Back to History

1959 Iron Bowl

1959-11-28
Birmingham, AL (Legion Field)
ALABAMA
Ranked #19
10
WINNER
VS
AUBURN
0
0

Game Summary

The 1959 Iron Bowl marked a significant milestone for Bear Bryant's rebuilding project at Alabama. After losing five straight years to Auburn, #19 Alabama shut out their rivals 10-0 at Legion Field. The victory ended Auburn's longest winning streak in the series (five games, 1954-1958). It was the first win for Alabama over Auburn since 1953. The game was a defensive masterpiece, with Alabama controlling the line of scrimmage and preventing Auburn from mounting any sustained drives.

Series Snapshot

#24
Meeting of 90
10-13-1
Series after game
5-5-0
Record in the 1950s through this game
#46
Widest-margin rank

Before this meeting, the archive record stood at Alabama 9, Auburn 13, with 1 tie. The 1959 result moved it to Alabama 10, Auburn 13, with 1 tie.

This was the 10th listed Iron Bowl of the 1950s. Through this game, Alabama had 5 wins, Auburn had 5, and the decade included 0 ties.

The teams combined for 10 points, ranking #85 in total scoring among the 90 meetings in the current archive, with 4 games sharing that total. The 10-point margin ranks #46 by size, shared by 7 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 1958 and the next was 1960.

Decisive Moment

Alabama's defense holding Auburn scoreless to break the five-year losing streak.

Key Players

Pat Trammell (Alabama)
Billy Neighbors (Alabama)
Zeke Smith (Auburn)
Ken Rice (Auburn)
📜

Historical Deep Dive

The 1959 Iron Bowl marked a significant milestone for Bear Bryant’s rebuilding project at Alabama. After losing five straight years to Auburn, #19 Alabama shut out their rivals 10-0 at Legion Field.

Breaking the Hex

The victory ended Auburn’s longest winning streak in the series (five games, 1954-1958). It was the first win for Alabama over Auburn since 1953. The game was a defensive masterpiece, with Alabama controlling the line of scrimmage and preventing Auburn from mounting any sustained drives.

A Sign of Things to Come

The win improved Alabama’s record to 7-1-2 and secured a Liberty Bowl berth. More importantly, it signaled that the balance of power in the state was beginning to shift back to Tuscaloosa under Bryant’s leadership.

← Previous Game
1958
Alabama 8 - Auburn 14
Next Game →
1960
Alabama 3 - 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.