What was the best team Alabama ever played at home?

Probius said:

We played UGA in Athens in 2008, not 2009.

Click to expand...

Padreruf said:

Don't forget about UF with Emmit Smith at rb -- cannot remember the year. I was sitting on the 50 in the upper deck in Legion Field and watched him run all over us. We mocked them in warmups, but they ate our lunch...totally and completely.

Click to expand...

92tide said:

i'm going to get my panties in a wad over the egregious use of the term "natties"

Click to expand...

saturdaysarebet said:

[FONT="]What was the best team Alabama ever played at home? When I asked the question about ever, I realize many will probably name a team Alabama played in a bowl game or SECCG so I thought I'd make this question about a visiting opponent. [/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE]


First, we have to determine who are the legitimate candidates.


THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS (STARTING WITH AP POLL ERA OF 1936)
1938 Tennessee
1951 Tennessee
1951 Georgia Tech
1957 Auburn
1958 LSU (note: game was played in Ladd Stadium in Mobile)
1978 USC
1982 Penn St
1986 Penn St
2003 LSU
2007 LSU
2010 Auburn


OTHER GREAT TEAMS
1970 USC
1983 Auburn
[COLOR="#0000FF"]2000 UCF
2003 Oklahoma
2011 LSU


Okay, so first let's rule out some obvious "not them". Any team prior to 1970 is pretty well ruled out simply because: a) it was regional football; b) it was non-integrated football. While that's not the fault of the players, it still is a reality we have to acknowledge. The QUALITY of football player (as with all sports) has increased steadily. That does NOT mean that Joe Namath (to use one example) could not be a successful player today, it just means that on the whole the players are larger, faster, and more athletic. That gives us the following:

THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS (STARTING WITH AP POLL ERA OF 1936)
1978 USC
1982 Penn St
1986 Penn St
2003 LSU
2007 LSU
2010 Auburn


OTHER GREAT TEAMS
1970 USC
2003 Oklahoma
2011 LSU


If 1983 Auburn had beaten Texas and won the national championship, it would probably be them (as much as that angers folks here). They played the most challenging schedule (by far) of the pre-playoff era. But they did lose and quite one-sided so.....they're out.

We can rule out 03 Oklahoma because they weren't even the best opponent to play at Alabama that year much less ever. 2010 Auburn was a helluva offense, and maybe the worst defense to ever win the national championship, so they're out. 2007 LSU, well, they lost two games (and despite Mrs. Les Miles's argument even overtime losses count). And for those who did not see the 1982 Penn State game, don't be misled. YES, the final score was a 21-point margin, but that game was in doubt until the the final five minutes when Penn State fell apart and made some "here's a touchdown for you" mistakes. Thus, I think the discussion comes down to the following teams:

1970 and 1978 USC
1986 Penn State
2003 and 2011 LSU

And 1970 USC lost FOUR games and had a tie so......good-bye! Sure, the blew out Alabama and a myth about integration has grown up about that game (it isn't true, folks, no matter how many times you hear it). So we're now down to four possibilities.

I personally would rule out the 1986 Penn State TEAM because it wasn't a great TEAM, it was a great DEFENSE. Everyone remembers that eye-popping national TV rating on a Friday night for the Fiesta Bowl, and they remember Penn State won. But they then lose the details and all they recall is, "Penn State beat a great Miami team that won a bunch of national titles in other years."

Go look at the stat sheet for that game:
Miami beat them in yardage (445-162), first downs (22-8). Keep this in mind: 74 yards of Penn State's total of 162 came on ONE DRIVE in the first half. But they forced 7 turnovers because Miami kept getting impatient.

Penn State's QB (John Shaffer) was 5 of 16 for 53 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT.

That wasn't a great Penn State TEAM, it was a great DEFENSE. They DID own us in our game, no question, but if you look at their numbers for that particular year, they played ONE ranked team (Alabama), beat 5-6 Cincinnati at home by a TD, only beat 4-7 WVA by a 19-0 count, and scraped by with a two-point win over 5-5 Maryland. So I'd rule them out for the same reason I rule out 2010 Auburn - it was a team great on ONE dimension, defense. (To be fair - and I hate to say it given what we later learned - but the 86 PSU defense is in the same category as the 2011 Alabama one).

So we now have two LSU teams (03 and 11 LSU) and 1978 USC.

I'd rule out 2003 LSU based on their loss to a lackluster Florida team (by UF standards anyway).

I think it comes down to 78 USC and 11 LSU, and I would actually lean in favor of 2011 LSU, who finished the season unbeaten and won the SEC title. Let's be clear: IF LSU had won the rematch, they would be recognized as the greatest of all-time, so certainly they have to be considered the greatest to ever play in UA.


That's my opinion anyway, but you've now seen how I arrived at that point of view.

Click to expand...

BamaMoon said:

Isn't that when CPB basically decided to integrate and change Alabama football forever?

Click to expand...

Padreruf said:

Don't forget about UF with Emmit Smith at rb -- cannot remember the year. I was sitting on the 50 in the upper deck in Legion Field and watched him run all over us. We mocked them in warmups, but they ate our lunch...totally and completely.

Click to expand...

selmaborntidefan said:

First, we have to determine who are the legitimate candidates.


THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS (STARTING WITH AP POLL ERA OF 1936)
1938 Tennessee
1951 Tennessee
1951 Georgia Tech
1957 Auburn
1958 LSU (note: game was played in Ladd Stadium in Mobile)
1978 USC
1982 Penn St
1986 Penn St
2003 LSU
2007 LSU
2010 Auburn


OTHER GREAT TEAMS
1970 USC
1983 Auburn
2000 UCF
2003 Oklahoma
2011 LSU


Okay, so first let's rule out some obvious "not them". Any team prior to 1970 is pretty well ruled out simply because: a) it was regional football; b) it was non-integrated football. While that's not the fault of the players, it still is a reality we have to acknowledge. The QUALITY of football player (as with all sports) has increased steadily. That does NOT mean that Joe Namath (to use one example) could not be a successful player today, it just means that on the whole the players are larger, faster, and more athletic. That gives us the following:

THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS (STARTING WITH AP POLL ERA OF 1936)
1978 USC
1982 Penn St
1986 Penn St
2003 LSU
2007 LSU
2010 Auburn


OTHER GREAT TEAMS
1970 USC
2003 Oklahoma
2011 LSU


If 1983 Auburn had beaten Texas and won the national championship, it would probably be them (as much as that angers folks here). They played the most challenging schedule (by far) of the pre-playoff era. But they did lose and quite one-sided so.....they're out.

We can rule out 03 Oklahoma because they weren't even the best opponent to play at Alabama that year much less ever. 2010 Auburn was a helluva offense, and maybe the worst defense to ever win the national championship, so they're out. 2007 LSU, well, they lost two games (and despite Mrs. Les Miles's argument even overtime losses count). And for those who did not see the 1982 Penn State game, don't be misled. YES, the final score was a 21-point margin, but that game was in doubt until the the final five minutes when Penn State fell apart and made some "here's a touchdown for you" mistakes. Thus, I think the discussion comes down to the following teams:

1970 and 1978 USC
1986 Penn State
2003 and 2011 LSU

And 1970 USC lost FOUR games and had a tie so......good-bye! Sure, the blew out Alabama and a myth about integration has grown up about that game (it isn't true, folks, no matter how many times you hear it). So we're now down to four possibilities.

I personally would rule out the 1986 Penn State TEAM because it wasn't a great TEAM, it was a great DEFENSE. Everyone remembers that eye-popping national TV rating on a Friday night for the Fiesta Bowl, and they remember Penn State won. But they then lose the details and all they recall is, "Penn State beat a great Miami team that won a bunch of national titles in other years."

Go look at the stat sheet for that game:
Miami beat them in yardage (445-162), first downs (22-8). Keep this in mind: 74 yards of Penn State's total of 162 came on ONE DRIVE in the first half. But they forced 7 turnovers because Miami kept getting impatient.

Penn State's QB (John Shaffer) was 5 of 16 for 53 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT.

That wasn't a great Penn State TEAM, it was a great DEFENSE. They DID own us in our game, no question, but if you look at their numbers for that particular year, they played ONE ranked team (Alabama), beat 5-6 Cincinnati at home by a TD, only beat 4-7 WVA by a 19-0 count, and scraped by with a two-point win over 5-5 Maryland. So I'd rule them out for the same reason I rule out 2010 Auburn - it was a team great on ONE dimension, defense. (To be fair - and I hate to say it given what we later learned - but the 86 PSU defense is in the same category as the 2011 Alabama one).

So we now have two LSU teams (03 and 11 LSU) and 1978 USC.

I'd rule out 2003 LSU based on their loss to a lackluster Florida team (by UF standards anyway).

I think it comes down to 78 USC and 11 LSU, and I would actually lean in favor of 2011 LSU, who finished the season unbeaten and won the SEC title. Let's be clear: IF LSU had won the rematch, they would be recognized as the greatest of all-time, so certainly they have to be considered the greatest to ever play in UA.


That's my opinion anyway, but you've now seen how I arrived at that point of view.

Click to expand...

selmaborntidefan said:

Uh, no. That's a myth that the media has fostered, and it makes a great story, but the FACT is that he was already actively trying to integrate the team less than one month after the 1966 voting debacle. Wilbur Jackson signed with Alabama on December 13, 1969, and if freshmen could have played, he would have likely played in that game. He was IN THE STANDS at the game!!

The game WAS important, especially when you remember that one of USC's star backs, Clarence Davis, was from Birmingham and rushed for 76 yards but we were still in the throes of segregation when he was ready for college.

But please - let's drop this whole "the 1970 USC game convinced Bryant to go get black players" because it isn't true.

Click to expand...

Padreruf said:

Don't forget about UF with Emmit Smith at rb -- cannot remember the year. I was sitting on the 50 in the upper deck in Legion Field and watched him run all over us. We mocked them in warmups, but they ate our lunch...totally and completely.

Click to expand...

CoachInWaiting said:

I'm sick of hearing this load of crap myself. I don't know who started it or when, but it never had an iota of truth to it. Probably a lazy sportswriter who wanted to be a novelist instead of reporting the news.

Click to expand...

Padreruf said:

You are entirely too methodical and systematic...thanks for the work!

Click to expand...

CoachInWaiting said:

I'm sick of hearing this load of crap myself. I don't know who started it or when, but it never had an iota of truth to it. Probably a lazy sportswriter who wanted to be a novelist instead of reporting the news.

Click to expand...