We Are Witnessing History

This was a great post. If we were to write a book about this rivalry, you’d use the 2008 season as the proverbial boiling point. The politicking and media frenzy between the two schools and their head men was epic. Lots of subtle and not so subtle barbs that flew back and forth between these guys. And you’re right, it’s doubtful we’ll see this type of coaching rivalry between the two schools in a long while.

Great post.
 
I never considered Stoops/Brown in historic terms but it will clearly go down as one of the great coaching rivalries in history for its intensity, even play on the field, and significance.
 
The 10 year qualifier eliminates some compelling match-ups, but it makes sense.

“Lots of subtle and not so subtle barbs that flew back and forth between these guys.”

Speaking of things that flew, what about planes with banners ripping each school? Who the hell has ever heard of that?

Trips, what, you don’t think Venables v Muschamp will be the redux? Ha, Muschamp will be the cause for much turnover in Norman, assuming he ever graces our sidelines as El Jefe.

Thanks. I was impressed with how tough teams in the midst of these decade-plus rivalries were on other teams. Not very many let-down years.

USC-Notre Dame during that era was terrific theater, and ABC used it to great advantage for a late season ratings grabber.

Funny how Joe Paterno can coach for over 5 decades and not really have a singular rival. I guess it is because of all those years as an independent, which meant a revolving door schedule-wise — except for Pittsburgh, which was never good enough long enough to establish a true rivalry.

If both coach another 3-4 years…I think it will go down as an equal to the Bowden/Spurrier rivalry. Just need Coach Brown to hang around a little longer and have one more national title be garnered by a participating school (preferablly us).

In 25 years at Alabama, Coach Bear Bryant coached teams to 6 national championships and 13 SEC championships. Ahem…not bad. For 18 of those seasons Bryant faced off against Auburn’s Ralph “Shug” Jordan. During that time, The Bear’s winning % in non-Auburn, non-tie games was 84.2% (149-28). (His career win % in non-tie games was 79.2%). Coach Jordan’s record during this 18 year face-off was a respectable 72.8% in non-Bama, non-tie games (123-46).

Those in them parts would argue this was the greatest college coaching rivalry…ever (bunch of homers). In all reality, Bryant “owned” Jordan. While Shug’s 1957 team went undefeated the season prior to their initial head-to-head meeting (unseemly plug – my step dad played on that team), he only managed 5 wins against the Bear.

Interesting that the Iron Bowl is fairly even since Coach Jordan’s departure with Bama winning 18 of 34 meetings. Also, Jordan-Hare Stadium bears his name. The first stadium to be named for an active coach.

Right. Jordan was 5-13 against the Bear. Not a coaching rivalry. Even if the game is. Sort of like Broyles-Royal.
 
I need that game to be at least 60-40 for it to be a rivalry.
 
I was thinking about Bama-Auburn. The problem is that Auburn went through a bunch of coaches during the Bear’s tenure that Bryant completely owned while Pat Dye coached against three different Bama guys.

These are tough standards, especially nowadays when a coach maybe gets five years. If the program has been turned around, maybe he gets another five. And you have to do that on both ends, at the same time.

I was surprised to find that Michigan and Michigan State qualify for the years that Bump Elliott coached the Wolverines (1959-68) against Duffy Daugherty. MSU won 7 of the 10 games, with one tie.

Integrating Texas football sure screwed the Spartans.

Texas-OU has been so intense a rivalry that coaches on both sides have had a hard time surviving the emotional swings of the series. Royal ran off his mentor — Bud Wilkinson, and then Switzer helped push Royal into retirement.

There was a ten-year run that almost qualifies under Taylor’s guideline.

Fred Akers and Barry Switzer faced off ten times with Akers holding a 5-4-1 advantage. Akers was 81-27-1 outside the series while Switzer was 91-17-1 apart from Texas. Akers more than held his own with an elite OU, but couldn’t survive the internal divide in the program and his own mis-steps against lesser opponents.

Switzer meanwhile was almost another victim to the series. Marcus Dupree pulled his ass out of the fire in 1982. Without that win, Switzer would have been 1-6 against Akers after 1983. That combined with 13 losses in from 1982-83 could have made him expendable.

I thought about Switzer/Akers, but does anybody consider Akers a truly great coach (see criteria 2)? I think he was done in college football by the time he was 50.

Which is why I said “almost”

This is a great post Taylor, I just think your list shows that the historically intense rivalries don’t let coaches survive the emotional swings over a long period of time.

Great post.

I’d like to revist this in 10 years. History tends to over/under play these personal rivalries. The “Ah, yes” moments are missing from the Brown/Stoops rivalry since it is still active.

I like the qualifications listed. Too bad Dr. Tom either owned or was owned by other coaches.

GBR

Bob

It’s really amazing that Brown can tie Stoops this year at 6-6, considering that Stoops had a 5-0 run in there. And after the 03 and 04 games, I was pretty much convinced that Mack would never beat Stoops again.

Fred Akers and Barry Switzer faced off ten times with Akers holding a 5-4-1 advantage. Akers was 81-27-1 outside the series while Switzer was 91-17-1 apart from Texas. Akers more than held his own with an elite OU, but couldn’t survive the internal divide in the program and his own mis-steps against lesser opponents.

Switzer meanwhile was almost another victim to the series. Marcus Dupree pulled his ass out of the fire in 1982. Without that win, Switzer would have been 1-6 against Akers after 1983. That combined with 13 losses in from 1982-83 could have made him expendable.

I had forgotten some of this, srr. Really interesting.

Great stuff as usual, TTR

It fails to meet your criteria, but Fulmer-Spurrier has to be the most entertaining rivalry of the last 20 years.

Akers was not a great coach

My favorite coaches’ rivalry is Royal/Bryant. Coach Royal owned Bryant.

I agree that Akers was not a great coach. So, how come . . . Fred could hold a series edge on Switzer when Barry was Hall-of-Fame caliber when it came to dispensing Ben Franklins beneath tables?