Few people in the South will claim Michigan-Ohio State is better. Same goes for Big Ten country with Auburn-Alabama. Maybe it's best to look at the numbers, past and present.

Let's size up them up:


Longest rivalry


Alabama and Auburn first played in 1893, four years before Michigan played Ohio State met for the first time in 1897.

Advantage: Iron Bowl

Closest rivalry


Alabama leads Auburn 42-34-1. That's closer than Michigan's 58-45-6 lead on Ohio State.

Advantage: Iron Bowl

Last 25 years


It's an arbitrary endpoint, Ohio State and Michigan are knotted at 12-12-1 the last 25 years, though the Buckeyes have won nine of the last 10. Alabama has a 13-12 advantage on Auburn in the same stretch.

Advantage: Even

Wins


Michigan is the all-time leader in wins with 910, and Ohio State is fifth with 847. That's more than the combination of Alabama (837) and Auburn (724) which rank seventh and 13th, respectively.

Advantage: The Game

Stadiums


Michigan Stadium — i.e. the "Big House" — is the largest stadium in college football. Ohio Stadium is fifth. Bryant-Denny Stadium and Jordan-Hare Stadium are sixth and 15th, respectively.

Advantage: The Game

Heisman Trophy winners


Ohio State and Michigan have combined for 10 Heisman Trophy winners. That includes the only two-time winner in Archie Griffin and the only defensive player in Charles Woodson. Alabama and Auburn had two of their four combined winners go back to back in Mark Ingram and Cam Newton from 2009-10.

Advantage: The Game

Claimed national championships


Michigan (11) and Ohio State (7) claim 18 national championships, which is one more than Alabama (15) and Auburn (2).

Advantage: The Game

AP national championships


Alabama (9) and Auburn (2) have combined for 11 AP national championships, and the Crimson Tide are making a run at an unprecedented third straight AP national championship. Ohio State (4) and Michigan (2) have six AP national championships.

Advantage: Iron Bowl

BCS championship appearances


Either Alabama or Auburn has played for the BCS championship each of the past four seasons. Ohio State has three BCS championship appearances, while Michigan has none.

Advantage: Iron Bowl

BCS championships


Alabama and Auburn are a perfect 4-0 in those BCS championship games, and the winner of Saturday's game could be playing for a national championship this year. Ohio State won the Big Ten's only BCS championship in 2002.

Advantage: Iron Bowl

BCS bowl appearances


Ohio State and Michigan have combined for 14 BCS bowl appearances, and the Buckeyes have the most of any school with nine. Alabama and Auburn have combined for seven BCS bowl appearances.

Advantage: The Game

BCS bowl wins


Ohio State also has the most BCS wins with eight, though the 2011 Sugar Bowl was later vacated. Michigan has two, including the 2000 Orange Bowl win against Alabama. Alabama and Auburn have five BCS bowl wins.

Advantage: The Game

Iconic Coaches


Bear Bryant (232) and Ralph Jordan (275) combined for 407 during their respective time at Alabama and Auburn, eight more than Woody Hayes (205) and Bo Schembechler (194) at Ohio State and Michigan. Hayes and Schembechler, however, combined for a .785 winning percentage at those schools, better than Bryant and Jordan's combined mark of .759.

Advantage: The Game

Current Coaches


Nick Saban (73-13) and Gus Malzahn (10-1) are 83-18 at their current schools. Urban Meyer (22-0) hasn't lost at Ohio State yet. Brady Hoke (26-10) has had an uneven  first three years at Michigan.

Advantage: Iron Bowl

Tickets


According to TiqIQ, the average asking ticket price to this year's Auburn-Alabama game is $618.60, up from $348.34 in July. Ohio State-Michigan tickets average $295.75, down from $380.38 in July.

Advantage: Iron Bowl

Verdict


The rivalries are tied at 7-7-1 after looking at those 15 categories. You can't measure passion and tradition, which both rivalries take over the top. It's a safe bet to say the Iron Bowl is the better bet right now, especially with the top-10 showdown looming next week. That marks the seventh top-10 showdown between Auburn and Alabama. Ohio State and Michigan, however, have produced 18 top-10 showdowns, including the only No. 1 vs. No 2 matchup between these two rivalries. The Hayes-Schembechler era produced "The 10-Year War", a stretch that included six straight top-10 showdowns from 1972-77. That's the difference.

Advantage: The Game