Teams we have never played

[Crimson1967]

We played Georgia Southern in 2011. They rushed for a billion yards against our great defense. They may not have been "Sun Belt" at the time.

They were still FCS at the time and in the SoCon. They lost in the semifinals to North Dakota State. Joined the Sun Belt in 2014.

 

[Saban4Ever]

I would like to see Bama play Oregon. Oregon has wild uniforms, decent players, and it would be interesting to see how Cristobal, as Oregon's coach, coaches against Saban. I think Bama wins by 2 or more TD's if it were to be played in the next few years. I would also like to visit Oregon if it were an away game. It is so beautiful there.

I also would like to attend an away game, Bama vs Iowa. Even though it would be cold weather, I would love to be in that crowd and be a part of the "Iowa Wave" to the kids at the Children's hospital near the stadium. It is one of the most awesome things in football today. Those kids are warriors.

RTR!

 

[Crimson1967]

Most of the schools on the list would be money games that would gladly take a beating in exchange for a big check.

 

[81usaf92]

I would like to see Bama play Oregon. Oregon has wild uniforms, decent players, and it would be interesting to see how Cristobal, as Oregon's coach, coaches against Saban. I think Bama wins by 2 or more TD's if it were to be played in the next few years. I would also like to visit Oregon if it were an away game. It is so beautiful there.

I also would like to attend an away game, Bama vs Iowa. Even though it would be cold weather, I would love to be in that crowd and be a part of the "Iowa Wave" to the kids at the Children's hospital near the stadium. It is one of the most awesome things in football today. Those kids are warriors.

RTR!

We would most likely play all these games in the first 5 weeks. Meaning Iowa would be nice weather.

 

[jabcmb]

Yea and we actually played ULL away one year.

Philip Doyle kicked six field goals that day. Actually was a great road trip for a van full of Bama fans.

 

[CajunCrimson]

Philip Doyle kicked six field goals that day. Actually was a great road trip for a van full of Bama fans.

Cajun Field had fans sitting in the end zone grass.

That year many Cajun fans had
USL 6
LSU 3

Jerseys made. Because those were their scores vs Bama that year

 

[DogPatch]

I also would like to attend an away game, Bama vs Iowa. Even though it would be cold weather, I would love to be in that crowd and be a part of the "Iowa Wave" to the kids at the Children's hospital near the stadium. It is one of the most awesome things in football today. Those kids are warriors.

Went to a game in Iowa City once, but before the "wave."

 

[Blindside17]

I would not mind seeing us play Oregon and Iowa the rest ahhh.

 

[Tidewater]

We have played ... Georgia Southern.

I recall something about a tin horn.

 

[We_are_Bama]

We are slated to play Central Michigan at some point, provided that college football returns to playing non conference games at some point. I don't see that happening until Covid is completely wiped out

 

[stlimprov]

Kstate, but only because it would be fun with my FIL.

 

[CoachInWaiting]

There are some surprises on that list. Wake Forest and Virginia among them. I would like to see Alabama play Purdue and Air Force.

 

[deliveryman35]

Other than the 1988 sun bowl against Army, I don't think we've ever played any games against the service academies. I wouldn't mind a road trip to Fort Collins or West Point.

 

[STONECOLDSABAN]

I have heard a rumour (don’t know if it’s true or not) that Alabama was supposed to play Arizona in 1992-1993, but conference Expansion ruined all that. now I know that doesn’t look sexy on paper. However, Arizona ran a unique defense dubbed “the desert swarm” that gave a lot of teams a lot of problems (including Washington and Miami). I have heard it described that if the 92 defense had met the desert swarm, it would have been a body bag game. Maybe Selma or any of our other bama historians know some more about this.

 

[81usaf92]

Other than the 1988 sun bowl against Army, I don't think we've ever played any games against the service academies. I wouldn't mind a road trip to Fort Collins or West Point.

The Air Force Academy is in Colorado Springs, CSU is in Fort Collins.

But playing a service academy at their house presents some real problems. If we play Army away then it’s most likely going to be at MetLife. If we play Navy it’s going to be at M&T(Ravens) or Lincoln Financial (Philly). Out of the three teams ** has the only stadium that can expand to 50k. But even then they will probably move it to Mile High to accommodate the mass amount of fans and keep Bama fans off campus. Annapolis’s stadium is off campus but Westpoint and AFA are not. The reason that is a big deal is because service academies have basic cadet training (officer basic training) on campus and the campuses are in all intent and purposes military bases. They can handle fan bases like Boise, Fresno, and San Jose st but a big traveling team like Alabama they are 99% of the time moving it to the nearest NFL stadium. To give you a perspective, Notre Dame has never played a game at Navy’s home stadium. It’s always at a neutral site of Navy’s choosing when Navy is the home team.

I was ** security forces, which is military police. In my tech school SAT I had 3 people get stationed at AFA. I had a guy get orders to my base who was stationed there. They all pretty much confirm my doubts that Alabama would ever play a game there because they all told how much of a security presence there is and told how small the fan area is. One guy was a big LSU fan and basically said it was Mississippi St but smaller and less ability to wander around and tailgate. Anyone that has been to Clanga knows how small the tailgate and fan area is, and to have about 30k or more Alabama fans roaming around an area that small with less ability to wander around and tailgate is a logistical nightmare. I think Denver would be the place if we played them in Colorado. They are about 45 minutes to an hour away from Denver.

Just for further the point. Each AFB with a flight line all pretty much has an annual air show in which civilians can come on without a pass. 90% of the base security forces has to work them. The other 10% is divided into those on leave, deployed, and those working night shift. They get additional national guard members and extra police. These are far bigger areas where civilians can wander around but they are very strict where they can go. There are areas where guys are guarding empty parking lots all day with 3-4 deep. Imagine that kinda security in an area the size of the quad and a stadium the size of Vanderbilt where people can’t move from that area other than to leave.

 

[TideEngineer08]

I have heard a rumour (don’t know if it’s true or not) that Alabama was supposed to play Arizona in 1992-1993, but conference Expansion ruined all that. now I know that doesn’t look sexy on paper. However, Arizona ran a unique defense dubbed “the desert swarm” that gave a lot of teams a lot of problems (including Washington and Miami). I have heard it described that if the 92 defense had met the desert swarm, it would have been a body bag game. Maybe Selma or any of our other bama historians know some more about this.

I never heard the story about a game vs Arizona back then. You are correct, Arizona used to be famous under Dick Tomey for its “Desert Swarm” defense. They shut out Miami in the Fiesta Bowl, 29-0 following the 1993 season. So in back to back bowls, Miami was destroyed by Alabama and Arizona.

 

[deliveryman35]

The Air Force Academy is in Colorado Springs, CSU is in Fort Collins.

But playing a service academy at their house presents some real problems. If we play Army away then it’s most likely going to be at MetLife. If we play Navy it’s going to be at M&T(Ravens) or Lincoln Financial (Philly). Out of the three teams ** has the only stadium that can expand to 50k. But even then they will probably move it to Mile High to accommodate the mass amount of fans and keep Bama fans off campus. Annapolis’s stadium is off campus but Westpoint and AFA are not. The reason that is a big deal is because service academies have basic cadet training (officer basic training) on campus and the campuses are in all intent and purposes military bases. They can handle fan bases like Boise, Fresno, and San Jose st but a big traveling team like Alabama they are 99% of the time moving it to the nearest NFL stadium. To give you a perspective, Notre Dame has never played a game at Navy’s home stadium. It’s always at a neutral site of Navy’s choosing when Navy is the home team.

I was ** security forces, which is military police. In my tech school SAT I had 3 people get stationed at AFA. I had a guy get orders to my base who was stationed there. They all pretty much confirm my doubts that Alabama would ever play a game there because they all told how much of a security presence there is and told how small the fan area is. One guy was a big LSU fan and basically said it was Mississippi St but smaller and less ability to wander around and tailgate. Anyone that has been to Clanga knows how small the tailgate and fan area is, and to have about 30k or more Alabama fans roaming around an area that small with less ability to wander around and tailgate is a logistical nightmare. I think Denver would be the place if we played them in Colorado. They are about 45 minutes to an hour away from Denver.

Just for further the point. Each AFB with a flight line all pretty much has an annual air show in which civilians can come on without a pass. 90% of the base security forces has to work them. The other 10% is divided into those on leave, deployed, and those working night shift. They get additional national guard members and extra police. These are far bigger areas where civilians can wander around but they are very strict where they can go. There are areas where guys are guarding empty parking lots all day with 3-4 deep. Imagine that kinda security in an area the size of the quad and a stadium the size of Vanderbilt where people can’t move from that area other than to leave.

Thanks for that correction and additional insight.

 

[selmaborntidefan]

I have heard a rumour (don’t know if it’s true or not) that Alabama was supposed to play Arizona in 1992-1993, but conference Expansion ruined all that. now I know that doesn’t look sexy on paper. However, Arizona ran a unique defense dubbed “the desert swarm” that gave a lot of teams a lot of problems (including Washington and Miami). I have heard it described that if the 92 defense had met the desert swarm, it would have been a body bag game. Maybe Selma or any of our other bama historians know some more about this.

I don't know, and I don't recall this.

That doesn't mean it didn't happen, but let me be clear that I honestly DOUBT any such game was ever scheduled. If it was, there's another (more sinister) reason why it would have been canceled.

The SEC played six conference games a year forever. In 1988, we moved to seven games. The 1990 expansion (invoked in 1992) kept us with an 8-game schedule in conference plus three more. Here are the reasons I doubt such a game was ever even considered:

1) The game would have HAD to have been played in September in Arizona. Are you out of your mind?

2) Many sports entities - and SEC teams in particular - were very cautious about scheduling games in Arizona because of the controversy surrounding their refusal to recognize MLK Day. You may recall that there was HUGE stink over the winner of the 1990 Iron Bowl getting a berth in the Fiesta Bowl. NAACP and civil rights groups were demanding a boycott, but anyone who thinks Alabama or Auburn was going to leave $2.5 million for someone else to take has been smoking some serious crack. So I honestly doubt any effort would have gone on at the time to play them. Remember, we were winding up a 10-year series with Penn State and everyone knew expansion and an SEC title game was inevitable.

3) The stadium has never even seated 60,000 people, so I seriously doubt it unless we were trying to schedule a neutral site game - and why do that with ARIZONA of all teams? Alabama could get a neutral site game with USC even in 1991 and sell out a 100,000 seat arena, so why waste our time with AZ?

 

[Windsortide]

I would like to see an Oregon match up

 

[STONECOLDSABAN]

I don't know, and I don't recall this.

That doesn't mean it didn't happen, but let me be clear that I honestly DOUBT any such game was ever scheduled. If it was, there's another (more sinister) reason why it would have been canceled.

The SEC played six conference games a year forever. In 1988, we moved to seven games. The 1990 expansion (invoked in 1992) kept us with an 8-game schedule in conference plus three more. Here are the reasons I doubt such a game was ever even considered:

1) The game would have HAD to have been played in September in Arizona. Are you out of your mind?

2) Many sports entities - and SEC teams in particular - were very cautious about scheduling games in Arizona because of the controversy surrounding their refusal to recognize MLK Day. You may recall that there was HUGE stink over the winner of the 1990 Iron Bowl getting a berth in the Fiesta Bowl. NAACP and civil rights groups were demanding a boycott, but anyone who thinks Alabama or Auburn was going to leave $2.5 million for someone else to take has been smoking some serious crack. So I honestly doubt any effort would have gone on at the time to play them. Remember, we were winding up a 10-year series with Penn State and everyone knew expansion and an SEC title game was inevitable.

3) The stadium has never even seated 60,000 people, so I seriously doubt it unless we were trying to schedule a neutral site game - and why do that with ARIZONA of all teams? Alabama could get a neutral site game with USC even in 1991 and sell out a 100,000 seat arena, so why waste our time with AZ?

1) Well now you have peaked my curiosity Selma. Bama played penn state in 1989 and 1990 in the last week of October. Was it because they were a independent at the time that Bama was able to schedule a high profile non-con game so late in the year?

2) like I said, it was just a rumor I heard and wanted to See if it had any legs.

3) I see your point but bama did travel to La. Lafayette in 1990. I don’t know how many people there stadium holds.

4) Since I got your attention at the moment. What would you have thought of the game specifically from a matchup/defensive stand point???