Iron in the Blood

“One of America’s great writers tackles one of America’s great rivalries, a combination as perfect as Denny Chimes and Toomer’s Corner. Auburn–Alabama is more than a football game. It’s a cultural phenomenon, equal parts colorful and historic, fascinating and fun.” —Dan Wetzel, New York Times Bestselling Author, Resilience and ESPN National Columnist “Jay Busbee has brought the rich history, tradition, and passion of Alabama–Auburn to life in this book—from the early days to their biggest moments, larger-than-life coaches, rivalry-defining plays, and everything in between.” —Andrea Adelson, ESPN College Football Senior Writer “Deeply reported, lyrical, moving, poignant, and at times side-splittingly funny, Busbee has delivered the authoritative book on the only rivalry in the world that people plan weddings around, delay funerals for, and, once upon a time, killed some sacred trees over.” —Lars Anderson, New York Times Bestselling Author, The Mannings “Jay Busbee looks under every scrap of iron in the yard to discover the roots of college football’s most ridiculously passionate rivalry.” —Ryan McGee, New York Times Bestselling Coauthor, Racing to the Finish and ESPN College Football Reporter “Iron in the Blood is a wonderful tribute to one of college football’s most storied rivalries. Jay Busbee brings the passion, history, and electric atmosphere that define the annual clash to the page in a way that kept me from putting it down.” —Tom Fornelli, CBS Sports College Football Reporter “Iron in the Blood takes us into one of the most hate-filled rivalries in college football. Jay gives us readers a fascinating, detailed look into the longtime football war between Auburn and Alabama. With so many colorful coaches, rabid fans, and involved politicians, Jay brings to light why the Iron Bowl is so much more than just a series of games.” —Ross Dellenger, Yahoo Sports College Football Reporter

Jay Busbee is a senior writer for Yahoo Sports, where he’s covered the Olympics, the Super Bowl, the World Series, the Masters, the Daytona 500, the Kentucky Derby and, of course, the Iron Bowl. He is also the host of NASCAR Studios’ “Home Turn” travel/history show, and he writes a weekly Southern culture Substack newsletter, Flashlight & A Biscuit. Jay’s work has been honored by Best American Sports Writing and his book Earnhardt Nation, a biography of NASCAR’s Earnhardt family, won praise from both Kirkus and Publishers Weekly for its in-depth research and narrative scope. He lives in Atlanta with his family and worships at the church of SEC football.

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