THE SEASON
As unbelievable as this seems now, the run-up to the Nebraska game was marked with criticism of Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne, whose job was hardly regarded as secure, mostly because Osborne was committing the arch sin of not being Bob Devaney. Entering the 1978 season, “Dr Tom” had never beaten the Sooners as the Big Red head coach. Osborne and Bryant were both troubled by the fact that ABC arbitrarily moved the Alabama-Nebraska game, originally been scheduled for Friday, November, 24 1978, up to the earliest (then) date for a college football start in history, September 2. Prime time Saturday night games on ABC in 1978 were as rare as a politician with integrity, but ABC got what ABC wanted and ensured both teams had to start with a game that would immediately put the loser in a serious hole as both hoped to challenge for the national championship. The move seemed to ensure that Nebraska, rather than playing in the cool of late November in Birmingham, would be faced with the heat and humidity of a Southern Labor Day weekend. This turned out to be an overblown concern. Temperatures peaked in Birmingham at 83 degrees that day, 78 at the opening kickoff. On the other hand, it was 85 degrees in Lincoln at kickoff time. Nevertheless, the game was moved because ABC had paid both schools an additional half million dollars for the change. Alabama now had an opportunity to avenge the sole blemish on their 1977 record. Bryant, constantly being asked about being the pre-season #1 for only the second time in Alabama history, reminded anyone who would listen of the first time. "In 1966, we were number one in the pre-season and won all of our games and only finished third." Bryant also announced that David Hannah was to miss the opener with an injury.
Nebraska kicked off to start the game and Lou Ikner downed it in the end zone to start Alabama's first possession of the 1978 season at their own 20. A three and out that netted -2 yards followed by a punt gave Nebraska the ball at their own 46. Nebraska kicker Billy Todd popped a 48-yard field goal on the first drive, and Nebraska led, 3-0. Alabama put together a solid drive that ended with a missed Roger Chapman 35-yarder that kept the Huskers ahead. A defensive struggle marked the rest of the first quarter. Five minutes into the second quarter. and Alabama was facing a mountain. A successful Nebraska punt had Alabama pinned at their own one-foot line facing a tenacious defense. Two plays gained less than two yards, and Rutledge faced a third down and eight at his own two. A routine handoff to Billy Jackson turned out to be the play of the game when he tore through the line with an efficient individual effort that gave the Tide a new set of downs at their own 15. The crowd at the Old Grey Lady turned from concerned to involved, and Alabama rode the running of Tony Nathan and "throw only when necessary" passing of Rutledge right down the field and, facing third and four at the Nebraska five, tossed a perfectly placed touchdown pass to running back Major Ogilvie in a drive that took the heart right out of Nebraska. The drive went 99 yards in 16 plays and took seven minutes off the clock, ending in a touchdown. The second half saw Don McNeal's interception turned into points when the short drive ended with a Nathan touchdown from the two. With less than three minutes left, linebacker Rickey Gilliland recovered a fumble at Nebraska's own three, and Rutledge took it in for a final count of 20-3, Alabama. The Tide defense in particular was impressive, holding Nebraska's excellent running game to just 110 yards, and the overall offense to only 164. Bryant praised the defense but spared no criticism of the offense. Rutledge was only 5 for 13 for 54 yards and the TD toss to Ogilvie. The Tide gained 318 yards, but nearly 1/3 of that came on the one impressive drive. Kicker Chapman was only one of two on PATs and missed a field goal. Alan McElroy replaced Chapman for the final kick, and he would remain the first-string field goal kicker for the duration.
Bama followed this with an off week, and Nebraska only dropped from 10 to 12 in the polls. The Tide, however, was nowhere near as lucky as Penn State, who needed a Matt Bahr 23-yard field goal with ten seconds left to edge Temple, 10-7. In fairness, Temple was a seven-win team in 1978, but Penn State was equally lucky: the second poll of 1978 would not be released until September 11, so the Nittany Lions had another opportunity to excel. They beat Rutgers and suffered no fallout from the narrow win over Temple.
And then Alabama got a break.
The defending national champions, a Notre Dame team Dan Devine had already talked about saying people were going to have a difficult time beating in 1978, watched the Missouri Tigers (where Devine had coached and been AD) walk into South Bend and not only beat his Irish but shut them out in a shocking 3-0 upset of Joe Montana's charges, who were 17-point favorites. Missouri's only score came 13 minutes from the end, but the one field goal was enough. It was sweet vindication for Mizzou DB Russ Calabrese, who mouthed off before the game that Notre Dame was "just another team," then doubled down with the declaration that he hated Notre Dame, the entire state of Indiana, and all Irish people. (This came right after a visit to Mizzou from President Carter, whom Calabrese dismissed as "nothing but a peanut farmer"). Some things never change, folks, they're just easier to access on social media. As soon as Missouri won, their fans began to chant "Bama! Bama! Bama!" in anticipation of the next game. (This was apparently the 1978 version of "We Want Bama").
This set Alabama up perfectly. They were headed to face Missouri, who was coming off the big win. The big win ensured Alabama's players would not take Mizzou lightly while the Tigers would be more likely to suffer a post-euphoric letdown. Best of all, Missouri had been playing a tough road game while Alabama was resting. Indeed, Coach Bryant could not have written a better script to keep his team focused.
And speaking of focus, the spotlight shown on one of Bryant's best-known former players during the Tide's off week. Ken Stabler, busy compiling a Hall of Fame career with the Raiders, won the game against the Chargers with perhaps the most improbable finish in NFL history. Trailing 20-14 with ten seconds to go and the ball at the Charger 14-yard line on second down, Stabler took the snap and dropped back to his own 23. Just as he was about to be tackled for a game-ending sack, Stabler tossed the ball to the ground with an intentional fumble. Running back Pete Banaszak then fumbled it further forward, and Dave Casper bumbled it into the end zone, where he then fell on it for an utterly amazing touchdown that tied the game at 20. When Errol Man made the point after kick, Oakland got away with one forever known as "The Holy Roller." It was also one of those rare instances where the NFL got involved to change the rules to prevent future occurrences. This was the play that inspired the rule that in the final two minutes of a half, anyone on the offense may recover the fumble, but only the one who fumbled it may advance it. If an offensive player who did not fumble it recovers it, the ball is returned to the spot of the fumble. This, of course, was little consolation to the Chargers that day. A win, in fact, would have tied the Chargers with the 10-6 Oilers, who made the playoffs in that first year of the second wildcard.
The Mizzou win over Notre Dame was the latest in a long line of Missouri upsets that dotted the 1970s. These were not the early 60's era Missouri (who held the number one spot for one week in 1960), and they were often unappreciated, but Missouri had been ranked at least once every single year from 1968-1977 despite minimal success. Yet that success was quite uneven. This was a team that had beaten #8 Notre Dame in South Bend in 1972, stunned Ole Miss with a 17-0 shutout and then upset Nebraska in 1973, shutout high-scoring Arizona St, 9-0, and then shocked Nebraska again in 1974, thumped #2 Alabama, 20-7, in 1975, and stunned everyone with road upsets of both USC and Ohio St in 1976. The seniors of 1978 had been freshmen in 1975 when Tony Galbreath ran over, around, and through an excellent Tide defense and mortally wounded one of the national title contenders in the opener. Bryant played the pre-game hype well, too, repeatedly referring to how Alabama was supposed to win the 1975 championship and lost to Missouri. The win over the Irish had bolstered the Tigers to a number 11 ranking. A win over Alabama might well justify putting Mizzou at number one. And the game was in Columbia.
Alabama kicked off to start the game, and Mizzou took the touchback to start at their own 20. On the first play from scrimmage, QB Phil Bradley barely evaded the rush and tossed a 17-yard gainer to tight end Kellen Winslow. No further damage ensued, and Missouri punted. Alabama drove right down the field, and Major Ogilvie scored on a 23-yard pitchout from Rutledge that put the Tide ahead, 7-0. Rutledge hit Neal with a 6-yard TD pass that made it 14-0, Alabama, at the end of one. Bryant replaced Rutledge with Steadman Shealy following a Murray Legg interception, and Shealy got Alabama close enough for a 26-yard Alan McElroy field goal that made it 17-0, Alabama. The game appeared to be over. As it turned out, it had only begun.
Reeling 17-0 and needing to change things, Missouri replaced starting RB Earl Gantt with backup James Wilder. A short toss by Bradley on a critical third down kept the subsequent drive going, and a deep pass to Downer got them well into Tide territory. Mixing runs to Wilder and passes to his receivers (53 yards in 4 successful tosses), a rested Gantt ran it in from the four to cut the Tide lead to 17-7. On the ensuing Alabama drive, Rutledge was sacked for a loss forcing a Tide punt. Lining up in a wishbone formation, Bradley gave Alabama a dose of its own medicine by taking the snap, spinning in a 270 degree motion with his backs, and keeping the ball. When he cleared the line of scrimmage and the Bama pursuit, Bradley was gone with a devastating 69-yard dash that brought both the Tigers and the 73,000-plus home fans back into the game. Missouri missed the PAT, but at least they were close. On a second and 12 from his own 17, Rutledge dropped back on a play action pass intercepted by Russ Calabrese, the "Mouth of Missouri", who beat the receiver on the curl route, intercepted the ball, and raced 30 yards for a stunning Pick Six that put Missouri in the lead for the first time, 20-17. It was the most points Alabama had surrendered in a quarter since the 1969 Iron Bowl. Rutledge then fumbled deep in his own territory and was very fortunate to recover it. Missouri was rocking while Alabama was reeling. Rutledge went deep from midfield just before halftime but Eric Wright picked it off, Rutledge's second interception in the quarter. Missouri ran out the clock, and the Tide stumbled into the half holding the score to just a three-point deficit, but Coach Bryant was livid. So livid, in fact, that in his post-game press conference, Bryant snapped at a reporter who asked him what he'd said that motivated the team with the retort, "It's none of your business what I told them." He then offered one of his rare criticisms of the team in public, saying that the team had done more talking than playing in the first half, and he had straightened that out.
The Bryant teams of the 1970s, like their modern counterparts, had a common trademark: a not great team would hang around and begin believing they could actually beat Alabama only to make a critical mistake that flipped the game out of reach. Missouri's came early in the third quarter and with it any chance to upset Alabama. After an outstanding stop of Nathan on third and short forced a punt, Missouri began a potential back-breaking drive. They drove just inside Alabama territory but failed on their own third and short. With the potential to put Alabama deep inside their own territory, Missouri lined up for a punt. Punter Monte Montgomery fielded the high snap, but the errant hike was just enough for Ricky Gilliland to block the punt, recover it on the bounce, and run the last 35 yards for a touchdown that put Alabama back in front, 24-20. The game wasn't over, but it may as well have been. Alabama owned the game the rest of the way, Nathan scoring on a short run and Lou Ikner hauling in a 23-yard Rutledge TD pass to make the final score 38-20, Alabama. Both wins had exposed some problems for Alabama, and now USC made the return trip with similar thoughts of revenge as Alabama had had for Nebraska. In the other important story, Penn State knocked off Ohio State (note to younger readers: Penn St was not in the Big 10 in 1978), and nobody watching the game forty years ago would have believed Joe Paterno could ever have be more despised than Woody Hayes.
In 1977, USC had been ranked #1 in the country only to see Alabama come to town and walk away a 21-20 winner. In one of those ironies only college football could produce, former Notre Dame coach Ara Parseghian called the game along with not yet a legend Keith Jackson. When USC scored to narrow the gap to one, Parseghian mused aloud, "Now, what are you gonna do for a two-pointer?" Why Parseghian was assuming USC had to go for two while ranked number one is the textbook definition of irony. This time the roles were reversed: Alabama was #1 and USC #7 - literally the opposite of 1977. Alabama was also riding a 12-game winning streak in contrast with 1977 USC's 15-game winning streak before they lost. Alabama entered the contest as an 11-point favorite.
Bryant was concerned, and he said that could never remember his team absolutely collapsing as they had done in the second quarter against Missouri. USC had survived a scare, trailing Texas Tech in the second half before winning. USC Coach John Robinson declared that Alabama's defense was the best he'd seen since the 1972 USC Trojans, a team that not so coincidentally won the national title. To make matters worse for Alabama, who should be calling the game but Satan’s twin brother, Ara.
Alabama won the toss and elected to receive. Nathan took the kickoff in the end zone and opted to bring it out. He cut through the USC coverage leaving just himself and the punter, the last man with a chance to tackle him. He did, but Alabama started at their own 42 with momentum. The first play was a reverse from Rutledge to Bruce Bolton, who was tackled for a three-yard loss. The second play was a basic handoff to fullback Steve Whitman, who fumbled the ball, the Tide fortunate enough to recover it and set up third and long. Momentum from the opening kickoff was apparently gone. Rutledge then passed to Nathan, who snuck out of the backfield and was wide open in the center of the field for a first down at the USC 48. Nathan carried for a short gain and Whitman did the same, setting up a third and three. Alabama then committed a delay of game penalty that backed them up, and Rutledge threw another short toss to Nathan that fell short of a first down at the 41. The penalty had cost Alabama continued possession, so Woody Umphrey punted - and promptly shanked it for a 16-yard punt that put USC at their own 25. USC QB Paul McDonald went midway downfield for the first play, an incompletion. Charles White's first carry gained seven yards to set up a third and short, and White's next carry was just enough for a first down at the 36. For Alabama, it was a sickening prelude to the rest of the afternoon. USC continued with White, who picked up one yard. After a missed toss, QB Paul McDonald tossed 15 yards across the middle to Calvin Sweeney for a first down at the Tide 48. White then gashed Alabama for a 17-yard dash that put the Trojans at the 31. Wayne Hamilton, whose performance in 1977 won him defensive player of the game honors, came out with a hyperextended elbow. Hamilton was gone for the game, and it's likely no accident that USC’s success coincided with Hamilton's departure. McDonald went back to the air, hitting Sweeney on a crossing route that put the Trojans at the 17. Dwight Ford rushed up the middle for six yards on first down, followed by White for nine yards that put USC at the Tide two with a first and goal. On the next play, White never got the handoff from McDonald, and USC fumbled, Alabama's Murray Legg recovering the ball and saving the day for the moment. White would have a similar experience with a different outcome in the 1979 Rose Bowl.
Driving out of the shadow of their own goal line, the Tide went three and out. Umphrey punted it to the Tide 40, where USC took over. And Charles White immediately made the Tide pay, dashing 40 yards on first down to an incredible touchdown that saw him cut back against the grain and only get touched by one potential tackler. Just like that USC was ahead, 7-0. After a quick first down, Alabama was again held without entering USC territory. Umphrey's third poor punt had USC at their own 34-yard line. After a first down, Alabama held the Trojans just short of the first down. A punt into the end zone put the Tide back at their own 20 for their fourth possession. In an effort to get their attention, Bryant sent out the second-string offensive line as well as backup Steadman Shealy in place of Rutledge. And Alabama came to life with a first play option pitch to Ikner that went for 38 yards. Immediately, Eddie McCombs was flagged for a false start. Two short rushes left Alabama in third and nine as the team switched sides to start the second quarter. Shealy then uncorked a 22-yard pass to Bolton that put Alabama in the USC red zone at the 19. Billy Jackson picked up nine on first down. A short carry gave the Tide a new set of downs at the nine. Shealy kept it himself on first for no gain. Jackson then carried it up the middle inside the one-yard line to set up third and goal. Ogilvie's attempt to score from the one was snuffed, and he had to leave when his tear away jersey was torn away. It was fourth and goal from the one, and Alabama decided to go for it. They went with their best, but Nathan was stopped short of a touchdown, and the 11-play drive went up in smoke, USC taking over at their own one. They held the Trojans and forced a punt, but a clipping call on the fourth down punt - before the punt - gave USC a first down that eventually became a 10-0 lead on Frank Jordan's 40-yard field goal. Rutledge later threw an interception, but USC couldn't cash in and it remained a ten-point deficit as the teams went in for the half.
USC had dominated Alabama, 258-135 in yards, won the turnover battle 2-1, and were ahead on the scoreboard, 10-0. Worse, the running game had gashed the Tide defense for 200 of those yards. USC took the second half kickoff in the end zone and began at their own 20. It was more Charles White, a three-yard carry on first down, a short toss to TE James Hunter to the 32 for a first down. The Tide then finally corralled White for his first loss of the game, and in desperation, White tossed the ball back to McDonald, who was tackled for the loss. (The Tide also got away with a face mask on the tackle of McDonald). Lynn Cain carried the ball out to the 32 to set up third and ten. USC went back with White, who made a second effort to break the tackle and had the ball jarred loose by Ricky Tucker, Alabama recovering at the USC 41. On the first play, Major Ogilvie dashed 41 yards to the end zone and just like that, Alabama and the crowd were back in the game trailing just 10-7. USC did not respond particularly well and wound up punting, Alabama taking over at their own 36. The rest of the third quarter was dominant defense, nobody scoring and little movement. USC then seized the momentum and lead when McDonald completed a drive with a six-yard toss to Kevin Williams with 11:15 left and then unloaded a bomb that Don McNeal tipped but Williams held onto for a 40-yard game-breaking touchdown that put USC out front by a comfortable 24-7. Rutledge battled gamely, hitting Bart Krout for a 41-yard TD with a little over seven minutes left. After holding USC to a three and out that ended with a sack of McDonald by Jim Bob Harris, USC had to punt with about 5:33 left and facing a fourth and 33. Nathan's return put the Tide at his own 43. A flea flicker, Rutledge to Nathan to Rutledge, gave Alabama seven yards on a pass to Ogilvie. Rutledge was sacked at midfield to set up third and four. With the defense in hard pursuit, Rutledge hit Keith Pugh for a 22-yard gain that kept the drive going at the USC 32. Rutledge then hit Pugh at the Trojan 18-yard line right in the middle of the field. Rutledge then called his first timeout with 3:35 left. Rutledge pitched to Nathan, who made it to the corner and then fumbled on contact, USC recovering at their own 15. It appeared for the all the world that Nathan was moving right on a halfback option, chose to run, but never tucked the ball away. Nathan was in shock on the sidelines.
The Tide D, though, refused to give up. They held USC to a three and out and even denied White his effort at a 200-yard rushing performance, Marty Lyons making the tackle to force the punt. In a desperate effort to be Superman, Tony Nathan took the punt at his own 20 and just as he was about to be tackled following a huge gain, fumbled again. USC recovered, and the only thing left was to eat up the 1:25 remaining. Nathan's response moved from shocked to tears. Alabama DID block a USC punt late, and the Tide's failure to score a TD in that instance had the effect of making the final score less respectable. USC had walked into Legion Field and robbed Alabama of everything. Even Bryant would admit, "They made us look worse than we are." He also committed the political faux pas of saying USC was the best team in the country, words that would be used against him in the coming months.
The only good news for Alabama was that Michigan had upended Notre Dame, the Irish now with a two-game losing streak since being voted champions in January. Penn St struggled but eventually pulled away to beat SMU.
The new number one was Oklahoma, followed by Arkansas, USC, Michigan, Penn St, and Texas. Alabama fell to number seven, USC's previous spot. Alabama had to get ready for Vanderbilt, although the Commodores had only beaten Bryant once, in 1969. This among other factors led to fear Alabama might look past Vandy to their following game in Seattle against the Washington Huskies. Grambling coach Eddie Robinson suggested that very week that he would only coach up to five more years at most and then retire. Robinson, of course, would go on to become the winningest coach in NCAA history (a record now held by Joe Paterno).