Battle of the Titans: Sixth Time #1 vs. #2 Game Features In-State Opponents
February 13th, 2025 - 9:24
This season marked only the sixth time since introduction of AP poll in late 1940s that a 1-2 game pitted teams from the same state against each other. If history repeated itself, advantage should have gone to #2 Alabama but the Crimson Tide were toppled at home by Auburn in the highest-scoring ever between top two teams from same state. The top-ranked club lost each of first five such "clash of the titans" by an average margin of 11.2 points. Auburn's Bruce Pearl also coached in the previous 1-2 matchup in 2008 when he was Tennessee's bench boss.
| Date of 1-2 Game | #1 Team (Coach) | #2 Team (Coach) | Site For In-State Matchup |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 25, 1961 | Ohio State 65 (Fred Taylor) | Cincinnati 70 (Ed Jucker) | Kansas City (OT in NCAA final) |
| March 24, 1962 | Ohio State 59 (Fred Taylor) | Cincinnati 71 (Ed Jucker) | Louisville (NCAA final) |
| February 3, 1994 | Duke 78 (Mike Krzyzewski) | North Carolina 89 (Dean Smith) | Chapel Hill |
| February 5, 1998 | Duke 73 (Mike Krzyzewski) | North Carolina 97 (Bill Guthridge) | Chapel Hill |
| February 23, 2008 | Memphis 62 (John Calipari) | Tennessee 66 (Bruce Pearl) | Memphis |
| February 15, 2025 | Auburn 94 (Bruce Pearl) | Alabama 85 (Nate Oats) | Tuscaloosa |