<P> As the rivalry was played in Birmingham, Alabama for many years at Legion Field, the name of the Iron Bowl comes from Birmingham's historic role in the steel industry . Auburn Coach Shug Jordan is credited with coining the rivalry game's nick name as the "Iron Bowl" in a 1964 interview . Auburn coach Ralph Jordan was asked by reporters how he would deal with the disappointment of not taking his team to a bowl game, Jordan responded, "We've got our bowl game . We have it every year . It's the Iron Bowl in Birmingham ." </P> <P> Alabama leads the series 45--36--1 . The game is traditionally played on Thanksgiving weekend . In 1993, both schools agreed to move the game up to the week before Thanksgiving to give themselves a bye for a potential SEC Championship Game berth . In 2007 the conference voted to disallow any team from having a bye before the league championship game, returning the game to its traditional Thanksgiving weekend spot . </P> <P> For much of the 20th century, the game was played every year in Birmingham at Legion Field, with Alabama winning 34 games and Auburn 19 . Four games were played in Montgomery, Alabama, with each team winning two . Since 2000, the games have been played at Jordan--Hare Stadium in Auburn every odd - numbered year and at Bryant--Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa every even - numbered year . Auburn has an 9--5 record in games played at Jordan--Hare Stadium and a 7--4 record in games played in Tuscaloosa, with 5 of those wins coming at Bryant - Denny . </P> <P> The rivalry has long been one of the most heated collegiate rivalries in the country . For many years, the two schools were the only Alabama colleges in what is now Division I FBS . It is all the more heated because the two schools have been among the nation's elite teams for most of the last 60 years . Together, they account for 33 SEC titles, 25 by Alabama and eight by Auburn . Both are among the winningest programs in college football history; Alabama is seventh while Auburn is 16th . The two schools have been fixtures on national television for the better part of the last four decades, and the season - ending clash has been nationally televised for all but one year since the late 1970s, the lone exception being 1993, when Auburn was barred from live TV due to NCAA sanctions . </P>

Where is the iron bowl being played today