Img 4048 Alabama, Auburn — Tents fill the space outside Neville Arena as Auburn students camp out ahead of Saturday’s game ( Katherine Yanes / Bama Buzz )

Auburn students are already lining up outside Neville Arena ahead of Saturday’s Iron Bowl of Basketball matchup against Alabama.

Tents, folding chairs and blankets now fill the walkways surrounding the arena as students settle in for one of Auburn’s most dedicated traditions.

Some arrived as early as 11:30PM Wednesday night, rotating shifts between classes, studying at camp and braving overnight temperatures to secure a spot in the student section.

Img 4056 Alabama, Auburn — The first camped-out group in line ( Katherine Yanes / Bama Buzz )

“We kind of all just take turns. We’ve got three to four people per tent. We just figure out whose got what schedule as people have class,” said Gracie Burch, part of the first group in line.

When asked about the biggest challenge of camping out, students pointed to the cold temperatures overnight.

“Ninety percent of the time I can’t feel my feet, but other than that it’s really fun,” said Amber-Lynn Wiran.

Img 4093 Alabama, Auburn — A student waits in line with her dog. (Katherine Yanes / Bama Buzz )

Img 4079 Alabama, Auburn — A student waits in line with her dog. (Katherine Yanes / Bama Buzz )

Despite the chill and long wait, the energy in line stays high. The excitement reflects how much the rivalry means to Auburn fans before the game even begins.