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Auburn (Ala.) beats Opelika (Ala.) in 100th rivalry game

IMG_8358by: Andy Villamarzo09/05/25Andy_Villamarzo
Syndication: The Montgomery Advertiser
Auburn High School coach Keith Etheredge watches on at Stanley-Jensen Stadium in Prattville, Ala., on Friday, Oct. 21, 2022. Auburn leads Prattville 27-0 at halftime.

There’s not many rivalries in the state of Alabama that can stand up to that of when the Auburn Tigers and Opelika Bulldogs annually meeting.

On Thursday night, it was the 100th edition of the two schools feuding on the gridiron, with the Tigers coming away on top for the 50th time. Auburn relied upon its defense and timely offense to come away with a thrilling 17-10 victory over Opelika at Bulldog Stadium. The Tigers now lead the all-time series 50-47-3.

How remarkably close this rivalry is between Auburn-Opelika

It’s no coincidence that whenever the Tigers and Bulldogs meet, folks flock from all over the state of Alabama to come watch. That’s not just because of how many times the two teams have met historically, but also due to the highly competitive football that’s being played.

The proof is in the proverbial pudding as the two storied programs in the previous 50 meetings have split them right down the middle at 25 wins apiece. Now Auburn (2-1) leads by one game in the past 51, 26-25. You don’t get that kind of closeness in a rivalry game just anywhere, but whenever Auburn and Opelika meet, it’s bound to be a hotly contested game either way.

Thursday’s contest was just another prime example of why this is probably the best rivalry game, historically or present day, in the Yellowhammer State.

Auburn’s sixth straight win in the series came down to the final minutes

We just talked about how tight this game is when it comes to records and history, but on the field Thursday night, it validated all of that in Auburn’s sixth straight win in the series with Opelika (2-1).

The game wasn’t decided until the final couple of minutes via a mishandled snap by Bulldogs’ backup quarterback Fuller Young turned it back over to the Tigers to seal the victory for Auburn.

Opelika had a chance to tie the game up, driving the ball downfield inside of the Auburn 20-yard line, but the Young fumble ended any chances of that occurring. One could argue that the Tigers needed the win more so than the Bulldogs as Auburn was coming off a walloping at the hands of Vestavia Hills last week.

The Auburn-Opelika game atmosphere looked second to none

When you think about what this 100th meeting was up against in football interest, the Tigers and Bulldogs had to contest against the NFL’s season opening game between the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles and America’s team, the Dallas Cowboys.

Folks in Alabama love their high school football and the crowd support spoke to that as it looked like a near sold out Bulldog Stadium via videos swirling on social media of the contest.

Thinking that a professional game could turned locals attention away from two high schools separated by less than 10 miles and meeting for the century mark was going to sway people away was likely shortsighted.

How to Follow Alabama High School Football

For Alabama high school football fans, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the state of Alabama, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the gridiron excitement in the Yellowhammer State.