© Jake Crandall/Imagn
So you want to be the Auburn Tigers head football coach? Well, if you’re current interim coach, DJ Durkin, then the end-of-season Iron Bowl against the Alabama Crimson Tide probably spells bad news.
Durkin, whose run as the head coach of the Maryland Terrapins ended tragically after the death of 19-year-old offensive lineman Jordan McNair, took over after the firing of previous head coach Hugh Freeze.
What makes that fact even more interesting is that Durkin will represent the eighth different head coach to lead their team into the Iron Bowl in the last seven seasons.
Wild stat: This will be the seventh straight Iron Bowl with a unique head coaching matchup
2019: Saban vs Malzahn
2020: Sarkisian vs Malzahn
2021: Saban vs Harsin
2022: Saban vs Cadillac
2023: Saban vs Freeze
2024: DeBoer vs Freeze
2025: DeBoer vs Durkin https://t.co/VkdaCSgDuC— Blake Byler (@blakebyler45) November 2, 2025
Dating back to 2019, legendary Alabama head coach Nick Saban squared off with Auburn coach Gus Malzahn. Neither coach was fired following the 2019 season, but Saban tested positive for COVID-19 in 2020, meaning that Steve Sarkisian assumed head coach duties for the Crimson Tide against Malzahn in the final Iron Bowl of Malzahn’s tenure.
Sarkisian and the Tide won, 42-13.
Auburn then hired Bryan Harsin, who darn near up Saban and the Crimson Tide in 2021, losing 24-22 in four overtimes. However, Harsin would not survive to coach another game against Alabama.
In 2022, interim head coach Cadillac Williams led his alma mater, but suffered a 49-27 drubbing at the hands of its rival.
That’s when the Tigers made the controversial move to hire Hugh Freeze, who fared only slightly better, losing 27-24 on one of the most heartbreaking plays in rivalry history.
Saban retired following the 2023 season, meaning Kalen DeBoer took charge of the Crimson Tide against Freeze and the Tigers in 2024. The result did not change, however, at Bama doubled up its rival, 28-14.
This year, it’ll be Durkin’s chance to try to finally get Auburn over the hump for the first time in six years and just the second in 10.
Who knows, maybe he’s able to do so, he’ll stick around to coach in the game in 2026? But history says that’s highly unlikely.