| Sport | Football, basketball, others |
|---|---|
| First meeting | 1984 |
The Battle for the Bones is a sports rivalry between the University of Alabama at Birmingham Blazers and the University of Memphis Tigers. The two NCAA Division I schools compete in various sports, with men's basketball and college football in particular being prominent.
The rivalry began in 1984, when the two schools first met in men's basketball. Memphis currently leads the series at 39–11. The football rivalry began in 1997. Since 2006 it has been known as the "Battle for the Bones" due to its trophy, a bronze rack of ribs.
The future of the rivalry was unclear as Memphis joined the American Athletic Conference in 2013 during the 2010–2013 Big East Conference realignment. However, the series continued semi-regularly in basketball after the Tigers departure from Conference USA. However, in October 2021, the UAB Blazers accepted an invitation to join the American Athletic Conference, thus renewing the rivalry and trophy as regular conference match-ups.[1][2]
- ^ Bonesteel, Matt (October 21, 2021). "Finally, something good comes out of conference realignment: The ribs trophy is coming back". Washington Post. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ^ Goodman, Joseph (October 21, 2021). "UAB, Birmingham breathe in the sweet smell of victory". al.com. Retrieved October 23, 2021.