Best Alabama Teams Never To Win a Championship

[DaleC76]

If Alabama wins out and does not make the BCSCG, they will probably finish ranked #2, which would be the highest ever for an Alabama team that did not win a conference championship. Here is my ranking of the top ten Alabama teams that did not win a National or Conference Championship:

1. 1936, 8-0-1 The only blemish on the 1936 squad’s record was a scoreless tie to General Neyland’s Volunteers. They did not play LSU, the eventual SEC champions, Alabama wound up outscoring their opponents 168-35 in 1936 and finished the year ranked #4 in the first ever AP poll.

2. 1962, 10-1 A 7-6 loss to Georgia Tech was all that kept Alabama from being undefeated in back to back seasons. The ’62 team was ranked 8th in the country in scoring offense & 2nd in scoring defense, outscoring their opponents 289-39. In the Orange Bowl, they shut out Oklahoma 17-0, and finished the season ranked #5 in the country. They, too, were denied the opportunity to play Ole Miss, the eventual SEC Champs. The 1962 team is one of the “other five” national champions.

3. 1994, 12-1 Alabama lost the SEC Championship Game 24-23 in its only loss of the season & finished ranked #5 in the final AP poll. The victory over Ohio St in the Citrus Bowl capped an incredible four-year run started by...

4. 1991, 11-1 The ’91 squad lost 35-0 to Florida to open the season, but won the rest of its games & battled their way to a #5 finish in both polls.

5. 1980, 10-2 Coming off back-to-back National Championships, Alabama had two heartbreaking losses – Miss St (7-3) and Notre Dame (7-0), and finished up in the polls #6 after a Cotton Bowl victory. They did not play Georgia, the eventual SEC & National Champion.

6 2008, 12-2 The ’08 team rolled to a 12-0 record and the first #1 ranking since the 1992 National Championship. After a tough loss in the SECCG and a disappointing outing in the Sugar Bowl, Alabama finished ranked #6.

7. 1952, 10-2 Alabama’s two losses in 1952 came to Georgia Tech (7-3) and a 20-0 shutout by the defending National Champions, Tennessee. However, they finished the season ranked #9 and destroyed Syracuse 61-6 in the Orange Bowl.

8. 1963, 9-2 The 1963 squad’s record was marred by two close conference losses, one to Florida (10-6) and to Auburn (10-8). They rebounded to defeat the SEC Champions, Ole Miss, in the Sugar Bowl after finishing ranked #8 in the AP poll.

9. 1920, 10-1 I almost didn’t include the ’19 & ’20 teams, not only because it’s hard to compare teams from so long ago, but also because Alabama did not belong to a conference, and had no championship to win in these years. However, Xen Scott’s 1920 team dominated opponents 377-35, with the only loss being to Georgia 21-14.

10. 1919, 9-1 This Bama team outscored opponents 280-22, with the lone loss being to Vanderbilt, 16-12.

 

[southface]

Obviously, number one should be 1966 without question.

 

[SimplyTide]

Obviously, number one should be 1966 without question.

This - not sure how this team didn't make the list.

 

[CapstoneTider]

The only one that anyone could remember watching is the 1966 team. Not only did it get shunned for political reasons, Coach Bryant didn't have a better team in his two decades.

Maybe it was not put on the list because someone awarded us a NC that year, it was just not the AP or UPI.

The Official NCAA Football Records Book recognizes Alabama as producing national champions in 1945, 1962, 1966, 1975 and 1977.

 

[MOAN]

This - not sure how this team didn't make the list.

Not sure but he didn't specify SEC championship or National championship just a championship.

 

[DiamondDust]

The 2005 team had a stout enough defense that could have probably gotten an SEC championship had injuries not happened on the offensive side of the ball.

 

[Squirrely]

1966 team --- Should be #1 on the list, and that team was Championship worthy without question............

2008 team --- Was a solid team, but I think they overachieved that season. In my opinion that's been Saban's & Staff best coaching job since he's arrived. It was Amazing that Bama almost beat a very deep & talented Florida team in the SEC title game. They win that game, they probably win the BCS Title. I will always remember this team for getting the ball rolling, and one of the main reasons to why Bama is having success again. They bought in to what Saban was selling, and we've got a recent Championship because of their hard work. That 2008 team will always have a special place in Bama lore for me.


:BigA: ROLL TIDE :BigA:

 

[LCN]

There were championships awarded to Alabama in most if not all of those seasons . Even 1994 .

 

[SimplyTide]

Okay - my favorite Bama team is the 2005 team. This was the group of kids that "held the rope" through several nightmares and went 10-2. The season featured a 9-0 start, "The Catch" and Jamie "Money" Christenson's crazy kick to win the Cotton Bowl.

 

[day-day]

If Alabama wins out and does not make the BCSCG, they will probably finish ranked #2, which would be the highest ever for an Alabama team that did not win a conference championship. Here is my ranking of the top ten Alabama teams that did not win a National or Conference Championship:...

.

Did 1966 team win SEC? If so, then they don't make the list.

1980 score for Bama vs MSU was 3-6 not 3-7.

 

[redrock]

Obviously, number one should be 1966 without question.

Royally screwed in 66.

 

[Bad Pony]

The 1966 team recorded 6 shutouts and allowed only 37 points all year long...and completely dominated Nebraska in the Orange Bowl 34-7. They allowed a whopping 5 TD's all year long. One of the most..if not THE most blatant shaft jobs in college football history. For this reason alone, all Bama fans should wish Notre Dame to never win another football game. I'm serious...

 

[TexasTideFan]

2008 team

That was one of my favorite Bama teams as well. That was the core group that went on to win a NC the next season but that team also beat the Barn and LSU which was a first for that entire group of players. In fact, that mudhole we stomped in Auburn that year was one of the greatest Iron Bowls I ever watched. The Florida loss really deflated that team and you could tell that there was little excitement going to the Sugar Bowl, hence the loss. I really believe if we could have beat a stout Gator team that year, we would have won #13 a year earlier.

 

[exiledNms]

The 1966 team recorded 6 shutouts and allowed only 37 points all year long...and completely dominated Nebraska in the Orange Bowl 34-7. They allowed a whopping 5 TD's all year long. One of the most..if not THE most blatant shaft jobs in college football history. For this reason alone, all Bama fans should wish Notre Dame to never win another football game. I'm serious...

Yep. I've longed for the irish to have Faust-like seasons every single year. I've hated them since 1966, & greatly appreciate them giving me the laughs in recent years of bad football.

 

[i26bamafan]

As per Green Bay's head coach in Jan 67, when asked ""How does it feel to be
the champions of the world". Replied Vince Lombardi "I don't know, we have not
played ALABAMA yet".

1966, BAMA got s>>>>>d.........

ROLL TIDE ROLL

Ron

 

[califbamafan]

The 1966 team is probally Bama's best or in the top 2 or 3 all time.They were ripped off due to politics. The politically correct crowd was in full swing then just as they are now.

 

[JIB]

We all know about the 1966 team. But they won an SEC title. If this team goes 12-1 with a Sugar Bowl blowout win they'll be the best team not to win a a championship (conference or national). This may very well be the best defense in Alabama history (I don't really count teams from before the 1980s since so much has changed).

 

[Alabama Larry in Ky]

What about 1977, ND was 5th and beat the Long Horns and jumped to #1, we were 11-1 with our only loss to the Cornhuskers at their cornfield by 7. ND leaped past us, what would happened if we played Texas? ND would have played the Buckeyes who we beat 35-6.

1966 there is a book about that one.

 

[theBIGyowski]

We all know about the 1966 team. But they won an SEC title. If this team goes 12-1 with a Sugar Bowl blowout win they'll be the best team not to win a a championship (conference or national). This may very well be the best defense in Alabama history (I don't really count teams from before the 1980s since so much has changed).

Yes...the 1966 won the SEC title...so they don't count in this thread.

The 1994 team is probably one of the best that I can remember that did not win an SEC or National Title. We had play makers everywhere but just could not stop Spurrier's offense. That was the first SECCG played in the GA Dome as well.

I thought the 2002 team was pretty good...with losses to Oklahoma (Big 12 Champs...and we remember how close that game was until someone buttered the football at the end) and Georgia (SEC Champs...and they won on a long game-winning FG if I recall correctly). We ended the streak against Tennessee with a blowout win in Knoxville. We went to Baton Rouge and thumped the Tigers...taking back their home stadium which we had owned for several decades. It all just ended horribly with a loss to Auburn...and of course we were on probation...so no trip to Atlanta or a bowl game.

 

[DaphneBamaBoy]

Without question, it's the 1966 team. The fact that they can't put a NC by their name is a real travesty.