Paul William "Bear" Bryant was an American college football player and coach. He is considered by many to be one of the greatest college football coaches of all time,and best known as the head coach of the University of Alabama football team from 1958 to 1982. During his 25-year tenure as Alabama's head coach,he amassed six national championships and 13 conference championships. Upon his retirement in 1982,he held the record for the most wins (323) as a head coach in collegiate football history. The Paul W. Bryant Museum,Paul W. Bryant Hall,Paul W. Bryant Drive,and Bryant–Denny Stadium are all named in his honor at the University of Alabama. He was also known for his trademark black and white houndstooth hat,even though he normally wore a plaid one,deep voice,casually leaning up against the goal post during pre-game warmups,and holding his rolled-up game plan while on the sidelines. Before arriving at Alabama,Bryant was head football coach at the University of Maryland,the University of Kentucky,and Texas A&M University.
The Alabama–Auburn football rivalry,better known as the Iron Bowl,is an American college football rivalry game between the University of Alabama Crimson Tide and the Auburn University Tigers,both charter members of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and both teams are located in the state of Alabama. The series is considered one of the most important football rivalries in American sports. The rivalry,which started in 1893,was played for many years at Legion Field in Birmingham,Alabama. In the early 20th Century,Birmingham was the leading industrial city of the South,rivaling Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania in the production of pig iron,coke,coal and the manufacture of steel. Thus,the term "Iron Bowl" came to represent the rivalry. Auburn Coach Ralph "Shug" Jordan is credited with actually coining it—when asked by reporters in 1964 how he would deal with the disappointment of not taking his team to a bowl game,he responded,"We've got our bowl game. We have it every year. It's the Iron Bowl in Birmingham."
The University of Alabama is a school with many traditions. This article describes several of these traditions.
The Third Saturday in October is the Alabama–Tennessee football rivalry,an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Crimson Tide of the University of Alabama and the Volunteers of the University of Tennessee. The respective campuses are located approximately 310 miles (500 km) apart. It is known as the Third Saturday in October because the game was traditionally played at such date prior to the 1992 football season,when the Southeastern Conference (SEC) split into its East and West divisions. From 1995 to 2015,it was only scheduled for that date six times,though it was again scheduled for that date from 2016 through 2019 and in 2022 and 2023. Alabama leads the series 59–39–7. At 39 wins,Tennessee has more victories over Alabama than any other program in college football.
The Alabama Crimson Tide football program represents the University of Alabama in the sport of American football. The team competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The team is currently led by Kalen DeBoer. The Crimson Tide is among the most storied and decorated football programs in NCAA history. Since beginning play in 1892,the program claims 18 national championships,including 13 wire-service national titles in the poll-era,and five other titles before the poll-era. From 1958 to 1982,the team was led by Hall of Fame coach Paul "Bear" Bryant,who won six national titles with the program. It was not until 2009 that an Alabama player received a Heisman Trophy,when running back Mark Ingram II became the university's first winner. In 2015,Derrick Henry became the university's second Heisman winner. The Crimson Tide won back to back Heisman trophies in 2020 and 2021,with DeVonta Smith and Bryce Young.
"Dixieland Delight" is a 1983 song written by Ronnie Rogers and recorded by American country music band Alabama. It was released in January 1983 as the lead-off single from their album The Closer You Get...,which was released in March of the same year.
The 1906 Alabama Crimson White football team represented the University of Alabama in the 1906 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season. It was Alabama's 14th overall and 11th season as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA). The team was led by head coach J. W. H. Pollard,in his first year,and played their home games at both the University of Alabama Quad in Tuscaloosa and the Birmingham Fairgrounds in Birmingham,Alabama. They finished the season with a record of five wins and one loss.
The 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 85th overall and 46th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The team was led by head coach Bear Bryant,in his 22nd year,and played their home games at Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and Legion Field in Birmingham,Alabama. They finished the season undefeated and with a victory over Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl. For their collective efforts,the Crimson Tide were recognized as unanimous national champions for the 1979 season.
The Alabama–Mississippi State football rivalry,also known as the 90 Mile Drive or the Battle for Highway 82,is an American college football rivalry between the Alabama Crimson Tide football team of the University of Alabama and Mississippi State Bulldogs football team of Mississippi State University. Both universities are founding members of the Southeastern Conference (SEC),and are currently members of the SEC's Western Division. The two campuses are located approximately 90 miles apart and are the two geographically closest SEC universities.
The Alabama–Ole Miss football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Alabama Crimson Tide and Ole Miss Rebels. They are charter members of the Southeastern Conference (SEC),and both have competed in the SEC West since 1992.
The 1960 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 1960 NCAA University Division football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 66th overall and 27th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The team was led by head coach Bear Bryant,in his third year,and played their home games at Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and Legion Field in Birmingham,Alabama. They finished with a record of eight wins,one loss and two ties and with a tie against Texas in the Bluebonnet Bowl.
The 1958 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 1958 NCAA University Division football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 64th overall and 25th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The team was led by head coach Bear Bryant,in his first year,and played their home games at Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa,Legion Field in Birmingham and at Ladd Stadium in Mobile,Alabama. They finished with a record of five wins,four losses and one tie. As they finished the season above .500,Alabama secured its first winning season since 1953,and their five victories gave Bryant more wins games in one season than former head coach Jennings B. Whitworth did in previous three.
The 1959 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 1959 NCAA University Division football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 65th overall and 26th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The team was led by head coach Bear Bryant,in his second year,and played their home games at Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa,Legion Field in Birmingham and at Ladd Stadium in Mobile,Alabama. They finished with a record of seven wins,two losses and two ties and with a loss against Penn State in the inaugural Liberty Bowl.
The 1934 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 1934 college football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 41st overall season and 2nd as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The team was led by head coach Frank Thomas,in his fourth year,and played their home games at Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa,Legion Field in Birmingham and the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery,Alabama. They finished the season with a perfect record,as Southeastern Conference champions for the second consecutive season and defeated Stanford in the Rose Bowl.
The 1935 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 1935 college football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 42nd overall and 3rd season as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The team was led by head coach Frank Thomas,in his fifth year,and played their home games at Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and Legion Field in Birmingham,Alabama. They finished the season with a record of six wins,two losses and one tie.
The Alabama–Penn State football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Alabama Crimson Tide football team of the University of Alabama and Penn State Nittany Lions football team of Pennsylvania State University. Dormant since 1990,the series was renewed in 2010 in Tuscaloosa and then 2011 in State College.
Alabama Crimson Tide football under Nick Saban covers the history of the Alabama Crimson Tide football program from when Nick Saban was hired as head coach in 2007 up until his retirement after the 2023 season. Alabama plays as part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and is a member of the West Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The Tide plays its home games at Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa,Alabama. Their overall official record under Saban was 201–29 (.878),23 bowl game appearances with 16 victories,ten SEC West titles,nine SEC championships,and six national championships. From 2008 up until his retirement,Saban's teams have spent part or all of each season ranked at least top 4 in national polls.
The 2020 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. This was the Crimson Tide's 126th overall season,87th as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC),and 29th within the SEC Western Division. They played their home games at Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa,Alabama,and were led by 14th-year head coach Nick Saban.
The 2022 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season. This season marked the Crimson Tide's 128th overall season,89th as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC),and 31st within the SEC Western Division. They played their home games at Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa,Alabama,and were led by 16th-year head coach Nick Saban.
The 2023 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The season marked the Crimson Tide's 129th overall season,90th as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC),and 32nd and final season within the SEC Western Division,with Texas and Oklahoma joining the SEC on July 1,2024. They played their home games at Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa,Alabama,and were led by Nick Saban in his 17th and last season as head coach.
