Alabama Crimson Tide football

Alabama Crimson Tide football
2015 Alabama Crimson Tide football team
First season	1892
Athletic director	Bill Battle
Head coach	Nick Saban 9th year, 86–17 (.835)
Other staff	See Coaching staff section
Home stadium	Bryant–Denny Stadium
Stadium capacity	101,821[1]
Stadium surface	Natural grass
Location	Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Conference	SEC (1932–present)
Division	SEC Western Division (1992–present)
All-time record	850–325–43 (.716)
Postseason bowl record	34–24–3 (.582)
Playoff appearances	1 (2014)
Playoff record	0–1 (.000)
Claimed national titles	15 (1925, 1926, 1930, 1934, 1941, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1992, 2009, 2011, 2012)[2]
Unclaimed national titles	4 (1945, 1966, 1975, 1977)
Conference titles	28 (4 Southern Conference; 24 SEC)
Division titles	10
Heisman winners	1
Consensus All-Americans	55[3][4]
Colors	Crimson and White
Fight song	Yea Alabama
Mascot	Elephant (Big Al)
Marching band	Million Dollar Band
Rivals	Auburn Tigers LSU Tigers Tennessee Volunteers
Website	RollTide.com

The Alabama Crimson Tide football team represents the University of Alabama (variously Alabama, UA, or 'Bama) in the sport of American football. The Crimson Tide competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) and the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).^[5] The team is currently coached by Nick Saban. The Crimson Tide is among the most storied and decorated football programs in NCAA history. Since beginning play in 1892, the program recognizes 15 of the national championships awarded to the team,^[2][6][7] including 10 wire-service (AP or Coaches) national titles in the poll-era, the most of any current FBS program.^[8] From 1958 to 1982, the team was led by Hall of Fame coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, who won six national championships with the program.^[6] Despite numerous national and conference championships, it was not until 2009 that an Alabama player received a Heisman Trophy, when running back Mark Ingram became the university's first winner.^[9]

As of the completion of the 2014 season, Alabama has 850 official victories^[a][b] in NCAA Division I (an additional 21 victories were vacated and 8 victories and 1 tie were forfeited), has won 28 conference championships (4 Southern Conference and 24 SEC championships) and has made an NCAA-record 61 postseason bowl appearances. Other NCAA records include 23 10-game or more winning streaks and 19 seasons with a 10–0 start. The program has had 32 10–win seasons (plus one vacated),^[10][11] and has 35^[b] bowl victories, both NCAA records.^[12] Alabama has completed 10 undefeated seasons, 9 of which were perfect seasons. The Crimson Tide leads the SEC West Division with ten division titles and nine appearances in the SEC Championship Game. Alabama holds a winning record against every current and former SEC school. The Associated Press (AP) ranks Alabama 4th in all-time final AP Poll appearances, with 51 through the 2013 season.^[13][14]

Alabama plays its home games at Bryant–Denny Stadium, located on the campus in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.^[1] With a capacity of 101,821,^[1] Bryant-Denny is the 10th largest non-racing stadium in the world and the seventh largest stadium in the United States, behind only Michigan Stadium, Beaver Stadium (Penn State), Kyle Field (Texas A&M), Neyland Stadium (Tennessee), Ohio Stadium (Ohio State), and Tiger Stadium (LSU).

History

Head coaching history

Alabama has had 28 head coaches since organized football began in 1892. Adopting the nickname "Crimson Tide" after the 1907 season, the team has played more than 1,100 games in their 114 seasons. In that time, 12 coaches have led the Crimson Tide in postseason bowl games: Wallace Wade, Frank Thomas, Harold D. "Red" Drew, Bear Bryant, Ray Perkins, Bill Curry, Gene Stallings, Mike DuBose, Dennis Franchione, Mike Shula, Joe Kines, and Nick Saban.^[2] Eight of those coaches also won conference championships: Wade, Thomas, Drew, Bryant, Curry, Stallings, DuBose, and Saban.^[2] During their tenures, Wade, Thomas, Bryant, Stallings, and Saban all won national championships with the Crimson Tide.^[2]

Of the 27 different head coaches who have led the Crimson Tide, Wade,^[15] Thomas,^[16] Bryant,^[17] and Stallings have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. The current head coach is Nick Saban, who was hired in January 2007.^[18]

Early history (1892–1905)

University of Alabama law student William G. Little learned how to play American football while attending prep school in Andover, Massachusetts and began teaching the sport to fellow Alabama students in early 1892.^[20] Later in the year, the school formed an official team of 19 players, with Little as captain and E. B. Beaumont as head coach.^[21] Among those also on the team were William B. Bankhead, future U.S. Speaker of the House, and Bibb Graves, future governor of Alabama.^[22] The team was referred to as the "Cadets", the "Crimson White", or simply as "the varsity".^[21][23]

On November 11, 1892, the team played its first game at a baseball park in Birmingham, Alabama, winning 56–0 against a team composed of players from local Birmingham-area high schools.^[21] Alabama lost to both Auburn and Sewanee in 1893. After a winless campaign, Eli Abbott, who played for the team in 1892, returned as a player-coach and led the 1894 squad. Alabama opened the season with a loss against Ole Miss in what was its first game ever played outside the state of Alabama. The Crimson White then rebounded and won their final three games. After a victory over Tulane at New Orleans, Alabama returned to Birmingham where they defeated Sewanee in their only home game of the season. They then closed the year with their first all-time win over Auburn at Montgomery.

In spring 1895, the University Board of Trustees passed a rule that prohibited athletic teams from competing off-campus for athletic events.^[24] As such, all games scheduled for the 1896 season were played on campus at The Quad.^[24] In their first game, Alabama shutout the Birmingham Athletic Club before they lost their only game of the season against Sewanee. The Crimson White then closed the season with their second shutout victory of the year against Mississippi A&M.

The team played only one game during the 1897 season and did not field a team for the 1898 season because of a ban restricting student athletes from traveling away from campus.^[20] The team resumed play in 1899 after the ban was lifted due to fan and student outcry.^[20]

Early 1900s

1905 saw two All-Southerns for Alabama in Auxford Burks and T. S. Sims. "The overworked Burks, who appeared to bear the entire brunt of Alabama's offense,"^[25] collapsed on the field during the second half of a 12 to 5 loss to Georgia Tech. Burks scored in the 30 to 0 victory over Auburn in what was then the largest crowd ever to see a game in Birmingham (4,000).^[26] He was said to be the school's "first running back hero."

Alabama was coached by Pollard from 1906 to 1909. The 1906 team lost all its games but one, its most lopsided ever, a 78 to 0 victory by Vanderbilt. Burks scored all of the points in the 1906 Iron Bowl. Auburn contended Alabama player Sims was an illegal player. The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) denied the claim. Following the 1907 season, the team adopted the "Crimson Tide" nickname.^[23] The victory over LSU in 1907 at Monroe Park marked the first ever Alabama home game played in Mobile.^[27] Jack Reidy returned a kickoff for 75 yards and the touchdown with 20 seconds left to give Alabama the win.

In 1909, Alabama had six consecutive shutouts to go 5–0–1 before they surrendered their first touchdown against Tulane in their 5–5 tie.^[28] Alabama completed their season with a 12–5 loss to defending SIAA champion LSU at Birmingham to finish 5–1–2.^[28]

Alabama was coached by Graves from 1911 to 1914. 1912 saw quarterback Farley Moody make All-Southern teams. In the Georgia game that season, the Bulldogs ran a trick play in which they threw the ball to a receiver who was dressed as a waterboy, on the field, carrying a bucket. The play did not prove decisive, as Georgia fumbled the ball away soon after, but the Bulldogs won the game after they recovered a botched Alabama field goal and scored in the final minutes.

Alabama was coached by Kelley from 1915 to 1917. Bully Van de Graaff who punted, kicked, and played tackle, was Alabama's first All-American in 1915. Bully's brothers Adrian and Hargrove were also prominent Alabama football players in their day. Their younger brother was Robert J. Van de Graaff, inventor of the Van de Graaff generator which produces high voltages. In 1915, Thomas Kelley coached only the first half of season (4–0) before he came down with typhoid fever. Athletic director B. L. Noojin and former Alabama quarterback Farley Moody took over the head coaching duties for the remaining four games of the season.^[29] The 2–2 mark achieved in Kelly's absence is still credited to his record at Alabama of 17–7–1. Tram Sessions made the composite All-Southern of 1917.

The school did not field a team in 1918 because of World War I, but resumed play once again in 1919 under coach Xen C. Scott.^[20] Arguably the best season under Scott was his first, in which the team lost its only game to Vanderbilt and set a school record for victories in a season with 8–1 record. The 1919 team was led by All-Southerns Ike Rogers, Mullie Lenoir, and Riggs Stephenson. The next season the Tide went 10–1 suffering its only loss 14–21 at the hands of Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) champion Georgia. Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Joe Sewell also played for Scott.

Alabama joined the newly formed Southern Conference in 1922. Shortly after the end of the 1922 season in which he led Alabama to a 9–7 upset victory over Penn, head coach Scott resigned due to a case of cancer of the mouth and tongue which was soon to kill him. An account of the drive to beat Penn: "Alabama came back strong in the second quarter on the back of leader Charles Bartlett. Bartlett drove the team down the field on most notably a 22 yard run from the 27 that put the ball on the Penn 4 yard line. Pooley Hubert went in the rest of the way but fumbled the ball in the endzone. Shorty Propst recovered the ball and gave Alabama the 9-7 lead that they would never give up."^[30] The next week Alabama beat LSU 47–3 in what was then the largest crowd ever to witness a game at Denny Field.^[31] Bartlett was given honorable mention on the All-America team of Walter Camp.^[32]

Wade and Thomas (1923–1946)

Shortly after head coach Xen Scott's death, Brown University alum and Vanderbilt assistant Wallace Wade was hired as the new head coach. While Wade assisted Dan McGugin at Vanderbilt the Commodores went 15-0-2 over two seasons.

The team saw success quickly, losing just one southern game in his first year when Florida upset the Tide to close the season. The 1924 team won the Southern Conference, upset by Centre in its only loss. In 1925, Wade would lead the team to an undefeated season capped with a Rose Bowl win over Washington for the team's first national championship. The win later became known as "the game that changed the South."^[33] Intent on building a dynasty, athletics director George Denny took advantage of the team's newfound popularity and began advertising the University of Alabama in metropolitan New York City newspapers. Students, football players and fans alike from the Northeast began enrolling at Alabama at such a rate that by 1930, over one-third of the student body was from out-of-state.^[34] Wade led the Crimson Tide to two more national titles in 1926 and 1930.

Wade was under fire after lackluster seasons in 1928 and 1929, which included narrow losses to Robert Neyland's Tennessee Volunteers. Wade submitted his resignation on April 30, with the caveat that he coach next season. Tailback John Suther described the feeling before the Tennessee game that year, which Alabama won 18–6. "Coach Wade was boiling mad. He was like a blood-thirsty drill sergeant anyway, and those critics made him more fiery … He challenged us to help him shut up the loudmouths that were making his life miserable."^[35] Wade took the head coaching position at Duke in 1931.^[36] Wade finished his career at Alabama with an overall record of 61-13-3. Wade coached Hall of Fame player Pooley Hubert. Other notable players included Johnny Mack Brown, Hoyt Winslett, Fred Pickhard, Fred Sington, and Herschel Caldwell.

In 1931, Frank Thomas left his post as an assistant coach at Georgia and accepted the head coaching job at Alabama, where he established himself as one of the top coaches in the nation. His bowl record at Alabama was 4–2, with wins at the Rose Bowl (1935, 1946), Cotton Bowl Classic (1942), and Orange Bowl (1943). He coached future Hall of Fame coach Paul "Bear" Bryant during his time as Alabama's head coach. Other notable players included Don Hutson, Vaughn Mancha, Harry Gilmer, Johnny Cain, and Riley Smith. Alabama would join the Southeastern Conference in 1933, winning the conference's first championship. Thomas would lead Alabama to two more national championships before health issues related to his smoking habits forced him to retire after a 14-year tenure as head coach of the program, which did not field a team in 1943 because of World War II. Thomas led Alabama to a 115–24–7 overall record.

Drew and Whitworth (1947–1957)

In January 1947, Harold Drew was hired as the head football coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide. In his first year, "Red" Drew led the 1947 Alabama team to an 8–3 record, a berth in the 1948 Sugar Bowl,^[37] and a number eight ranking in the final AP poll. In November 1948, he led Alabama to a victory over Georgia Tech that The Tuscaloosa News called "the upset of the season."^[38] In November, he led the Crimson Tide to a 55–0 victory over Auburn,^[39] a score which remains the most lopsided in the history of the Alabama–Auburn football rivalry. In August 1951, Drew led the East team to a 15–6 victory in the Third Annual All-American High School game in Memphis.^[40] He also led the 1952 team to a 10-1-2 record and a 61–6 victory over Syracuse in the 1953 Orange Bowl.^[41][42][43] Alabama's 55-point margin of victory remains the largest in the history of the Orange Bowl; it was also the highest point total in Orange Bowl history until West Virginia scored 70 points in the 2012 Orange Bowl. When the Orange Bowl bid was announced in November 1952, former Alabama athletes organized to urge the University to sign Drew to a long-term contract, and The Tuscaloosa News reported:

"The invitation also is a fine tribute to Coach Harold (Red) Drew and his staff. We doubt if there is a coaching staff in the country that has done a better job than the one done by the Crimson Tide staff in getting Alabama ready for the Georgia Tech and Maryland games."^[44]

Drew was selected as the SEC Coach of the Year in 1952, and he was given a two-year contract extension in December of that year.^[45] The following year, he led the 1953 team to a Southeastern Conference (SEC) championship and a berth in the 1954 Cotton Bowl Classic.^[46] However, the 1954 team finished in sixth place in the SEC with a 4–5–2 record. With the poor showing of the 1954 team, rumors began to spread that Drew would not return as the head coach. On December 2, 1954, Drew was fired as the head coach and replaced with J. B. Whitworth. Drew was retained as Alabama's head track coach and associate professor of physical education.^[47] Drew stayed on as Alabama's track coach for 23 seasons and through at least 1964.^{[48][49][50][51]}

At the end of his tenure as Alabama's head football coach, Drew's salary was reported to have been about $12,000 per year.^[47] In eight years as Alabama's head football coach, Drew compiled a 51-28-7 record.^[52] He was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1970.^[48][53]

Alabama had grown into a major football power and enjoyed consistent success over the past three decades, but Drew's successor, J.B. "Ears" Whitworth, would lead the Crimson Tide to its worst three-year stretch in school history. From 1955 to 1957, Whitworth coached Alabama, where he posted a 4–24–2 record that included a 14-game losing streak from 1955 to 1956. In his first year at Alabama, Whitworth was only allowed to hire only two of his own coaches and forced to retain the rest of former coach Harold Drew's assistants. This included athletic director Hank Crisp, Whitworth's boss, who was in charge of the defense. Whitworth brought assistant coach Moose Johnson with him from Oklahoma A&M. Following successive 2–7–1 seasons in 1956 and 1957, Whitworth was fired and replaced by Bear Bryant.

Paul "Bear" Bryant era (1958–1982)

Paul William "Bear" Bryant came to the Crimson Tide program in December 1957, after leaving his head coaching position at Texas A&M.^[54] On December 8, five days after leaving A&M, Bryant was asked why he left for Alabama. Bryant replied, "Mama called, and when Mama calls, then you just have to come running."^[55] Bryant entered an Alabama program which had not had a winning record in four seasons. However, in his first season, Bryant led Alabama to a 5–4–1 record—one more win than Alabama had in the previous three seasons.^[56][57] In his fourth season, Bryant led the Crimson Tide to their sixth national championship which included Bryant's first bowl victory with Alabama.^[6] Between 1961 to 1966, Alabama went 60–5–1, which included three national championships (1961, 1964, 1965), four Southeastern Conference Championships, two undefeated seasons, and six bowl berths.^[58]

Throughout the 1970s, the Crimson Tide was one of the most dominant teams in college football. During the decade the program posted a record of 103-16-1, winning eight SEC titles and three national championships (1973, 1978, 1979).^[6] The very first game of the decade was notable, as the team was thoroughly defeated by the USC Trojans in Birmingham 42–21. This is the game that is generally credited as the catalyst to end segregation in college football.^[59] The following season, John Mitchell, an African-American transfer from Eastern Arizona Junior College, played in the rematch, a game that Alabama won 17–10 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. In that game, Mitchell became the first black player to start for the Tide. Alabama was among the last schools in college football to integrate African-American players.

Bryant was not only loved by the people in and around the state of Alabama and the southeastern U.S., but by coaches all over the nation. John McKay, the legendary USC coach, had these words to say about Bryant. "He was not just a coach, he was the coach". Another quote about Bryant, from Bob Devaney, former Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach, is "He was simply the best there ever was."^[56] Bryant's final game as head coach of Alabama came in the 1982 Liberty Bowl.^[60][61] Bryant's retirement made the Liberty Bowl one of the most covered games that season as many news stations and newspapers sent reporters to cover the game.^[62][63] Alabama earned a 21–15 victory over Illinois.^[64]

During his tenure at Alabama, Bryant led Alabama to a 232–46–9 record. His achievements included 6 national championships,^[6] 13 Southeastern Conference titles, 24 bowl appearances, and 12 bowl victories. In his 25 seasons, he led the Crimson Tide to 24 consecutive bowl appearances. At the time of his retirement, Bryant had recorded an NCAA record 323 wins.^[65]

Bryant once said if he retired that he would "probably croak in a week" and said, "I imagine I'd go straight to the graveyard."^[66][67] Four weeks after coaching his final game, Bear Bryant died of a heart attack on January 26, 1983.^[68]

Perkins and Curry (1983–1989)

Former New York Giants head coach Ray Perkins replaced Bryant, under whom he played in the early 1960s.^[69] In his first season head coach, Alabama finished the regular season at 7–4, just as it had done in the previous year. In the Sun Bowl, Alabama upset the #5-ranked SMU Mustangs 28–7.^[70] His second season was far less successful, as Alabama endured their first losing season in 28 years with a 5–6 record, failing to qualify for a bowl game.^[71] In 1985, the team fared much better than the previous season, finishing with a 9–2–1 record. Following a dramatic victory over Auburn, the Tide went on to defeat Southern California in the Aloha Bowl.^[72] The 1986 season, Alabama went 10–3 as they defeated Notre Dame for the first time in school history, and ended a losing streak versus rival Tennessee. In the season finale in the Sun Bowl, Alabama won 28–6 over the Washington Huskies.^[73]

Perkins accumulated a 32–15–1 record during his tenure before deciding to leave for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.^[74] Perkins held the distinction of being the only head coach to lead Alabama to a victory over the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame for nearly thirty years, a feat Bear Bryant could never accomplish.

Bill Curry left his alma mater Georgia Tech and accepted the job as head coach at the University of Alabama. There he posted a record of 26–10, won a share of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) title in 1989 and made bowl appearances every year of his three-year tenure, the 1988 Hall of Fame Bowl after the 1987 season, the 1988 Sun Bowl after the 1988 season and the 1990 Sugar Bowl after the 1989 season. In September 1988, he refused to fly his Alabama team to play Texas A&M because of fears that Hurricane Gilbert would harm his players. The hurricane never reached Texas A&M at College Station, Texas, and Aggies coach Jackie Sherrill claimed Curry used the threat of weather as an excuse because his quarterback was injured. The game was rescheduled for December 1, when Alabama routed A&M, 30–10. Curry also suspended Alabama quarterback Jeff Dunn for breaking team rules prior to the 1988 Sun Bowl against Army. Curry was honored in 1989 as the SEC Coach of the Year and received the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award.

With all the success the Crimson Tide were having, most believed Curry would remain at Alabama for a long time as the head coach. However, tensions within the athletic department, particularly issues with Curry's contract, and three straight losses against arch-rival Auburn led Curry to resign so that he could go on to become head coach for Kentucky. This move shocked the college football world. Curry later was the head coach of the Georgia State Panthers.^[75]

Gene Stallings era (1990–1996)

Alabama once again sought someone with ties to Bryant by hiring Gene Stallings, who had been recently fired as head coach of the Phoenix Cardinals.^[76] Stallings had been a member of the Junction Boys, a group of players who trained under Bryant during his tenure at Texas A&M.^[77] As Head Coach of Texas A&M, Stallings had led the Aggies to a 20-16 victory over "Bear" Bryant's 1967 team in the 1968 Cotton Bowl, after which Bear Bryant carried him off the field to celebrate the victory of his former player.^[78] In his first season, the Tide lost their first three games, but rebounded to finish off the season with a 7–5 record which included a berth in the Fiesta Bowl and a defeat by Louisville in a 34–7 rout.^[79] The following season proved to be much more successful as Alabama finished with an 11–1 record. After a 35–0 blowout loss to the Florida Gators, the team finished off the regular season with nine consecutive victories, before defeating Colorado 30–25 in the Blockbuster Bowl.^[80]

In just his third season as head coach, Alabama was unbeaten in the regular season, and recorded three shutout victories en route to the inaugural SEC Championship Game. Alabama was able to avoid an upset with a late interception by Antonio Langham, who returned it for a touchdown to secure a 28–21 victory over the Florida Gators.^[81] With the win, Alabama was invited to the 1993 Sugar Bowl to face the unbeaten Miami Hurricanes, who entered with a 29-game winning streak and that year's Heisman Trophy winner, quarterback Gino Torretta. Despite Miami being favored by 8 points, the Crimson Tide's defense proved to be too much as the Tide routed the Hurricanes 34–13^[82] and finished a perfect 13–0, allowing them to claim their 12th national championship^[83]—the first since the Bryant era.^[84]

The Crimson Tide were forced to forfeit eight victories and one tie achieved during the 9–3–1 1993 season in games participated in by senior cornerback Antonio Langham. The NCAA discovered before Alabama's bowl game that year that Langham had violated NCAA rules by signing with an agent after the previous season.^[85] Alabama was in contention for another national title in 1994 before losing the SEC Championship Game to Florida, finishing 12–1 after defeating Ohio State in the Citrus Bowl. Though going 8–3 in 1995, Alabama was not allowed to play in a bowl game, due to a probationary stipulation resulting from the Langham incident.^[85] Stallings led the team to a 10–3 record and a victory over Michigan in the Outback Bowl during the 1996 season before retiring.^[86] Stallings finished his tenure at Alabama with an impressive 70–16–1 on the field record.

DuBose and Franchione (1997–2002)

Following Gene Stallings's retirement in 1996, defensive coordinator Mike DuBose was promoted to the head coaching position.^[87][88] In 1997, DuBose's first season at Alabama, the Crimson Tide won its first two games. However, they soon began feeling the strain of the loss of 30 scholarships as a result of NCAA violations from Stallings' tenure. They lost seven of the last nine games including their first loss to Kentucky since 1922, blowout losses at the hands of Tennessee and LSU, and a shocking loss to Louisiana Tech. The 1997 Iron Bowl presented DuBose an opportunity to salvage at least a piece of a lost season, but Alabama lost after the Crimson Tide led the game 17–15 with less than a minute to go. Faced with a third and a long one and the prospect of having to punt the ball to Auburn if they did not convert, leaving Auburn an opportunity to get into field goal range, the Tide ran a screen pass resulting in a fumble and Auburn recovery that led to the game-winning field goal for the Tigers. Much controversy surrounded the apparent fact that DuBose not only didn't call the play, but didn't know what play was being run. DuBose reacted by firing four assistants including the ones who called the play, Bruce Arians and Woody McCorvey. The Tide finished with the school's worst record since 1957, the year before Bryant arrived. In his third season, DuBose lead Alabama to the SEC Championship.^[89] With the success, Alabama began their 2000 season as high as No. 3 in some polls. The expectations went unfulfilled as the Tide slumped to a 3–8 record and news about an affair DuBose was having with his secretary began to leak out.^[90] Following the season, DuBose was fired^[91] replaced by an up-and-coming coach from TCU, Dennis Franchione.^[92]

Dennis Franchione became the head coach at the University of Alabama in 2001^[93] and led the team, which had posted a 3–8 record the prior season, to a 7–5 record in 2001 and a 10–3 record in 2002. The 2001 team won the Independence Bowl, which became Alabama's first bowl win after five seasons. The 2002 team finished with a 6–2 conference record, placing first in the West Division of the Southeastern Conference. However, due to NCAA sanctions resulting from violations of the previous Alabama head coach, Mike DuBose, the 2002 team was ineligible for postseason games, including the SEC Championship Game. The turnaround success Franchione made prompted Alabama officials to offer Franchione a 10-year contract extension worth $15 million. Franchione, however, did not sign the offer. Following Alabama's victory over the University of Hawaii and the dismissal of Texas A&M head coach R. C. Slocum, Franchione resigned at Alabama and was named head coach at Texas A&M after publicly stating that he would not leave. His decision was influenced by the NCAA sanctions placed on Alabama, which included a two-year bowl ban, the loss of 21 scholarships over three years, and five years probation. Franchione did not return to Alabama after interviewing for the job, instead informing his players of his decision to accept the job at Texas A&M via video teleconference.^[94] Many Alabama fans noted the similarities between Franchione's departure from TCU and how he left Alabama. His departure from Alabama, and his use of video conferencing to inform his players and staff remains, as does his departure at TCU, somewhat controversial.

Mike Price controversy

On December 18, 2002, Alabama announced that Washington State head coach Mike Price was to be the next coach for the Crimson Tide program.^[95][96] However, in May 2003, Price was removed from his position as the head coach, following a controversy.^[97][98][99]

Mike Shula (2003–2006)

Less than a week later, Alabama hired Mike Shula, a former Alabama quarterback and then-quarterbacks coach for the Miami Dolphins.^[100] Alabama had reportedly been searching mainly for former Alabama players, including considering Sylvester Croom.^[101]

With the difficult offseason, the Shula-led Crimson Tide finished 4–9 in 2003. Bama's 2004 team finished the regular season with a 6–6 record and made their first bowl appearance in three seasons.^[102] It was also the first season the team began playing all their home games exclusively at Bryant-Denny Stadium. In previous years, the Tide had played many of their biggest home games at Legion Field in Birmingham. During the offseason, Alabama once again was able to gain a "full" recruiting class, following a probation by the NCAA which occurred in 2001 resulting from recruiting violations that occurred during Dubose's tenure. In Shula's third season, Alabama rolled to a 10–2 record, ending with a 13–10 victory in the 2006 Cotton Bowl. However, the following season, Alabama struggled to find consistency. The team ended with a 6–7 overall record, losing every road game of the season. Shula was terminated as head coach of the program,^[103][104] having been the only head coach at Alabama to lose four consecutive games to Auburn.^[105] Shula finished his tenure at Alabama with a 26–23 record, however the Tide was later forced to vacate the ten wins from 2005 and six wins from 2006 due to NCAA violation from improper use of textbooks.^[106]

Nick Saban era (2007–present)

On January 3, 2007, Nick Saban left the NFL's Miami Dolphins and accepted an offer worth US$32 million guaranteed for eight years to be the next Crimson Tide head coach.^[18][107] In his first season, Saban led the Crimson Tide to a 7–6 record. A promising 6–2 start gave way to ending the regular season with four straight losses including an upset loss to Louisiana–Monroe.^[108] The team rebounded in its final game, defeating Colorado in the Independence Bowl.

Alabama greatly improved in the following season, posting a 12–0 regular season record and climbing to its first No. 1 ranking in 16 years, before finishing with back-to-back losses in the SEC Championship Game^[109] and the Sugar Bowl^[110] to finish the year at 12–2.

In 2009, Nick Saban led Alabama to its second consecutive undefeated regular season (12–0), and won the SEC Championship Game with a victory over the No. 1 ranked Florida Gators to improve to 13–0.^[111] On January 7, 2010, Alabama beat Texas 37–21 in the 2010 BCS National Championship Game, finishing the season 14–0 and winning Alabama its 13th national championship.^[112] Saban joined Pop Warner as the only coach to win National Championships at two different FBS schools.

Before the 2010 season, Alabama was ranked No. 1, but losses to South Carolina, LSU, and Auburn (the eventual 2010 National Champion) gave Saban's Tide a regular season record of 9–3. Alabama was invited to the 2011 Capital One Bowl where they dominated Big 10 Co-Champion Michigan State 49–7 to finish with a 10–3 record.

During the 2011 season the Tide was ranked No. 2 in the first 2011 BCS Poll behind division rival LSU. The Tide suffered their only loss of the season 9-6 in overtime to the LSU Tigers on November 5, 2011 in Tuscaloosa. Alabama finished the regular season 11-1 and ranked No. 2 in the BCS poll, which resulted in Alabama playing No. 1 LSU in the 2012 BCS National Championship Game in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was Alabama's second BCS National Championship Game appearance in three years. Alabama won the game 21–0 behind one of the most dominant defensive performances in bowl history to finish the year 12-1. Alabama held LSU to the second fewest total yardage ever allowed in a BCS National Championship Game. It was the first time in a BCS bowl game that the opponent was held scoreless. In winning Alabama's second national championship in three years, Saban became the first coach to win three BCS titles.

In 2012, the Tide was again ranked No. 2 in preseason polls and rose to No. 1 following their first win over Michigan in the Cowboys Classic. Despite a late season loss to SEC newcomer Texas A&M, Alabama won the SEC West and defeated Georgia in the SEC Championship Game to earn a berth in the 2013 BCS National Championship Game. The Tide then beat the No. 1 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 42-14 to finish the season 13–1 and win its second consecutive BCS title and its third in the previous four seasons.^[113] The Tide became the first team to win back to back BCS championships and the first team to win three national championships in four seasons since the Nebraska Cornhuskers from 1994–1997.

In 2013, Alabama finished 11-2, tied for the SEC West Division, but did not go to the SEC Championship Game due to a loss to Auburn, the famous "Kick Six" game.^[106][114]

In 2014, Alabama completed its regular season with an 11-1 record and won the SEC West and then the 2014 SEC Championship Game, defeating Missouri 42-13. In the new College Football Playoff, the Tide (ranked #1) lost to Ohio State (#4) 42-35 in the Sugar Bowl. At the end of the 2014 season, Saban's record is 86-17 (91-17 but 5 wins were vacated from the 2007 season).

Championships

National championships

National championships in NCAA FBS college football are debated as the NCAA does not officially award the championship. Despite not naming an official National Champion, the NCAA provides lists of championships awarded by organizations it recognizes.^[7][115] According to the official NCAA 2009 Division I Football Records Book, "During the last 138 years, there have been more than 30 selectors of national champions using polls, historical research and mathematical rating systems. Beginning in 1936, the Associated Press began the best-known and most widely circulated poll of sportswriters and broadcasters. Before 1936, national champions were determined by historical research and retroactive ratings and polls. […] The criteria for being included in this historical list of poll selectors is that the poll be national in scope, either through distribution in newspaper, television, radio and/or computer online."^[116]

Since World War II, Alabama only claims national championships awarded by the final AP Poll or the final Coaches' Poll. This policy is consistent with other FBS football programs with numerous national title claims, including Notre Dame, USC, and Oklahoma. All national championships claimed by the University of Alabama were published in nationally syndicated newspapers and magazines, and each of the national championship selectors, and are cited in the Official 2010 NCAA FBS Record Book.^[117] In addition to the championships claimed by the university, the NCAA has listed Alabama as receiving a championship for the 1945, 1966, 1975, and 1977 college football seasons.^[7][115]

In Alabama's 1982 media guide, the last for Coach Bryant, 1934 is listed as the only national championship before Coach Bryant in a footnote about the school's SEC history. In the 1980s, Alabama's Sports Information Director Wayne Atcheson started recognizing five pre-Bryant national championship teams (1925, 1926, 1930, 1934, 1941) by adding them to the University's Football Media Guide. According to Atcheson, he made the effort in the context of disputed titles being claimed by other schools, and "to make Alabama football look the best it could look" to compete with the other claimants. Atcheson maintains that the titles are the school's rightful claims.^[118]

The University of Alabama 2009 Official Football Media Guide states that Alabama had 12 national championships prior to winning the 2010 BCS National Championship Game.^[119] The 2009, 2011 and 2012 titles bring the total number of national championships claimed by Alabama to 15. Ten of Alabama's national championships were awarded by the wire-services (AP, Coaches' Poll) or by winning the BCS National Championship Game.^[7][115]

In January 2013, CNN suggested that Alabama might be college football's new dynasty,^[120] and in May 2013, Athlon Sports ranked Alabama's ongoing dynasty as the fourth-best since 1934, behind Oklahoma (1948–58), Miami (1986–92), and Nebraska (1993–97).^[121]

National championship seasons

Season	Coach	Selectors	Record	Bowl
1925	Wallace Wade	Various	10–0	Won Rose Bowl
1926	Wallace Wade	Various	9–0–1	Tied Rose Bowl
1930	Wallace Wade	Various	10–0	Won Rose Bowl
1934	Frank Thomas	Various	10–0	Won Rose Bowl
1941	Frank Thomas	Houlgate Poll	9–2	Won Cotton Bowl Classic
1961	Paul "Bear" Bryant	AP, Coaches'	11–0	Won Sugar Bowl
1964	Paul "Bear" Bryant	AP, Coaches'	10–1	Lost Orange Bowl
1965	Paul "Bear" Bryant	AP	9–1–1	Won Orange Bowl
1973	Paul "Bear" Bryant	Coaches'	11–1	Lost Sugar Bowl
1978	Paul "Bear" Bryant	AP	11–1	Won Sugar Bowl
1979	Paul "Bear" Bryant	AP, Coaches'	12–0	Won Sugar Bowl
1992	Gene Stallings	AP, Coaches'	13–0	Won Sugar Bowl
2009	Nick Saban	AP, Coaches'	14–0	Won BCS National Championship Game
2011	Nick Saban	AP, Coaches'	12–1	Won BCS National Championship Game
2012	Nick Saban	AP, Coaches'	13–1	Won BCS National Championship Game
National Championships			15

• 1925 — The 1925 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, coached by Wallace Wade, completed the regular season 9–0–0, winning the Southern Conference championship. Alabama was then invited to play Washington in the January 1, 1926 Rose Bowl. Coach Wade's team initially fell behind the undefeated Huskies, but rallied in the second half to defeat Washington 20–19. The outstanding player of the game was Johnny Mack Brown.^[122] This game is viewed by many football historians as the single most important event for Southern football, and is hailed "the football game that changed the South." Alabama was the first Southern football team to be invited to play in the Rose Bowl, and proved that the Southern teams could compete with those from the East, the Midwest and the West coast. The victory for Coach Wallace Wade established Alabama as a football powerhouse. The 1925 Alabama football team finished the season with a 10–0–0 record and was selected national champions by the Football Annual, Billingsley, and the Helms Athletic Foundation.^[6]

• 1926 — The 1926 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, coached by Wallace Wade, completed the regular season 9–0–0, winning the Southern Conference championship. Alabama was then invited to play Stanford in the January 1, 1927 Rose Bowl. Coach Wade's team tied the Indians 7–7 to finish the season 9–0–1. The outstanding player of the game was Fred Pickhard.^[122] The 1926 Alabama football team was selected national champions by Billingsley and the Helms Athletic Foundation.^[6]

• 1930 — The 1930 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, coached by Wallace Wade, completed the regular season 9–0–0, winning the Southern Conference championship. Alabama was then invited to play Washington State in the January 1, 1931 Rose Bowl. Coach Wade's team defeated the Cougars 24–0 to finish the season 10–0–0. The outstanding player of the game was John Campbell.^[122] The 1930 Alabama football team tied with Notre Dame as national champions in the Davis Poll.^[6]

• 1934 — The 1934 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, coached by Frank Thomas, completed the regular season 9–0–0, winning the Southeastern Conference championship. Alabama was then invited to play Stanford in the January 1, 1935 Rose Bowl. Coach Thomas' team defeated the Indians 29–13 to finish the season 10–0–0. The outstanding player of the game was Millard "Dixie" Howell.^[122] The 1934 Alabama football team was selected national champions by Dunkel, Williamson, and Football Thesaurus.^[6] The University of Alabama honored Ben McLeod, Jr., the 95-year–old former backup End of the 1934 team at the September 6, 2008 Alabama–Tulane game.^[123]

• 1941 — The 1941 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, coached by Frank Thomas, completed the regular season 8–2–0. Alabama's squad finished 3rd in the Southeastern Conference.^[124] After losing to Mississippi State and Vanderbilt,^[122] Alabama finished the regular season ranked No. 20 in the volatile AP Poll.^[125] This title is disputed by the program's rivals because of the ranking; however, the onset of World War II changed the college football postseason.^[126] Alabama was one of 10 teams chosen for post-season competition when they were invited to play Texas A&M in the January 1, 1942 Cotton Bowl Classic. Coach Thomas' team defeated the Aggies 29–21 to finish the season 9–2–0. The outstanding players of the game were Holt Rast, Don Whitmire, and Jimmy Nelson.^[122] The squad was selected national champions by the Houlgate Poll, published in the nationally syndicated Football Thesaurus.^[6] The 2009 NCAA Record Book cites the Minnesota Golden Gophers, the Texas Longhorns, and the Alabama Crimson Tide as the three teams selected as national champions in 1941.^[7] The Tuscaloosa News described the 1941 Alabama Crimson Tide as the University's best team since the 1934 Rose Bowl Championship Team.^[126]

• 1961 — The 1961 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, coached by Bear Bryant, completed the regular season 10–0–0, winning the Southeastern Conference championship. Led by quarterback Pat Trammell, linebacker Lee Roy Jordan and two–way lineman Billy Neighbors, Alabama outscored their opponents 297–25. Alabama was then invited to play the #9–ranked Arkansas Razorbacks in the January 1, 1962 Sugar Bowl. Coach Bryant's team defeated the Razorbacks 10–3 to finish the season 11–0–0. The outstanding player of the game was Mike Fracchia.^[122] The 1961 Alabama football team was selected national champions by the AP Poll and Coaches' Poll.^[6]

• 1964 — The 1964 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, coached by Bear Bryant, completed the regular season 10–0–0, winning the Southeastern Conference championship. Alabama was led by quarterback Joe Namath. Alabama was then invited to play the Texas Longhorns in the January 1, 1965 Orange Bowl. Coach Bryant's team lost to the Longhorns 21–17 to finish the season 10–1–0. The outstanding player of the game was Joe Namath.^[122] The 1964 Alabama football team was selected national champions by the AP Poll and the Coaches' Poll prior to bowl games.^[6] The AP Poll waited until after the bowl games to select their champion for the 1965 season.

• 1965 — The 1965 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, coached by Bear Bryant, completed the regular season 8–1–1, winning the Southeastern Conference championship. The Tide lost to Georgia and tied Tennessee during the regular season. Alabama was then invited to play Nebraska in the January 1, 1966 Orange Bowl. Coach Bryant's team defeated the Cornhuskers 39–28 to finish the season 9–1–1. The outstanding player of the game was Steve Sloan.^[122] The 1965 Alabama football team was selected national champions by the AP Poll.^[6]

• 1973 — The 1973 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, coached by Bear Bryant, completed the regular season 11–0–0, winning the Southeastern Conference championship. Alabama was then invited to play Notre Dame in the December 31, 1973 Sugar Bowl. Coach Bryant's team lost to the Fighting Irish 24–23 to finish the season 11–1–0. The 1973 Alabama football team was selected national champions in the final regular season Coaches' Poll, which was finalized prior to the post-season bowl games.^[6] The Coaches' Poll began selecting their champion after the bowl games starting in 1974. The post-bowl game AP poll ranked Alabama 4th, and selected Notre Dame as its national champion.^[127]

• 1978 — The 1978 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, coached by Bear Bryant, completed the regular season 10–1–0, winning the Southeastern Conference championship. The Tide defeated #10–ranked Nebraska 20–3, and defeated #11–ranked Missouri 38–20, and lost to #7-ranked Southern California 24-14, during the regular season.^[128] The #2-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide was then invited to play the #1–ranked Penn State in the January 1, 1979 Sugar Bowl. Coach Bryant's team defeated the Nittany Lions 14–7 to finish the season 11–1–0. The outstanding player of the game was linebacker Barry Krauss.^[122] Alabama was selected national champions by the AP Poll,^[6] and Southern California was selected national champion by the Coaches' Poll.^[128]

• 1979 — The 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, coached by Bear Bryant, completed the regular season 11–0–0, winning the Southeastern Conference championship. The Tide defeated #18–ranked Tennessee 27–17, and defeated #14–ranked Auburn 25–18 during the regular season. Alabama was then invited to play #6–ranked Arkansas in the January 1, 1980 Sugar Bowl. Coach Bryant's team defeated the Razorbacks 24–9 to finish the season 12–0–0. The outstanding player of the game was running back Major Ogilvie.^[122] The 1979 Alabama football team was selected national champions by the AP Poll and the Coaches' Poll.^[6]

• 1992 — The 1992 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, coached by Gene Stallings, completed the regular season 11–0–0. They then defeated #12–ranked Florida in the inaugural SEC Championship Game, defeating the Gators 28–21; the win gave Alabama its 20th SEC title and a record of 12–0–0. Alabama was then invited to play #1–ranked Miami, led by Heisman trophy winner Gino Torretta, in the January 1, 1993 Sugar Bowl. Coach Stallings' team defeated the Hurricanes 34–13 to finish the season 13–0–0. The outstanding player of the game was Derrick Lassic.^[122] The 1992 Alabama football team was awarded the national championship by the AP Poll and the Coaches' Poll.^[6]

• 2009 — The 2009 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, coached by Nick Saban, finished with a 12–0 regular season. In the 12 wins, the Crimson Tide defeated four teams that were ranked at the time, including an opening day victory over No. 7 Virginia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game. The team headed back to the Georgia Dome in December to face off against #1 Florida in the SEC Championship Game. The Crimson Tide defeated the Gators 32–13 in a rematch of the previous year's championship.^[111] Alabama then traveled to Pasadena to face #2-ranked Texas in the 2010 BCS National Championship Game at the Rose Bowl. Alabama's Heisman Trophy-winning running back, Mark Ingram, rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns in a 37–21 win.^[112] This was Alabama's first victory over Texas (1–7–1). Ingram was named the game's offensive MVP in Alabama's first BCS victory. The 2009 Alabama football team was selected national champions by the AP and Coaches' Polls. The 2009 squad became the first FBS division team to defeat six teams ranked in the AP Top 25 during one season and received a record six first team AP All-America selections. The 2009 team finished with a perfect 14–0 record, an all-time highest number of wins in a season for Alabama.

• 2011 — The 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, coached by Nick Saban, completed the regular season 11–1. The only loss of the season was to LSU in overtime 9–6.^[129] The team did not play in the SEC Championship Game because of that loss, but won convincingly in its final three regular-season games and earned a No. 2 ranking in the BCS poll.^[130] For their final regular season game, Alabama defeated rival Auburn 42-14.^[131] Alabama, led by Heisman trophy finalist Trent Richardson, then qualified to play No. 1 ranked LSU in the 2012 BCS National Championship Game.^[130] Coach Saban's team defeated the Tigers 21–0 and finished the season 12–1.^[132] Jeremy Shelley had a bowl record-tying five field goals in the game, and the game's offensive MVP was A.J. McCarron, and the defensive MVP was Courtney Upshaw.^[132] With the win, Alabama became the first team to shutout their opponent in a BCS bowl game.^[132] In addition to winning the BCS National Championship, the AP also awarded its national title to Alabama for the 8th time.^[133]

• 2012 — The 2012 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, coached by Nick Saban, completed the regular season 11–1. The only loss of the season was against Texas A&M 29–24.^[134] Despite the loss, Alabama won the SEC Western division and went to the 2012 SEC Championship Game, where they defeated Georgia 32–28 for the 23rd conference championship in school history.^[135] Alabama earned a No. 2 ranking in the final BCS rankings for the second straight year and as a result qualified for the 2013 BCS National Championship Game against No. 1 Notre Dame.^[136] Alabama defeated the Fighting Irish 42–14, finished the season 13–1, and the game's offensive MVP was Eddie Lacy, and the defensive MVP was C.J. Mosley.^[137] Alabama became the third team in history to win three national championships in four years. This is Alabama's 9th AP national championship and 10th wire-service championship.^[137]

Conference championships

Alabama has won a total of 28 conference championships; this includes 4 Southern Conference and 24 SEC Championships. Alabama captured its 4 Southern Conference titles in 1924, 1925, 1926, and 1930. Alabama captured the first SEC title in 1933 and has won a total of 24 SEC Championships (1933, 1934, 1937, 1945, 1953, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1989, 1992, 1999, 2009, 2012 and 2014). The school has won more SEC football titles than any other school, with five (1992, 1999, 2009, 2012, 2014) coming since the conference split into separate divisions and added a Championship Game. Alabama is the only SEC school to win an SEC Championship in every decade since the conference was founded in 1933.

Season	Conference	Coach	Overall Record	Conference Record
1924	Southern	Wallace Wade	8–1	5–0
1925	Southern	Wallace Wade	10–0	7–0
1926	Southern	Wallace Wade	9–0–1	8–0
1930	Southern	Wallace Wade	10–0	8–0
1933	SEC	Frank Thomas	7–1–1	5–0–1
1934	SEC	Frank Thomas	10–0	7–0
1937	SEC	Frank Thomas	9–1	6–0
1945	SEC	Frank Thomas	10–0	6–0
1953	SEC	Harold Drew	6–3–3	4–0–3
1961	SEC	Paul "Bear" Bryant	11–0	7–0
1964	SEC	Paul "Bear" Bryant	10–1	8–0
1965	SEC	Paul "Bear" Bryant	9–1–1	6–1–1
1966	SEC	Paul "Bear" Bryant	11–0	6–0
1971	SEC	Paul "Bear" Bryant	11–1	7–0
1972	SEC	Paul "Bear" Bryant	10–2	7–1
1973	SEC	Paul "Bear" Bryant	11–1	8–0
1974	SEC	Paul "Bear" Bryant	11–1	6–0
1975	SEC	Paul "Bear" Bryant	11–1	6–0
1977	SEC	Paul "Bear" Bryant	11–1	7–0
1978	SEC	Paul "Bear" Bryant	11–1	6–0
1979	SEC	Paul "Bear" Bryant	12–0	6–0
1981	SEC	Paul "Bear" Bryant	9–2–1	7–0
1989	SEC	Bill Curry	10–2	6–1
1992	SEC	Gene Stallings	13–0	8–0
1999	SEC	Mike DuBose	10–3	7–1
2009	SEC	Nick Saban	14–0	8–0
2012	SEC	Nick Saban	13–1	7–1
2014	SEC	Nick Saban	12–2	7–1
Conference Championships			24 SEC, 4 SoCon
Denotes co-champions

Divisional Championships

The SEC has been split into two divisions since the 1992 season with Alabama competing in the SEC West since that time. Alabama has won or shared 10 divisional titles, posting a 5-4 record in the SEC Championship Game. The most recent appearance was a victory over Missouri in the 2014 contest.

Season	Division	SEC CG Result	Opponent	PF	PA
1992	SEC West	W	Florida	28	21
1993	SEC West	L	Florida	13	28
1994	SEC West	L	Florida	23	24
1996†	SEC West	L	Florida	30	45
1999	SEC West	W	Florida	34	7
2008	SEC West	L	Florida	20	31
2009	SEC West	W	Florida	32	13
2012	SEC West	W	Georgia	32	28
2013†	SEC West	-	-	-	-
2014	SEC West	W	Missouri	42	13
Division Championships			10
† Denotes co-champions

Individual accomplishments

First team All-Americans

Every year, several publications release lists of the their ideal "team". The athletes on these lists are referred to as All-Americans. The NCAA recognizes five All-American lists. They are the Associated Press (AP), American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), Sporting News (TSN), and the Walter Camp Football Foundation (WCFF). Alabama has had 115 players honored 134 times as first team All-Americans (59 consensus)^[138][139] in its history, including 13 players honored twice and two players (Cornelius Bennett and Woodrow Lowe) who were honored three times.^[140]

The most recent All-Americans from Alabama came after the 2014 season, when Amari Cooper, Landon Collins, Trey DePriest, Arie Kouandjio and JK Scott were each named First Team All-America by various selectors.^[141]

College Football Hall of Fame inductees

In 1951, the College Football Hall of Fame opened in South Bend, Indiana. Since then, Alabama has had 20 players and 4 former coaches inducted into the Hall of Fame.^[142][143] Alabama had two members inducted into the inaugural 1951 class—Don Hutson and Frank Thomas.^[144]

Name Time at Alabama Position Year Inducted Cornelius Bennett 1983–86 LB 2005 Johnny Mack Brown 1923–25 HB 1957 Paul Bryant 1958–82 Head coach 1986 Johnny Cain 1930–32 FB 1973 Harry Gilmer 1944–47 QB, DB 1993 John Hannah 1970–72 OG 1999 Frank Howard 1928–30 OG 1989 Dixie Howell 1932–34 HB 1970 Pooley Hubert 1922–25 QB 1964 Don Hutson 1932–34 E 1951 Lee Roy Jordan 1960–62 LB 1983 Woodrow Lowe 1972–75 LB 2009

Name Time at Alabama Position Year Inducted Vaughn Mancha 1944–47 C 1990 Johnny Musso 1969–71 HB 2000 Billy Neighbors 1959–61 T 2003 Ozzie Newsome 1974–77 SE 1994 Fred Sington 1928–30 T 1955 Riley Smith 1934–35 QB 1985 Gene Stallings 1990–96 Head coach 2010 Derrick Thomas 1985–88 LB 2014 Frank Thomas 1931–46 Head coach 1951 Wallace Wade 1923–30 Head coach 1955 Don Whitmire 1941–42 T 1956 Marty Lyons 1975–78 DT 2012

Individual award winners

Heisman Trophy Mark Ingram (2009) Maxwell Award A.J. McCarron (2013) Doak Walker Award Trent Richardson (2011) Fred Biletnikoff Award Amari Cooper (2014) Butkus Award Derrick Thomas (1988) Rolando McClain (2009) C.J. Mosley (2013) Jim Thorpe Award Antonio Langham (1993) Lombardi Award Cornelius Bennett (1986) Lott Trophy DeMeco Ryans (2005) Outland Trophy Chris Samuels (1999) Andre Smith (2008) Barrett Jones (2011) Rimington Trophy Barrett Jones (2012)

Sammy Baugh Trophy Steve Sloan (1965) Paul Warfield Trophy David Palmer (1993) Jim Parker Trophy Andre Smith (2008) Barrett Jones (2011) Jack Lambert Trophy Rolando McClain (2009) Jack Tatum Trophy Antonio Langham (1993) Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Jay Barker (1994) A.J. McCarron (2013) Sporting News Player of the Year Mark Ingram (2009) Wuerffel Trophy Barrett Jones (2011) William V. Campbell Trophy Barrett Jones (2012)

Broyles Award Kirby Smart (2009) AFCA Coach of the Year Paul "Bear" Bryant (1961, 1971, 1973) Gene Stallings (1992) Paul "Bear" Bryant Award Gene Stallings (1992) Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Gene Stallings (1992) Nick Saban (2008) Walter Camp Coach of the Year Gene Stallings (1992) Nick Saban (2008) Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Bill Curry (1989) Nick Saban (2014) Bobby Bowden Coach of the Year Nick Saban (2009, 2011, 2012) AP Coach of the Year Nick Saban (2008) Home Depot Coach of the Year Nick Saban (2008)

Heisman Trophy

On December 12, 2009, Mark Ingram became Alabama's first Heisman Trophy winner.^[9] In the closest race ever, he edged out Stanford running back Toby Gerhart by 28 points.^[9] The previous best finish for an Alabama player occurred in 1993, when David Palmer finished 3rd in the Heisman voting.^[145][146] AJ McCarron finished as runner-up for the 2013 season.^[147]

Top 5 finishes for Alabama players:

Year	Name	Position	Finish
1937	Joe Kilgrow	RB	5th
1945	Harry Gilmer	RB	5th
1947	Harry Gilmer	RB	5th
1961	Pat Trammell	QB	5th
1962	Lee Roy Jordan	LB	4th
1971	Johnny Musso	RB	5th
1972	Terry Davis	QB	5th
1993	David Palmer	WR	3rd
1994	Jay Barker	QB	5th
2009	Mark Ingram	RB	1st
2011	Trent Richardson	RB	3rd
2013	AJ McCarron	QB	2nd
2014	Amari Cooper	WR	3rd

SEC Legends

Starting in 1994, the Southeastern Conference has annually honored one former football player from each of the SEC member schools as an "SEC Legend". The following former Crimson Tide football players have been honored as SEC Legends.

1994 Lee Roy Jordan 1995 Harry Gilmer 1996 Billy Neighbors 1997 John Hannah 1998 Holt Rast 1999 Johnny Musso 2000 Dwight Stephenson 2001 Joe Namath 2002 Vaughn Mancha 2003 Jeremiah Castille

2004 Bob Baumhower 2005 Cornelius Bennett 2006 Steve Sloan 2007 Ken Stabler 2008 Bart Starr 2009 Antonio Langham 2010 Cornelius Griffin 2011 Dennis Homan 2012 Paul Crane 2013 Marty Lyons

2014 Bobby Humphrey

Rivalries

Auburn

The main rivalry of the Crimson Tide is against its in-state rival, Auburn University. The rivalry is considered to be one of the best and most hard-fought rivalries in all of sports. The Alabama-Auburn game has come to be known as the Iron Bowl.^[148][149] The outcome of the game generally determines "bragging rights" in the state of Alabama until the following contest. Due to the intensity of the rivalry, many families, marriages, and other groups are split over their respective teams. The game may also have implications as to which team will represent the SEC Western Division in the SEC Championship Game.

On February 22, 1893, at Lakeview Park in Birmingham, Auburn was victorious in the first ever Iron Bowl, 32–22. The series was suspended after the 1907 contest, due to violence and financial complications.^[150] In 1944, Auburn suggested to reopen the series, though the Board of Trustees at Alabama rejected. The series was resumed in 1948, with Alabama crushing the Tigers 55–0, which is still the largest margin of victory in the series.^[151][152] In the following contest, Auburn shocked Alabama with a 14–13 victory, which is credited with helping revive the series.^[153]

For many years, the contest was held at Legion Field in Birmingham, before the teams began alternating between Bryant-Denny Stadium, in Tuscaloosa, and Jordan–Hare Stadium, in Auburn. Alabama currently leads the series at 43-35–1.^[154] Alabama won the recent 2014 meeting 55-44, the most points scored in Iron Bowl history.

Tennessee

Despite the heated in-state rivalry with Auburn, Bear Bryant was more adamant about defeating his rivals to the north, the Tennessee Volunteers.^[155] The series is named the Third Saturday in October, the traditional calendar date on which the game was played. Despite the name, the game has only been played on the third Saturday five times between 1995–2007. The first game between the two sides was played in 1901 in Birmingham, ending in a 6–6 tie. From 1902 to 1913, Alabama dominated the series, only losing once, and never allowing a touchdown by the Volunteers. Beginning in 1928, the rivalry was first played on its traditional date and began to be a challenge for the Tide as Robert Neyland began challenging Alabama for their perennial spot on top of the conference standings.^[156] In the 1950s, Jim Goostree, the head trainer for Alabama, began another tradition as he began handing out cigars following a victory over the Volunteers.^[157]

Between 1971–1981, Alabama held an eleven-game winning streak over the Volunteers and, between 1986–1994, a nine-game unbeaten streak. However, following Alabama's streak, Tennessee responded with a seven-game winning streak from 1995–2001. Alabama has won the last eight meetings from 2007–2014. Alabama won the most recent meeting 34-20 in Knoxville, and leads the series 51–38–7.^[154]

LSU

A rivalry within the SEC Western Division occurs yearly between Alabama and the LSU Tigers. Starting in 1895, the Tigers were victorious 12–6 in the first meeting.^[154] The teams did not regularly meet until the mid-1960s, during Alabama's dominance of the SEC. Between 1971–1981, the Crimson Tide won 11 consecutive times. In the 1969 game, LSU defeated Alabama 20–15 in Baton Rouge. Alabama did not lose again in Baton Rouge until 2000.

In 2007, the meeting was more heated following Alabama's hiring of head coach Nick Saban, who previously coached at LSU. With the hiring, many media outlets dubbed the 2007 meeting as the "Saban Bowl".^{[158][159][160]} The Crimson Tide lost the first "Saban Bowl" in 2007, won the 2008 and 2009 meetings only to lose in Baton Rouge in 2010.

In 2011, the teams played as the consensus No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams in the polls with LSU winning 9–6 in overtime. They played each other again for the BCS National Championship with Alabama winning 21–0 to secure its 14th National Championship. In 2012, No. 1 Alabama defeated No. 5 LSU 21-17 on touchdown with under a minute left. In 2013, Alabama won 38-17. Alabama won the 2014 game 20-13 in overtime. Alabama leads the head-to-head series at 49–25–5.^[154]

All-time record vs. current SEC teams

Official record (including any NCAA imposed vacates and forfeits) against all current SEC opponents as of the completion of the 2014 season:

Opponent Won Lost Tied Percentage Streak First Meeting Arkansas 15 8 0 .652 Won 8 1962 Auburn 43 35 1 .551 Won 1 1893 Florida 24 14 0 .611 Won 4 1916 Georgia 37 25 4 .591 Won 2 1895 Kentucky 36 2 1 .936 Won 5 1917 LSU 49 25 5 .652 Won 4 1895 Mississippi State 77 18 3 .801 Won 7 1896 Missouri 3 2 0 .600 Won 3 1968 Ole Miss 47 10 2 .814 Lost 1 1894 South Carolina 10 4 0 .714 Lost 1 1937 Tennessee 51 38 7 .568 Won 8 1901 Texas A&M 5 2 0 .714 Won 2 1942 Vanderbilt 58 19 4 .741 Won 10 1903 Totals 420 195 27 .675

Bowl games

This is a partial list of the ten most recent bowl games Alabama competed in. For the full Alabama bowl game history, see List of Alabama Crimson Tide bowl games.

Season	Bowl Game	Winner	Loser
2005	Cotton Bowl	Alabama 13^	Texas Tech 10
2006	Independence Bowl	Oklahoma State 34	Alabama 31
2007	Independence Bowl	Alabama 30	Colorado 24
2008	Sugar Bowl	Utah 31	Alabama 17
2009	BCS National Championship Game	Alabama 37	Texas 21
2010	Capital One Bowl	Alabama 49	Michigan State 7
2011	BCS National Championship Game	Alabama 21	LSU 0
2012	BCS National Championship Game	Alabama 42	Notre Dame 14
2013	Sugar Bowl	Oklahoma 45	Alabama 31
2014	Sugar Bowl	Ohio State 42	Alabama 35

Overall bowl record: 35–23–3 (61 games)
^ Alabama would later vacate the 2005 Cotton Bowl Classic win due to NCAA infractions.

Alabama and the NFL

Pro Football Hall of Fame

Seven former Alabama football players have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the fifth most among all colleges.

Year Inducted Player Seasons at UA NFL Team(s) Years with NFL Team(s) 1963 Don Hutson 1932–34 Green Bay Packers 1935–45 1977 Bart Starr 1952–55 Green Bay Packers 1956–71 1985 Joe Namath 1962–64 New York Jets 1965–76 Los Angeles Rams 1977 1991 John Hannah 1970–72 New England Patriots 1973–85 1998 Dwight Stephenson 1977–79 Miami Dolphins 1980–87 1999 Ozzie Newsome 1974–77 Cleveland Browns 1978–90 2009 Derrick Thomas 1985–88 Kansas City Chiefs 1989–99 Reference:[161]

Alabama players currently in the NFL

Player Years at UA NFL Team Mark Barron 2008–2011 St. Louis Rams James Carpenter 2009–2010 New York Jets Josh Chapman 2007–2011 Indianapolis Colts Ha Ha Clinton-Dix 2011–2013 Green Bay Packers Amari Cooper 2012-2014 Oakland Raiders Marcell Dareus 2008–2010 Buffalo Bills Quinton Dial 2009–2012 San Francisco 49ers D. J. Fluker 2009–2012 San Diego Chargers Wallace Gilberry 2003–2007 Cincinnati Bengals Roman Harper 2002–2005 Carolina Panthers Jerrell Harris 2008-2011 Detroit Lions Dont'a Hightower 2008–2011 New England Patriots Adrian Hubbard 2010-2013 Green Bay Packers Mark Ingram, Jr. 2008–2010 New Orleans Saints Kareem Jackson 2007–2009 Houston Texans Nico Johnson 2009–2012 Cincinnati Bengals Rashad Johnson 2005–2008 Arizona Cardinals Barrett Jones 2008–2012 St. Louis Rams Julio Jones 2008–2010 Atlanta Falcons

Player Years at UA NFL Team Dre Kirkpatrick 2009–2011 Cincinnati Bengals Cyrus Kouandjio 2011–2013 Buffalo Bills Eddie Lacy 2009–2012 Green Bay Packers Robert Lester 2008–2012 Carolina Panthers Cody Mandell 2010-2013 Green Bay Packers Evan Mathis 2000–2004 Philadelphia Eagles AJ McCarron 2009–2013 Cincinnati Bengals Rolando McClain 2007–2009 Dallas Cowboys Dee Milliner 2010–2012 New York Jets C. J. Mosley 2010–2013 Baltimore Ravens Kevin Norwood 2009–2013 Seattle Seahawks Jeoffrey Pagan 2011–2013 Houston Texans Trent Richardson 2009-2011 Oakland Raiders DeMeco Ryans 2002–2005 Philadelphia Eagles Brad Smelley 2008-2011 St. Louis Rams Andre Smith 2006–2008 Cincinnati Bengals Damion Square 2008–2012 San Diego Chargers Anthony Steen 2010-2013 Arizona Cardinals Ed Stinson 2009–2013 Arizona Cardinals Vinnie Sunseri 2011–2013 New Orleans Saints Carson Tinker 2008–2012 Jacksonville Jaguars Courtney Upshaw 2008–2011 Baltimore Ravens Chance Warmack 2009–2012 Tennessee Titans Michael Williams 2008-2012 Detroit Lions

Alumni Tracker – Alabama

Current coaching staff

Name	Position	Season at Alabama
Nick Saban	Head coach	8th
Kirby Smart	Defensive Coordinator, Linebackers	7th
Lane Kiffin	Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks	1st
Burton Burns	Associate Head Coach, Running Backs	7th
Mel Tucker	Assistant Head Coach, Defensive Backs	1st
Bo Davis	Defensive Line	3rd
Mario Cristobal	Offensive Line	1st
Billy Napier	Wide receivers	1st
Tosh Lupoi	Outside Linebackers	1st
Bobby Williams	Tight Ends, Special Teams	6th
Scott Cochran	Strength and Conditioning	7th
Reference: Rolltide.com[162]

Controversies

NCAA sanctions

In August 1995, the NCAA Infractions Committee found four rules violations by the Alabama football program. Alabama cornerback Antonio Langham signed with a sports agent and applied to enter the NFL draft in January 1993, and allegedly received deferred-payment loans. Alabama's football program was placed on probation with scholarship limitations, and a one-year post-season ban (1995). Eight wins and one tie from the 9–3–1 1993 season were forfeited.^[163]

In February 2002, Alabama was sanctioned for providing impermissible benefits. The NCAA report states that a recruiter gave a prospective student $20,000 in cash, lodging and entertainment. During the 2000 season, an assistant football coach in Memphis, Tennessee claimed an Alabama booster paid him US$50,000 to encourage one of his players to sign with Alabama.^[164][165] A secret witness that helped convict the University of Alabama was later revealed to be Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer.^[166][167] The report included allegations of paying a high school coach to influence a prospect, violations of rules for honesty and cooperation, expense-paid visits to the campus, and cash payments to other football players. Although the NCAA stated that the University fully cooperated with the enforcement staff, Alabama received probation from 2002 to 2006, a post-season ban in 2002 and 2003, and loss of 21 scholarships over 3 years.^[168]

In June 2009, Alabama was sanctioned for textbook and supplies-related infractions, valued at approximately $40,000, involving 201 student-athletes in 16 sports. The football program was forced to vacate 21 wins from the 2005–2007, pay a $43,900 fine, and received a public reprimand and censure. The football program was placed on three years probation, which ended in June 2012.^{[169][170][171]} The university stated "none of the textbooks or materials was used for profit or to get items not related to academics, and that the athletes involved who still have eligibility remaining have had to pay restitution."^[172] Alabama's appeal of the ruling was unsuccessful.^[173]

Mike Price incident

In April 2003, news reports claimed Alabama head coach Mike Price spent several hundred dollars at a strip club in Pensacola, Florida, and that $1,000 of room service was charged to the University. Coach Price was dismissed for behavior unbecoming a representative of the University of Alabama, before ever coaching a game.^[99] Following a Sports Illustrated article that elaborated on the incident, Price sued the magazine for defamation,^[174][175] and sued the University, claiming wrongful termination.^[176] The lawsuit against the University of Alabama was dismissed and the lawsuit against Sports Illustrated was settled out of court.^[177]

Media

During the football season, the Crimson Tide Sports Network broadcasts multiple shows on gameday for most sports. The network includes more than sixty radio stations across the country. Radio stations WFFN-FM, WTSK-AM as a backup, broadcast all home games in the Tuscaloosa area.^[178]

Football radio broadcasts begin three hours prior to the game's designated kickoff time with Chris Stewart and Tyler Watts in Around the SEC.^[179] The radio broadcast then moves to the Crimson Tide Tailgate Party hosted by Tom Roberts.^[179] Immediately following the end of the game, the Fifth Quarter Show begins as host Eli Gold talks to coaches and players and gives game statistics.^[179] For the 2008 season, former Alabama players and personalities were brought on to provide guest commentary for each broadcast.^[180]

Current radio staff:^[181][182]

• Eli Gold – play-by-play
• Phil Savage – color analyst
• Chris Stewart – sideline reporter, pre- and post-game show host
• Tyler Watts – pre- and post-game show co-host
• Tom Roberts – director of broadcasting
• Tom Stipe, Butch Owens, Brian Roberts – producers

Stewart and Watts also provide play-by-play and color commentary respectively for CTSN pay-per-view television broadcasts.

Former radio staff:

• Bert Bank, founder of the Alabama Football Network, producer emeritus
• John Forney, play-by-play
• Jerry Duncan, sideline reporter
• Paul Kennedy, play-by-play
• Doug Layton, color analyst
• Ken Stabler, color analyst^[183][184]

Future opponents

Non-division conference opponents

Alabama plays Tennessee as a permanent non-division opponent annually and rotates around the East division among the other six schools.^[185]

2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025
vs Tennessee	at Tennessee	vs Tennessee	at Tennessee	vs Tennessee	at Tennessee	vs Tennessee	at Tennessee	vs Tennessee	at Tennessee	vs Tennessee
at Georgia	vs Kentucky	at Vanderbilt	vs Missouri	at South Carolina	vs Georgia	at Florida	vs Vanderbilt	at Kentucky	vs South Carolina	at Missouri

Non-conference opponents

2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
vs Wisconsin**	vs USC**[186]	vs Colorado State
vs ULM	vs Western Kentucky
vs Middle Tennessee	vs Kent State
vs Charleston Southern

Source:^[187]

** The 2015 game against Wisconsin and the 2016 game against USC will be part of the Cowboys Classic held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

See also

• Alabama Crimson Tide home football stadiums
• Million Dollar Band
• University of Alabama traditions

Notes

References

Further reading

• Barnhart, Tony; Keith Jackson (2000). Southern Fried Football: The History, Passion, and Glory of the Great Southern Game. Triumph Books. ISBN 1-60078-093-8. 
• Davis, Terry (1999). Roll Tide: The Alabama Crimson Tide Story. Creative Education. ISBN 0-88682-975-5. 
• Forney, John (1993). Talk of the Tide: an oral history of Alabama football since 1920. Crane Hill Publishers. ISBN 1-881548-03-1. 
• Gold, Eli (2005). Crimson Nation. Thomas Nelson Incorporated. ISBN 1-4016-0190-1. 
• Groom, Winston (2000). The Crimson Tide – An Illustrated History. The University of Alabama Press. ISBN 0-8173-1051-7. 
• Langford, George (1974). The Crimson Tide: Alabama Football. H. Regnery Co. ISBN 0-8092-8363-8. 
• Sharpe, Wilton (2007). Crimson Tide Madness: Great Eras in Alabama Football. Cumberland House Publishing. ISBN 1-58182-580-3. 
• Townsend, Steve (2003). Tales from 1978–79 Alabama Football: A Time of Champions. Sports Publishing LLC. ISBN 1-58261-425-3. 
• Walsh, Christopher J. (2005). Crimson Storm Surge: Alabama Football Then and Now. Taylor Trade Publishing. ISBN 1-58979-279-3. 
• Wells, Lawrence (2000). Football Powers of the South. Sports Yearbook Company. ISBN 0-916242-27-7. 
• Athlon Sports; Mike Shula (2006). Alabama Football: The Greatest Games, Players, Coaches, and Teams in the Glorious Tradition of Crimson Tide Football. Triumph Books. ISBN 1-57243-880-0. 
• The Tuscaloosa News; Mike Bynum, Associated Press (2003). Greatest Moments in Alabama Crimson Tide Football History. Distributors. ISBN 1-928846-65-3. 

External links

• Official website

Alabama Crimson Tide football Venues University of Alabama Quad (1893–1914) Denny Field (1915–1928) Bryant–Denny Stadium (1929–present) Rickwood Field (alternate, 1912–1927) Cramton Bowl (alternate, 1922–1954) Ernest F. Ladd Stadium (alternate, 1948–1968) Legion Field (alternate, 1927–2003) Bowls & rivalries Bowl games Auburn: Iron Bowl (James E. Foy, V-ODK Sportsmanship Trophy) LSU Mississippi State Ole Miss Penn State Tennessee: Third Saturday in October Culture & lore Series records Saban era Traditions Big Al "Yea Alabama" A-Day Million Dollar Band Walk of Fame Paul W. Bryant Museum The Bear The Bear Bryant Show 1922 Alabama vs. Penn football game People Head coaches All-Americans College Football Hall of Fame inductees NFL draftees Starting quarterbacks Statistical leaders Seasons 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 National championship seasons in bold

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