by Henry Edwards

Created on: January 15, 2007   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

I'm sure you, like most of us have seen the movie Forrest Gump. How one scene shows young Forrest playing football at Alabama for the legendary Bear Bryant, Have heard references to the "Crimson Tide" in old 70's songs and so forth. But most people do not understand the importance of college football in the South. In the old south in particular.

Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Florida take this love or fascination with college football to a higher level.

But in the heart of that region, the state of Alabama is capital of college football. Within the borders of this state are two universities that have relevance to college football.

The University of Alabama and Auburn University.

The fans of these two teams equate there respective university to that of religious institutions.

Before you laugh, or dare to say that I exaggerate the truth, let me assure you that people have lost their lives in incidents where anger and rage between fans of these two schools boiled over into bloody fights and outright assaults. There have been documented divorces as the result of mixed marriages. By mixed marriage I mean a married couple that are fans of opposite teams. Men and women have lost jobs due to being too vocal about how bad their team beat the other. Other incidents such as the former became such a common problem that both schools ended the tradition of playing each other in the sport of football. The two schools met and physically buried a hatchet to vow to end the hatred. Alabama and Auburn did not play each other in football for more than 40 years until it was again scheduled in the 1940s.

From the 1940s through to the 1970s the University of Alabama had more success, more big name players that would go on to the professional league, and during this time Alabama has accumulated most of it's 12 National Championship titles. Alabama also holds the college football record for the most Bowl appearances, and the most Bowl wins.

Auburn on the other hand had one National Championship in 1957 and 2 Heisman Trophy winners, Pat Sullivan and Vincent "Bo" Jackson. Not quite as successful as Alabama, but always a threat on the field of play each year.

One fact, or figure if you will that has transcended the love and appreciation of Alabama football into something that closely resembles Idol Worship or outright religion to the Alabama Fan is the arrival of Coach Paul W. "Bear Bryant." The University of Alabama in physical and human form.

Thus brings us to the development or

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