It makes sense that winning rivalry games comes with bragging rights and other rewards.
Alabama football coach Nick Saban knows what losing them brings.
“If you don’t have success in this game, I don’t care what else you accomplish in the season, there’s always a ‘but,'” Saban said. “And what comes after ‘but’ usually isn’t good.”
Southeastern Conference teams, including Alabama, have plenty at stake in rivalry week as the regular season wraps up. Avoiding that eternal “but” addendum on a season is just one of them.
Yes, it’s time for the the Iron Bowl, the Egg Bowl and the assorted other rivalry games involving SEC teams.