabama 9, Auburn 13, with 1 tie.

This was the 9th listed Iron Bowl of the 1950s. Through this game, Alabama had 4 wins, Auburn had 5, and the decade included 0 ties.

The teams combined for 22 points, ranking #76 in total scoring among the 90 meetings in the current archive. The 6-point margin ranks #65 by size, shared by 2 games.

This archive page combines verified game data with available rivalry context for the modern series record. In the surrounding chronology, the previous listed meeting was 1957 and the next was 1959.

Decisive Moment

Auburn's defense holding off a late Alabama rally to preserve the 14-8 win.

Key Players

Jackie Burkett (Auburn)
Zeke Smith (Auburn)
Marlin McKeever (Alabama)
Bobby Jackson (Alabama)
📜

Historical Deep Dive

The 1958 Iron Bowl was the first chapter in the legendary rivalry between Bear Bryant and Shug Jordan. #2 Auburn, the defending national champions, defeated unranked Alabama 14-8 at Legion Field, extending their winning streak to five games.

A New Era

Despite the loss, the game showed that Alabama was a different team under Bryant. They fought the heavily favored Tigers to the wire. Auburn’s defense, still one of the best in the country, made the necessary stops to preserve the win.

Undefeated Streak

The victory capped an unbeaten regular season for Auburn (9-0-1). It was the height of the Shug Jordan era, with the Tigers dominating the rivalry and the conference. Alabama finished Bryant’s first season with a respectable 5-4-1 record.

← Previous Game
1957
Alabama 0 - Auburn 40
Next Game →
1959
Alabama 10 - Auburn 0
Editorial note

Iron Bowl History separates verified game data from editorial interpretation. Scores, dates, and rivalry records are maintained from official records, media guides, game books, and contemporary accounts when available. See our sources and methodology page for correction standards.