From 1971 until 1999 LSU was winless, going 0-14-1 in Baton Rouge. Likewise from 1982 until 2007, Alabama went 3-10 in the state of Alabama. In 1988 Alabama began playing its home game in the series on their Tuscaloosa campus at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Overall, intensity has grown in the series during the last three decades with the two teams evenly splitting the series, 14-14-1. In 2007, the meeting was even more heated following Alabama's hiring of head coach Nick Saban—who previously coached at LSU. With the hiring, many media outlets dubbed the 2007 meeting as the "Saban Bowl".[2][3][4] The teams have split the four games played so far during the Saban era. With a late turnover, the Tigers beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa, 41–34.[5] In their most recent matchup, LSU defeated Alabama 24-21 in Baton Rouge.[6] On November 5, 2011, the two teams will meet again in the first #1 vs. #2 regular season SEC matchup. Alabama
