Iron in the Blood

How the Alabama vs. Auburn Rivalry Shaped the Soul of the South

By: Jay Busbee

Narrated by: Chris Abernathy

"A football history that's both detailed and panoramic. As expected for a football book, Busbee offers a generous serving of play-by-play, game-by-game, fight song, and mascot details, but in a well-organized structure and smoothly flowing text."—Booklist

The story of college football in Alabama is the story of the South itself. This behind-the-scenes account of the Alabama vs. Auburn rivalry, one of the fiercest in American sports, details its rich history, celebrates the triumphs of both teams, and showcases the larger-than-life power of football to break down barriers and shape an entire culture.

For Alabama and Auburn, football isn’t life. It’s much more important than that. Their rivalry is a multigenerational one, fueled by rage and redemption, and they clash every autumn with ferocity and defiance. But the shockwaves of their feud have transcended the football field, entering into politics, advancing civil rights, energizing millions, and opening up eyes and hearts in a way even religion never could.

Yahoo Sports senior writer Jay Busbee traces the perpetual impact of football in Alabama, from the days of Reconstruction, through the Civil Rights era, to the hyper-partisan climate of the 2020s. From Bear to Bo, from Cam to Nick, from Toomer’s Corner to Denny Chimes, Iron in the Blood revels in the victories of both schools and dives deep into the iconic figures connected with both programs.

Iron in the Blood is an up-close look at one of America’s most colorful sports rivalries, but it’s also a glimpse into the joy and agony of being a die-hard football fan. It’s the dramatic history of how football has defined a state, inside and outside its stadiums. And it’s the story of how Alabama understands that football is both a magnificent way to celebrate its brightest days and a welcome path to climb out of its darkest ones.

©2025 Jay Busbee (P)2025 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

voice

i liked how even handed and fair the author was. Few details were omitted! i enjoyed his recounting of events I either remembered or witnessed. A good book.

Pretty Cursory, then irritating at the end

My guess is that no serious Auburn or Alabama fan(I am neither, I am a Husker) will learn much of anything here. This is a book for non-college football fans to read and think "Wow, those fans are CRAAAAAZZZY". But it hits all the things that everyone who follows CFB already knows. There are not many insights into why anything happens, like Alabama rising or Auburn rising or either program falling it's just a chronicle of that happening. Usually related to a good coach arriving or leaving. There is some interesting information in the first half of the book if you've never taken the time to do basic research into the rivalry. I will say that. Great example to me is if you don't know what "Punt! Bama! Punt!" is in reference to, then you might enjoy this book a lot. If you already know we're talking about the two blocked punts at the end of the 1972 Iron Bowl, then this is going to feel like a rehash of Roll Tide/War Eagle the documentary or literally every other Bama-Auburn story you've ever read or watched. And seriously its was benign throughout until the author decided to spend as much time whining about or I guess mildly sniping at Republican politicians and policies during the 2020s. Again, all authors out there, no one bought Iron in the Blood to confirm that the author was a Democrat or Republican. No one. Getting through an entire book about football without having any idea how the author votes didn't used to be a difficult thing. And this was even worse than some because it was USA Today level rehash of issues we've all been bludgeoned over the head with the last 9 years. So, you have been warned. Overall it's fine. There are not enough books about college football rivalries on Audible. At all. So I'd give it a recommend only if you're newish to college football in general and you can roll your eyes through a tacked on chapter about Tuberville's political career and Yahoo! level commentary about politics.