Alabama Crimson Tide Football Team

The University of Alabama football team plays in the Football Bowl Subdivision(FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA.) The Crimson Tide is a founding member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC.) The current head coach is Kalen DeBoer who took over for Nick Saban after the conclusion of the 2023 college football season. The Alabama Crimson Tide football team plays at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa Alabama where the University is located. ^[1]

The first college football team for the University of Alabama was formed in 1892. A student, William Little brought the game to the University after playing it at a prep school the previous year. Alabama, then known as the Cadets, went 2-2 on the season posting a win over Birmingham High School, splitting two games with the Birmingham Athletic Club, and closing out the season with a lost to the team that would become their fiercest rival- the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama (later known as Auburn University.)

Following the first season, the University of Alabama’s annual described the mixed success season as "We were unfortunate in securing a coach. After keeping him for a short time, we found that his knowledge of the game was very limited. We, therefore, 'got rid of' him." Which was one of the first signs of an expectation of excellence on the gridiron that is expected of the Alabama football team. As a program, they claim 18 National Championships, the most of any college football program, 4 Southern Conference Championships, and 30 Southeastern Conference Championships the most of all conference teams. (The University of Georgia is second with 14.) ^[2]

The University of Alabama football team was first known as the Thin Red Line or the Crimson White. As the story goes, that changed on a soggy day in 1907, when Alabama went to Birmingham to play heavily favored Auburn. Birmingham’s iron-rich soil turned to a sea of red mud which stained Alabama’s white jerseys. The team fought Auburn to a 6-6 tie and sports editor Hugh Roberts of the Birmingham Age-Herald is supposed to have said the team played like “a Crimson Tide.” The name has been ours ever since, according to Crimson Tide lore.

In the early years of college football many different media outlets awarded National Championships to teams they felt were deserving of the title. That’s why for many years multiple teams claimed the same championship. This practice continued until the mid-1990’s with the formation of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS.) For example, Alabama claims the 1926 National Championship as awarded by 6 different selectors, however Lafayette, Michigan, Navy, and Stanford all have claims as well.

These situations have led to controversy surrounding the number of National Championships Alabama has won. Critics claim that not all National Championships are legitimate. Even within the Alabama program there was some confusion. The 1982 media guide had 1934 listed as the only national championship before Coach Bryant in a footnote despite now claiming the 1925, 1926, 1930, and 1941 national championships, which started after Coach Bryant’s retirement when Alabama's Sports Information Director Wayne Atcheson added them to the media guide.

The Alabama Crimson Tide football team is one of the winningest programs in the history of college football. As of the end of the 2023 college football season, only the Michigan Wolverines college football team has more overall wins. Alabama also has the most 10 win seasons in college football history with 41, a record they share with the Oklahoma Sooners college football team. ^[3]

Over the years, the Alabama Crimson Tide football team has had many great players. As of the start of the 2024 college football season, Alabama has had 149 first team All-American Players with several receiving multiple year awards bringing the total up to 173 first team All-Americans. Also, the Heisman Trophy, which is an award that is given to what is considered the best player in college football has come home to the Crimson Tide 4 times. All players were coached by Nick Saban with the first Heisman winner in school history coming in 2009. They are Mark Ingram, Derrick Henry, DeVonta Smith, and Bryce Young.

The Alabama Crimson Tide enters the 2024 season as the defending SEC Champions. The football team is coming off a college football semi-final loss in overtime to the eventual National Champions, the Michigan Wolverines in the Rose Bowl.

Revision History

References

ESPN [ Alabama Football New Head Coach Kalen DeBoer Analysis ] August 4, 2024
University of Alabama [ Traditions ] July 28, 2024
Sportskeeda [ Most Ten Win Seasons In College Football History ] July 28, 2024

Contributors

Last Modified: August 6, 2024