Alabama's best non-national championship teams?
- Thread starter saturdaysarebet
- Start date
2016, 1945, 1966, 1977, 1962
2016: If they had held on this would have been considered one of the great college teams of all time, with the D making a case for the best.
Most have been fair to Jalen but he was really handicapped by Sarkisian’s abandonment of the running game after Bo went out. He had Damien Harris and Josh Jacobs to run the ball. Why SS? Jalen was also let down 4 or 5 times by drops from his WRs on 3rd down conversions, especially Dieter. Just hitting 2 or 3 would have changed the game. This is rarely mentioned.
1945: This team has been overlooked because of time, but they were great. They finished number 3 behind undefeated Army. They were #1 on total D (110 ypg, and #2 in total O at ~421 ypg). They outscored the opposition 430-80.
They had 10 of their 25 lettermen eventually drafted by the NFL), including the #1, 4, 5 players, Gilmer, Mancha, Tew) following the ‘47 season. At least 2 of them, Gilmer and Mancha, are in the CFB HOF. It was coached by HOF Coach Frank Thomas.
They played 4 ranked teams, none in the top 10, and beat them LSU 26-7, UTe 25-7, UGA 28-14 and USC 34-14, also stomped a decent 6-3 MSU team 55-13.
Army deservedly won the NC: they beat 4 teams who finished in the top 10, and 2 more ranked teams - 6 out of 9 games played. Boat-raced them all. #8 Penn 61-0, #9 ND 48-0, #2 Navy 32-13, #6 Mich 28-7.
1977: An incredibly talented team. Rutledge, Nathan, Newsome, Dwight Stephenson, Bob Cryder, Johnny Davis, Jim Bunch, Major Oglvie, Barry Krause, Wayne Hamilton, McGriff, Marty Lions, Don McNeal, Mike Kramer, E.J. Junior, Murray Legg, Wingo, Terry Jones.
Lost one game early in the year by 7 vs Neb in Lincoln. Jeff Rutledge threw 1000 ints (actually 5), including on in the end zone late from ~10 yard line.
Alabama finished #2 behind ND and Bama fans complained because OM beat ND early 14-13. But they beat 4 ranked teams, including 2 in the top 10, including #4 Texas. Alabama beat 2 ranked teams in the teens.
1962: Alabama lost 1 game by one point vs GT at Grant Field. Coach Bryant went for 2 late and barely missed. Then Alabama recovered the onside kick and Namath drove them to ~15 yard line, well within Tim Davis’ range but Namath threw an interception to effectively end the game.
This likely cost Alabama a NC since they were number 1 late in the season. They finished #5.
I was a 13 y/o boy who sobbed and wept like a 10 y/o girl at the GT loss, Bobby Dodd’s only win vs Bryant at Alabama in 7 tries.
2016: If they had held on this would have been considered one of the great college teams of all time, with the D making a case for the best.
Most have been fair to Jalen but he was really handicapped by Sarkisian’s abandonment of the running game after Bo went out. He had Damien Harris and Josh Jacobs to run the ball. Why SS? Jalen was also let down 4 or 5 times by drops from his WRs on 3rd down conversions, especially Dieter. Just hitting 2 or 3 would have changed the game. This is rarely mentioned.
1945: This team has been overlooked because of time, but they were great. They finished number 3 behind undefeated Army. They were #1 on total D (110 ypg, and #2 in total O at ~421 ypg). They outscored the opposition 430-80.
They had 10 of their 25 lettermen eventually drafted by the NFL), including the #1, 4, 5 players, Gilmer, Mancha, Tew) following the ‘47 season. At least 2 of them, Gilmer and Mancha, are in the CFB HOF. It was coached by HOF Coach Frank Thomas.
They played 4 ranked teams, none in the top 10, and beat them LSU 26-7, UTe 25-7, UGA 28-14 and USC 34-14, also stomped a decent 6-3 MSU team 55-13.
Army deservedly won the NC: they beat 4 teams who finished in the top 10, and 2 more ranked teams - 6 out of 9 games played. Boat-raced them all. #8 Penn 61-0, #9 ND 48-0, #2 Navy 32-13, #6 Mich 28-7.
1977: An incredibly talented team. Rutledge, Nathan, Newsome, Dwight Stephenson, Bob Cryder, Johnny Davis, Jim Bunch, Major Oglvie, Barry Krause, Wayne Hamilton, McGriff, Marty Lions, Don McNeal, Mike Kramer, E.J. Junior, Murray Legg, Wingo, Terry Jones.
Lost one game early in the year by 7 vs Neb in Lincoln. Jeff Rutledge threw 1000 ints (actually 5), including on in the end zone late from ~10 yard line.
Alabama finished #2 behind ND and Bama fans complained because OM beat ND early 14-13. But they beat 4 ranked teams, including 2 in the top 10, including #4 Texas. Alabama beat 2 ranked teams in the teens.
1962: Alabama lost 1 game by one point vs GT at Grant Field. Coach Bryant went for 2 late and barely missed. Then Alabama recovered the onside kick and Namath drove them to ~15 yard line, well within Tim Davis’ range but Namath threw an interception to effectively end the game.
This likely cost Alabama a NC since they were number 1 late in the season. They finished #5.
I was a 13 y/o boy who sobbed and wept like a 10 y/o girl at the GT loss, Bobby Dodd’s only win vs Bryant at Alabama in 7 tries.
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Yeah I remember. It started off rough, but if i recall, it was 42-21 in the fourth quarter. A&M got some cheap points in the end.
We were probably never in danger of losing...but damn, him and Evans that day......good Lord, we'd still have nightmares about that if we'd lost.
2016 is particularly upsetting in retrospect. That defense was so good. It is the best I've witnessed outside of 1992. Unfortunately, they ran out of gas in the end.
I'm glad 1945 was mentioned. Yes, Army had the better season, but their roster was also abnormally bolstered by some historical event...
1966 was galling.
1977 was as well.
1994 was a great team as well. I hate the way that SEC championship game ended, and I would have liked to see what we would have done vs. Florida State in the Sugar Bowl.
2013 will always be a thorn in our side as well. We would have probably destroyed Florida State. I give Auburn credit, but they were not an elite team that year. Had we gone to the Rose Bowl with a 3-peat on the line, I have no doubt that team would have won. But AU's lightning in a bottle killed our mojo.
I'm glad 1945 was mentioned. Yes, Army had the better season, but their roster was also abnormally bolstered by some historical event...
1966 was galling.
1977 was as well.
1994 was a great team as well. I hate the way that SEC championship game ended, and I would have liked to see what we would have done vs. Florida State in the Sugar Bowl.
2013 will always be a thorn in our side as well. We would have probably destroyed Florida State. I give Auburn credit, but they were not an elite team that year. Had we gone to the Rose Bowl with a 3-peat on the line, I have no doubt that team would have won. But AU's lightning in a bottle killed our mojo.
2010! Look at all that NFL talent, would have been a repeat and with 2011 and 2012 would've been four in a row
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