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Alabama Crimson Tide football facts for kids

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Alabama Crimson Tide football
2024 Alabama Crimson Tide football team
Alabama Athletics logo.svg
First season 1892; 133 years ago
Athletic director Greg Byrne
Head coach Kalen DeBoer
1st season,
Stadium Bryant–Denny Stadium
(capacity: 100,077)
Year built 1929
Field surface Natural grass
Location Tuscaloosa, Alabama
NCAA division Division I FBS
Conference Southeastern Conference
Division Western
Past conferences Southern Conference (1921–1932)
All-time record 965–337–43 (.733)
Bowl record 46–28–3 (.617)
Playoff appearances 8 (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2023)
Playoff record 9–5
Claimed national titles 18 (1925, 1926, 1930, 1934, 1941, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1992, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2020)
Unclaimed national titles 5 (1945, 1966, 1975, 1977, 2016)
National finalist 9 (1971, 1973, 1992, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021)
Conference titles 34 (SEC: 30, SoCon: 4)
Division titles 18 (SEC West: 18)
Rivalries Auburn (rivalry)
Clemson (rivalry)
Florida (rivalry)
Georgia (rivalry)
LSU (rivalry)
Mississippi State (rivalry)
Ole Miss (rivalry)
Penn State (rivalry)
Tennessee (rivalry)
Heisman winners Mark Ingram – 2009
Derrick Henry – 2015
DeVonta Smith – 2020
Bryce Young – 2021
Consensus All-Americans 84
Current uniform
Alabama crimson football uniform.png
Colors Crimson and White
         
Fight song Yea Alabama
Mascot Big Al
Marching band Million Dollar Band
Outfitter Nike

The Alabama Crimson Tide football team plays for the University of Alabama. They are a super famous college football team in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). They play in the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The team is currently coached by Kalen DeBoer.

The Crimson Tide is one of the most successful football programs in NCAA history. They started playing way back in 1892. Since then, they claim 18 national championships. This includes 13 titles from major polls like the AP or Coaches' Poll. Five other titles were won before these polls existed.

From 1958 to 1982, the team was led by the legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. He won six national titles with the team. Then, from 2007 to 2023, coach Nick Saban led Alabama to six more national titles.

It wasn't until 2009 that an Alabama player won the Heisman Trophy. Running back Mark Ingram II was the first. In 2015, Derrick Henry became the second winner. Alabama even won back-to-back Heisman trophies in 2020 and 2021 with DeVonta Smith and Bryce Young.

Alabama has won 965 official games in NCAA Division I. They have also won 34 conference championships. This includes 4 from the Southern Conference and 30 from the SEC. They have played in an NCAA-record 77 postseason bowl games. The team has had 36 seasons with ten or more wins. They also hold the NCAA record with 46 bowl victories. The Crimson Tide leads the SEC West Division with 18 division titles. They have also made 15 appearances in the SEC Championship Game.

Alabama plays its home games at Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It can hold 100,077 fans. This makes it one of the largest stadiums in the world!

History of the Crimson Tide

Main article: History of Alabama Crimson Tide football

Coaches and Championships

Alabama has had 28 head coaches since football started in 1892. The team got its "Crimson Tide" nickname after the 1907 season. Many coaches have led the team to success.

Famous coaches like Wallace Wade, Frank Thomas, Bear Bryant, Gene Stallings, and Nick Saban have all won national championships for Alabama. These coaches are so important that they are in the College Football Hall of Fame.

The current head coach is Kalen DeBoer. He took over in 2024 after Nick Saban retired.

Winning National Championships

In college football, the NCAA doesn't officially give out a national championship trophy. Instead, different groups pick their own champions. Alabama claims 18 national championships.

After World War II, Alabama only claims titles chosen by the final AP Poll or Coaches' Poll. These are big, well-known polls. Before 1936, championships were picked by historical research. Alabama also claims five titles from before 1936. These were chosen by different systems at the time.

Alabama's 18 national championships are a huge deal! They show how successful the team has been over the years.

National Championship Seasons

Here's a look at the seasons when Alabama won national championships:

Season Coach Selectors Record Bowl
1925 Wallace Wade Various 10–0 W Rose Bowl
1926 9–0–1 T Rose Bowl
1930 10–0 W Rose Bowl
1934 Frank Thomas 10–0 W Rose Bowl
1941 Deke Houlgate 9–2 W Cotton Bowl Classic
1961 Paul "Bear" Bryant AP, Coaches 11–0 W Sugar Bowl
1964 10–1 L Orange Bowl
1965 AP 9–1–1 W Orange Bowl
1973 Coaches 11–1 L Sugar Bowl
1978 AP 11–1 W Sugar Bowl
1979 AP, Coaches 12–0 W Sugar Bowl
1992 Gene Stallings 13–0 W Sugar Bowl (Bowl Coalition National Championship Game)
2009 Nick Saban AP, Coaches, BCS 14–0 W BCS National Championship Game
2011 12–1 W BCS National Championship Game
2012 13–1 W BCS National Championship Game
2015 AP, Coaches, CFP 14–1 W Cotton Bowl Classic
W College Football Playoff National Championship
2017 13–1 W Sugar Bowl
W College Football Playoff National Championship
2020 13–0 W Rose Bowl
W College Football Playoff National Championship
  • 1925 – Coach Wallace Wade's team went 10–0–0. They beat Washington 20–19 in the 1926 Rose Bowl. This win was huge for Southern football!
  • 1926 – Another great season for Coach Wade, finishing 9–0–1. They tied Stanford 7–7 in the 1927 Rose Bowl.
  • 1930 – Coach Wade's team went 10–0–0. They shut out Washington State 24–0 in the 1931 Rose Bowl.
  • 1934 – Coach Frank Thomas led the team to a 10–0–0 record. They beat Stanford 29–13 in the 1935 Rose Bowl.
  • 1941 – Coach Thomas's team finished 9–2–0. They beat Texas A&M 29–21 in the 1942 Cotton Bowl Classic.
  • 1961 – Coach Bear Bryant's team was perfect at 11–0–0. They beat Arkansas 10–3 in the 1962 Sugar Bowl.
  • 1964 – Coach Bryant's team went 10–1. They won the AP and Coaches Poll national titles before losing the 1965 Orange Bowl to Texas.
  • 1965 – Coach Bryant's team finished 9–1–1. They beat Nebraska 39–28 in the 1966 Orange Bowl to win the AP national title.
  • 1973 – Coach Bryant's team went 11–1. They won the Coaches Poll national title before losing the 1973 Sugar Bowl to Notre Dame.
  • 1978 – Coach Bryant's team finished 11–1. They beat Penn State 14–7 in the 1979 Sugar Bowl to win the AP national title.
  • 1979 – Coach Bryant's team was perfect at 12–0–0. They beat Arkansas 24–9 in the 1980 Sugar Bowl.
  • 1992 – Coach Gene Stallings led the team to a 13–0–0 record. They beat Miami 34–13 in the 1993 Sugar Bowl for the national championship.
President Obama and the BCS National Champion Alabama Crimson Tide
President Barack Obama meeting the Crimson Tide after their 2009 national championship win.
  • 2009 – Coach Nick Saban's team went 14–0. They beat Florida in the SEC Championship and then Texas 37–21 in the 2010 BCS National Championship Game. This was Alabama's first BCS title!
  • 2011 – Coach Saban's team finished 12–1. They beat LSU 21–0 in the 2012 BCS National Championship Game. It was the first shutout in a BCS bowl game!
  • 2012 – Coach Saban's team went 13–1. They beat Georgia in the SEC Championship and then Notre Dame 42–14 in the 2013 BCS National Championship Game.
  • 2015 – Coach Saban's team finished 14–1. They won the SEC Championship and then beat Clemson 45–40 in the 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship.
  • 2017 – Coach Saban's team went 13–1. They beat Clemson 24–6 in the 2018 Sugar Bowl and then Georgia 26–23 in overtime in the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship.
  • 2020 – Coach Saban's team was perfect at 13–0. They won the SEC Championship and then beat Ohio State 52–24 in the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship. This was Coach Saban's seventh national title!

Conference Championships

Alabama has won 34 conference championships. This includes four from the Southern Conference and 30 from the SEC. They won the first SEC title in 1933. Alabama has won more SEC football titles than any other school!

Season Conference Coach Overall record Conference record
1924 Southern Wallace Wade 8–1 5–0
1925 10–0 7–0
1926 9–0–1 8–0
1930† 10–0 8–0
1933 SEC Frank Thomas 7–1–1 5–0–1
1934† 10–0 7–0
1937 9–1 6–0
1945 10–0 6–0
1953 Harold Drew 6–3–3 4–0–3
1961† Paul "Bear" Bryant 11–0 7–0
1964 10–1 8–0
1965 9–1–1 6–1–1
1966† 11–0 6–0
1971 11–1 7–0
1972 10–2 7–1
1973 11–1 8–0
1974 11–1 6–0
1975 11–1 6–0
1977 11–1 7–0
1978 11–1 6–0
1979 12–0 6–0
1981† 9–2–1 7–0
1989† Bill Curry 10–2 6–1
1992 Gene Stallings 13–0 8–0
1999 Mike DuBose 10–3 7–1
2009 Nick Saban 14–0 8–0
2012 13–1 7–1
2014 12–2 7–1
2015 14–1 7–1
2016 14–1 8–0
2018 14–1 8–0
2020 13–0 10–0
2021 13–2 7–1
2023 12–2 8–0

† Co-champions

Division Championships

The SEC split into two divisions in 1992. Alabama plays in the SEC West. They have won 18 division titles. They also have a great record in the SEC Championship Game.

Season Division Opponent SEC CG result
1992 SEC West Florida W 28–21
1993 Florida L 13–28
1994 Florida L 23–24
1996† Florida L 30–45
1999 Florida W 34–7
2008 Florida L 20–31
2009 Florida W 32–13
2012 Georgia W 32–28
2013† N/A lost tiebreaker to Auburn
2014 Missouri W 42–13
2015 Florida W 29–15
2016 Florida W 54–16
2017† N/A lost tiebreaker to Auburn
2018 Georgia W 35–28
2020 Florida W 52–46
2021 Georgia W 41–24
2022† N/A lost tiebreaker to LSU
2023 Georgia W 27–24

† Co-champions

Amazing Players and Awards

First Team All-Americans

Main article: List of Alabama Crimson Tide football All-Americans
Terrence Cody cropped
Terrence Cody was named an All-American in 2008 and 2009.

Every year, the best college football players are named "All-Americans." Alabama has had 149 players chosen as First Team All-Americans. This means they were considered among the very best players in the country! Some players, like Cornelius Bennett and Woodrow Lowe, were even honored three times.

The most recent All-Americans from Alabama are Will Anderson Jr. and Brian Branch from the 2022 season.

College Football Hall of Fame

Main article: List of Alabama Crimson Tide in the College Football Hall of Fame

The College Football Hall of Fame honors the greatest players and coaches in college football history. Alabama has had 22 players and four coaches inducted. This shows how many legends have come from the Crimson Tide!

Name Time at Alabama Position Inducted
Cornelius Bennett 1983–1986 LB 2005
Johnny Mack Brown 1923–1925 HB 1957
Paul "Bear" Bryant 1958–1982 Head coach 1986
Johnny Cain 1930–1932 FB 1973
Sylvester Croom 1972–1974 C 2022
Harry Gilmer 1944–1947 QB, DB 1993
John Hannah 1970–1972 OG 1999
Frank Howard 1928–1930 OG 1989
Dixie Howell 1932–1934 HB 1970
Pooley Hubert 1922–1925 QB 1964
Don Hutson 1932–1934 E 1951
Lee Roy Jordan 1960–1962 LB 1983
E.J. Junior 1977–1980 DE 2020
Antonio Langham 1990–1993 CB 2024
Woodrow Lowe 1972–1975 LB 2009
Vaughn Mancha 1944–1947 C 1990
Johnny Musso 1969–1971 HB 2000
Billy Neighbors 1959–1961 T 2003
Ozzie Newsome 1974–1977 SE 1994
Fred Sington 1928–1930 T 1955
Riley Smith 1934–1935 QB 1985
Gene Stallings 1990–1996 Head coach 2010
Derrick Thomas 1985–1988 LB 2014
Frank Thomas 1931–1946 Head coach 1951
Wallace Wade 1923–1930 Head coach 1955
Don Whitmire 1941–1942 T 1956
Marty Lyons 1975–1978 DT 2012

Heisman Trophy Winners

The Heisman Trophy is given to the most outstanding player in college football. Alabama has had four Heisman winners!

In 2009, Mark Ingram II became Alabama's first Heisman winner. He won by a very small margin! In 2015, Derrick Henry won the award. Then, in 2020, DeVonta Smith won, and in 2021, Bryce Young won. This means Alabama has the fifth most Heisman trophies of all time!

Here are Alabama players who finished in the top 5 for the Heisman:

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 II RB 1st
2011 Trent Richardson RB 3rd
2013 A. J. McCarron QB 2nd
2014 Amari Cooper WR 3rd
2015 Derrick Henry RB 1st
2018 Tua Tagovailoa QB 2nd
2020 DeVonta Smith WR 1st
Mac Jones QB 3rd
Najee Harris RB 5th
2021 Bryce Young QB 1st
Will Anderson Jr. LB 5th

Big Rivalries

Auburn (The Iron Bowl)

Main article: Iron Bowl
Alabama offense IronBowl 2010-11-26
Alabama playing against Auburn in 2010.

The biggest rivalry for the Crimson Tide is against their in-state opponent, Auburn University. This game is called the Iron Bowl. It's one of the most famous rivalries in all of sports! The winner gets "bragging rights" in Alabama until the next game.

The first Iron Bowl was in 1893, and Auburn won. The games were stopped for a while because of fights and money problems. They started again in 1948, and Alabama won big, 55–0!

For many years, the game was played in Birmingham. Now, it switches between Alabama's stadium in Tuscaloosa and Auburn's stadium. Alabama won the most recent game 27–24 and leads the series 50–37–1.

Tennessee (Third Saturday in October)

Main article: Third Saturday in October
Alabama vs Tennessee 2009-10-24
Alabama playing against Tennessee in 2009.

Coach Bear Bryant really wanted to beat the Tennessee Volunteers. This rivalry is called the Third Saturday in October because that's when it used to be played.

The first game was in 1901 and ended in a tie. Alabama had a long winning streak against Tennessee from 1971 to 1981. Then, from 2007 to 2021, Alabama had another amazing 15-game winning streak!

Alabama won the most recent game 34–20. They lead the series 59–38–8.

LSU

Main article: Alabama–LSU football rivalry
Sidline picture of Alabama vs LSU on November 5th 2011
Alabama playing against LSU in 2011.

Alabama also has a big rivalry with the LSU Tigers in the SEC Western Division. Their first game was in 1895.

The rivalry got even more intense in 2007 when Alabama hired Coach Nick Saban. He used to coach at LSU! People even called their games the "Saban Bowl."

In 2011, Alabama and LSU were the top two teams in the country. LSU won that game in overtime. But then, Alabama beat LSU 21–0 in the BCS National Championship Game! Alabama won the most recent game 42–28. They lead the series 56–27–5.

Other Rivalries

  • Ole Miss: Alabama has a rivalry with the Ole Miss Rebels. Alabama leads the series 55–9–2.
  • Mississippi State: This is Alabama's most played rivalry. It's called the "Battle for Highway 82" because the schools are close. Alabama leads the series 86–18–3.
  • Clemson: This rivalry has become very important recently, with many national championship games between them. Alabama leads the series 14–5.
  • Florida: Alabama and the Florida Gators often play in the SEC Championship Game. Alabama leads the series 28–14.
  • Georgia: Alabama has a rivalry with the Georgia Bulldogs. Alabama leads the series 43–26–4.

Bowl Games

Main article: List of Alabama Crimson Tide bowl games

Alabama has played in many bowl games, which are special postseason games. They have a great record of 46 wins, 28 losses, and 3 ties in bowl games.

Here are some of their recent bowl game results:

Season Bowl game Opponent Result
2014 Sugar Bowl Ohio State L 35–42
2015 Cotton Bowl Michigan State W 38–0
CFP National Championship Clemson W 45–40
2016 Peach Bowl Washington W 24–7
CFP National Championship Clemson L 31–35
2017 Sugar Bowl Clemson W 24–6
CFP National Championship Georgia W 26–23 OT
2018 Orange Bowl Oklahoma W 45–34
CFP National Championship Clemson L 16–44
2019 Citrus Bowl Michigan W 35–16
2020 Rose Bowl Notre Dame W 31–14
CFP National Championship Ohio State W 52–24
2021 Cotton Bowl Cincinnati W 27–6
CFP National Championship Georgia L 18–33
2022 Sugar Bowl Kansas State W 45–20
2023 Rose Bowl Michigan L 20–27 OT

Alabama Players in the NFL

Pro Football Hall of Fame

Eight former Alabama football players have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This is a huge honor for players who had amazing careers in the NFL!

Inducted Player Seasons NFL Team(s) Years with NFL Team(s)
1963 Don Hutson 1932–1934 Green Bay Packers 1935–1945
1977 Bart Starr 1952–1955 Green Bay Packers 1956–1971
1985 Joe Namath 1962–1964 New York Jets 1965–1976
Los Angeles Rams 1977
1991 John Hannah 1970–1972 New England Patriots 1973–1985
1998 Dwight Stephenson 1977–1979 Miami Dolphins 1980–1987
1999 Ozzie Newsome 1974–1977 Cleveland Browns 1978–1990
2009 Derrick Thomas 1985–1988 Kansas City Chiefs 1989–1999
2016 Ken Stabler 1964–1967 Oakland Raiders 1970–1979
Houston Oilers 1980–1981
New Orleans Saints 1982–1984

Current NFL Players

Many former Alabama players go on to play in the National Football League (NFL). Here are some of them:

Media Coverage

The Crimson Tide Sports Network (CTSN) broadcasts Alabama football games. You can listen to them on over 60 radio stations! In Tuscaloosa, you can hear games on WFFN-FM.

The radio show starts three hours before kickoff. It features hosts like Chris Stewart and Tyler Watts. After the game, the "Fifth Quarter Show" talks about what happened.

Eli Gold
Eli Gold was the play-by-play announcer for Alabama football for many years.

Current Radio Staff:

  • Chris Stewart - play-by-play
  • Tyler Watts – color analyst
  • Christian Miller – sideline reporter

Future Games

Conference Opponents

The SEC is changing its schedule in 2024. Alabama will play different teams each year. Here's who they will play in 2024:

Opponent Site Result
Auburn
Georgia
  • Bryant–Denny Stadium
  • Tuscaloosa, AL (rivalry)
at LSU
Missouri
  • Bryant–Denny Stadium
  • Tuscaloosa, AL
at Oklahoma
  • Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
  • Norman, OK
South Carolina
  • Bryant–Denny Stadium
  • Tuscaloosa, AL
at Tennessee
at Vanderbilt

Non-Conference Opponents

Alabama also plays teams from outside the SEC. Here are some of their future non-conference games:

2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 2035
at Florida State at West Virginia West Virginia Ohio State at Notre Dame at Georgia Tech Georgia Tech Arizona at Arizona at Virginia Tech Virginia Tech
Louisiana−Monroe South Florida at Ohio State UT Martin Oklahoma State Notre Dame at Boston College at Minnesota Minnesota Boston College
Wisconsin Florida State at Oklahoma State
Eastern Illinois

See Also

  • List of Alabama Crimson Tide home football stadiums
  • University of Alabama traditions

Images for kids

  • Alabama crimson football uniform

    Alabama's football uniform.

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