While many fans
in Hartselle believe the game against Decatur is their best rivalry, the
Tigers have played Cullman a dozen more times over the years. And this
series is a lot closer. Actually, following the 2015 football season the two
teams are tied at 45 wins each with four games ending tied in 94 meetings
since 1916. That makes it the closest rivalry in our series. Five of the
past six games have been decided by a touchdown or less.
While Cullman dominated
the series in the early years, Hartselle has dominated recently. In 1967
Cullman lead the series 29-16 when the two teams took a couple of years off
before resuming the series in 1969. Since that time, Hartselle has won 29
and lost 16 games to the Bearcats.
Anytime these two face
off on the gridiron it is an instant classic. Just last year Cullman scored
with 1:50 remaining in the contest to cut the lead to 14-13. Instead of
going for the tie and continuing play in overtime, Cullman went for the win.
The two teams lined up but Hartselle linebacker Connor Landers stuffed a
running play and secured the victory for Hartselle. The win tied the series.
They have met four time
during the regular season only to face off again in the playoffs. In 1978
Hartselle won the regular season contest only to lose in the first round of
the post season to the Bearcats. The next year Hartselle defeated Cullman
20-7 and finished a perfect 10-0 during the regular season only to lose on
the road to Cullman in the first round of the playoffs 36-28.
In 2007 Cullman won both
the regular season and the playoff game. Hartselle flipped the tables by
doing the same thing the very next season.
The teams first met in
1916 with Cullman coming away with a pair of victories that season. They did
not play each other in 1918, 1926-28, 1943-44 and 1967-68. Other than those
few gaps they have met every season. Total Meetings: 94 Series Record: Series tied 45-45-4 Home Record: Cullman: 22-18-2
Hartselle: 23-17-1 First Meeting: 11/13/1916, Cullman 53, Hartselle, 0 Last Meeting: 10/9/2015, Hartselle 14, Cullman, 13 Longest Winning Streak: Cullman 6 (1949-1954), Hartselle 6 (1979-1984) Biggest Wins: Cullman 53-0 (1916), Hartselle 33-0 (1945)
Biggest Upsets: 1979 Cullman (5-5) upset Hartselle
(10-0) in the first round of the playoffs