🏈 In answer to an earlier question: 78 games, only 15 upsets in AU vs UA;;

[TerryP]

Earlier this week there was a comment about this game with the old cliche, "throw the record books out the window." @psychojoe made the comment that the old adage just doesn't apply in this series: the record book says the same.

The game has been played a total of 78 times over the year; Bama has seven upsets, Auburn eight. Now, by the word "upset" that means the lower ranked team actually won the ball game.

Bama's seven: '59, '59, '60, '84, ' 85, '90, and '2001.
Auburn's seven: '63, '72, '86, '89, '95, '02, '05, and '2013.

Twice in the last decade, four times this century. It makes sense that people would think this game doesn't follow a script.

On the spread side of the story, when a team is favored as heavily as Bama is going into the weekend, the chances of the Tide winning are as high as they really can be...close games in the past? Sure. But, does the favored team win? At something close to a 90%+ rate...

 

[psychojoe]

Terry, if you look a little deeper into this, our teams in 1959 and 1960, while underdogs, each came into that game with only one loss. The 1985 team was a dog, but again a really good team. The only teams that played unexpectedly out of character were 1984, 1990 and 2001.

Over on the Auburn side, their teams in 63, 72, 86, 89 and 05 were very good teams, and their 02 team was quite good, though depleted by injuries when we played them. Their team last year was a one loss team. If you count 2002, then 1995 and 2002 are the only Boogs teams that played far better than expected.

What I am saying is that when relatively evenly matched teams play, a significant amount of the time the Vegas underdog wins. When they do, it is not a 'throw out the record books' performance.

Looking back at the ones I called true upsets, there are only five in the 78 game history of the series.

Perhaps I am mellowing in my old age, as I am not as upset by the use of this hackneyed cliché as much as I have bben in the past. More likely I just have not heard it as much this year. Five out of 78. So, 93.6 percent of the time the teams perform within expectations. Do what you will, but I will keep the record book.

 

[RollllTide!]

Terry, if you look a little deeper into this, our teams in 1959 and 1960, while underdogs, each came into that game with only one loss. The 1985 team was a dog, but again a really good team. The only teams that played unexpectedly out of character were 1984, 1990 and 2001.

Over on the Auburn side, their teams in 63, 72, 86, 89 and 05 were very good teams, and their 02 team was quite good, though depleted by injuries when we played them. Their team last year was a one loss team. If you count 2002, then 1995 and 2002 are the only Boogs teams that played far better than expected.

What I am saying is that when relatively evenly matched teams play, a significant amount of the time the Vegas underdog wins. When they do, it is not a 'throw out the record books' performance.

Looking back at the ones I called true upsets, there are only five in the 78 game history of the series.

Perhaps I am mellowing in my old age, as I am not as upset by the use of this hackneyed cliché as much as I have bben in the past. More likely I just have not heard it as much this year. Five out of 78. So, 93.6 percent of the time the teams perform within expectations. Do what you will, but I will keep the record book.

Thanks, this makes me feel a little better, but not enough to quit drinking.

 

[bama alum]

2001...What a great game!