What are some games that Alabama was lucky or very fortunate to win?

81usaf92

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We constantly talk about other teams being lucky at beating us, but let’s flip the argument just for once . What are some games in which Bama was lucky to win. Because there have been times in which Lady Luck just smiled on us or we pulled one out of our tail to win.

I got 4 in mind.

2018 Georgia SECCG- Fromm owned our defense all game, Tua was hurt and very ineffective, and we had two coordinators that had no clue of what to do. We were lucky that Kirby was the coach on the other side and not someone like Kiffin or Spurrier who would’ve kept throwing the ball to the TE until we proved we could stop it. Georgia really should have won that game, and it’s probably the worst Kirby blunder in his many.

2005/2009 Tennessee games- I couldn’t decide which one was more crazy because they are basically the same story in which Bama and Tennessee played to a snoozer and Tennessee is pretty much in the cat bird’s seat to win it late but something just crazy swings Alabama’s way to give us the victory.

2001 Iowa St: I still don’t understand how that ball wasn’t between the uprights. Nor do I understand how Alabama was even in the game after they outgained us by nearly 200 yards of total offense. While the 3 above are still cemented in Alabama lore, and I can think of more Lucky or very fortunate to win games Alabama has been on the winning side on, this one I still remember very well for some odd reason.
 

4Q Basket Case

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1993 Tennessee — yes, I know it was a tie, but we had no business being in the game at all.

1996 Auburn. We won on an epic drive late with no time-outs and Freddie Kitchens was calling plays in the huddle. That win was in spite of the coaches, not because of them.

2005 Tennessee — for reasons already cited.

1991 Tennessee — we couldn’t move the ball at all, and got lucky with the blocked FG bouncing backward 25-30 yards. Doyle still had to kick a 45-50 yd FG to win, but there’s no way the offense could have covered the distance needed for even a longer-shot FG on its own.

I saw 2009 Tennessee as them being lucky to be in it. Late fumble by Trent Richardson. Recovered onside kick, some defensive busts in pass coverage. It wasn’t going to be a pretty win under any circumstances, but UTe had no business being in the position they were when Cody blocked his second FG.
 

selmaborntidefan

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We constantly talk about other teams being lucky at beating us, but let’s flip the argument just for once . What are some games in which Bama was lucky to win. Because there have been times in which Lady Luck just smiled on us or we pulled one out of our tail to win.

I got 4 in mind.

2018 Georgia SECCG- Fromm owned our defense all game, Tua was hurt and very ineffective, and we had two coordinators that had no clue of what to do. We were lucky that Kirby was the coach on the other side and not someone like Kiffin or Spurrier who would’ve kept throwing the ball to the TE until we proved we could stop it. Georgia really should have won that game, and it’s probably the worst Kirby blunder in his many.

2005/2009 Tennessee games- I couldn’t decide which one was more crazy because they are basically the same story in which Bama and Tennessee played to a snoozer and Tennessee is pretty much in the cat bird’s seat to win it late but something just crazy swings Alabama’s way to give us the victory.

2001 Iowa St: I still don’t understand how that ball wasn’t between the uprights. Nor do I understand how Alabama was even in the game after they outgained us by nearly 200 yards of total offense. While the 3 above are still cemented in Alabama lore, and I can think of more Lucky or very fortunate to win games Alabama has been on the winning side on, this one I still remember very well for some odd reason.
From before your time but....


1972 vs Tennessee


Vols lead, 10-3, with 2:39 left in the game. Alabama drives 54 yards for a TD to tie the game. Yes, TIE the game. Moments later, Alabama gets a fumble from Vols QB Condredge Holloway and scores a second TD with about a minute or so left. Tide wins, 17-10, despite trailing most of the 2nd half.

1981 Mississippi State - 17 turnovers between the two teams, 11 by Alabama. MSU had won the previous year and were in FG range for a tie. They went for the win and Tommy Wilcox picked off the pass at the goal line for a 13-10 survival win. They outplayed us, they just didn't beat us.

1984 Auburn - Pat Dye blew his own testicles off that day.

1985 Auburn - just an incredible game, but yes, we were fortunate. Lucky, no. But fortunate, yes.

1988 Kentucky - the Big Blue Cats collapsed, and we won with a backup QB to a guy almost nobody remembers on the last play

1989 Penn State - God bless Thomas Rayam's mother

1990 Tennessee - Rocky Block I

1991 Miss State - we were as good as dead, first and goal State, third and goal at the two. But someone jumped with a false start, and we got away with it.

1998 LSU - I'm sure you recall this one. We had no business winning that game.
 

CrimsonEyeshade

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The 8-7 win over Florida State in 1974.
This is the 'retire the trophy' winner. I was in school at the time and didn't even bother going to the game because it was expected to be such a monumental rout, even though we were down to our third and fourth string quarterbacks. FSU had the country's longest losing streak, as I recall.

Desperate last minute drive and 37-yard field goal by Bucky Berry. Bizarre.
 

OSUTideFan

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I did come across this gem online. I didn’t hotlink it because of foul language but apparently it was a real heartbreaker for Tennessee at least a decade ago. (Image below is just an image. Play button won’t work)
CEEEA690-7AA6-45B0-A279-8438D91662AC.jpeg

Edit: with deference to Selma, would the 2009 Tennessee game be called Rocky Block II?
 

selmaborntidefan

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I did come across this gem online. I didn’t hotlink it because of foul language but apparently it was a real heartbreaker for Tennessee at least a decade ago. (Image below is just an image. Play button won’t work)
View attachment 16558

Edit: with deference to Selma, would the 2009 Tennessee game be called Rocky Block II?
Basically, yes. But I think they actually use the words "Desperation Block 2" for 1990 Tennessee, the 1989 Penn State game being the first one.
 
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selmaborntidefan

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1993 Tennessee — yes, I know it was a tie, but we had no business being in the game at all.

1996 Auburn. We won on an epic drive late with no time-outs and Freddie Kitchens was calling plays in the huddle. That win was in spite of the coaches, not because of them.

2005 Tennessee — for reasons already cited.

1991 Tennessee — we couldn’t move the ball at all, and got lucky with the blocked FG bouncing backward 25-30 yards. Doyle still had to kick a 45-50 yd FG to win, but there’s no way the offense could have covered the distance needed for even a longer-shot FG on its own.

I saw 2009 Tennessee as them being lucky to be in it. Late fumble by Trent Richardson. Recovered onside kick, some defensive busts in pass coverage. It wasn’t going to be a pretty win under any circumstances, but UTe had no business being in the position they were when Cody blocked his second FG.
Not to be a jerk I promise, but it was Mark Ingram that fumbled. Still unbelievable.
 

TideEngineer08

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It's difficult to find one on my lifetime more incredible than 2009 Tennessee. 4Q makes a great point in that we out played them but just kept making mistakes allowing them to hang around. But still, coming down to a chip shot FG, and after you've already been fortunate enough to block one, and then the same guy blocks that potential game winner? That was bizarre.

2005 Tennessee is another good one. The perfect helmet placement by Roman Harper to force that touchback fumble, but then remember, a completely inept Alabama offense had to get the ball back into FG range for the game winner. Wasn't it Croyle to Keith Brown or DJ Hall for a really long pass to set it up?

1992 Florida, in the SEC Championship wasn't necessarily LUCK... but we were fortunate. Spurrier's offense did have our defense on its heels a bit. They did have momentum with the ball and a tie game, but Langham slammed the door shut.

One of my favorites, which Selma has listed is 1998 LSU. Yes, we had absolutely no business winning that game. Similarly to the 2009 Tennessee game, the same player (Quincy Jackson) makes the same bizarre play twice (catching a TD pass off a tipped ball). We also get an onside kick. We played like trash for 3 and half quarters. But Gerry DiNardo was the coach on the other sideline, and well, we all know how that tended to go.
 
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TideEngineer08

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Also 1999 Florida, in the regular season. Both teams played a great game, so it wasn't like one team was garbage and then just got lucky because the other team played down. But to have them miss an XP in overtime, and then we miss too but it was redone because they were offsides, only to see Chris Kemp nearly miss the make up XP at the opposite goal post? We were a bit lucky that afternoon.

We had to repay the debt in the Orange Bowl against Michigan though.
 

81usaf92

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Also 1999 Florida, in the regular season. Both teams played a great game, so it wasn't like one team was garbage and then just got lucky because the other team played down. But to have them miss an XP in overtime, and then we miss too but it was redone because they were offsides, only to see Chris Kemp nearly miss the make up XP at the opposite goal post? We were a bit lucky that afternoon.
You forgot the most insane aspect of the game. I forget the exact amount of time, paging dr @selmaborntidefan, but I remember us down 7, having no time outs, on their side of the 50 , very little time remaining, and Dumbose decides to punt. They muff and we recovered it inside their 20. That effectively sent it into over time.
 
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81usaf92

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Apr 26, 2008
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South Alabama
I did come across this gem online. I didn’t hotlink it because of foul language but apparently it was a real heartbreaker for Tennessee at least a decade ago. (Image below is just an image. Play button won’t work)
View attachment 16558

Edit: with deference to Selma, would the 2009 Tennessee game be called Rocky Block II?
BVD (Big Vol Daddy) can be very funny, but you have to kinda like the TTC (Trash Talking Community). But that is by far his most famous Clip.
 
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Tidewater

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I might have to go with 2005 Tennessee.
UT drives to the 15 yard line late in the 4th with a 3-3 tie. (Bama had not converted a 3rd down the entire half.) Then on a 3rd down screen pass, Roman Harper knocks the ball loose, it rolls into the end zone, and out the back of the end zone.
(I have always thought that the rule that an offensive player who fumbles the ball through the end zone and out of bounds results in the other team getting the ball at the 20 was weird. It would make more sense to return the ball to the spot of the fumble and the fumbling team retain possession. This rule screwed Bama against the Barn in 2010, but paid huge dividends against Tennessee in 2005. The rule was correctly applied, but it is just a weird rule.)
Then but Croyle hit Hall for a 50-yard bomb at the 18 with two minutes to play. FG Bama, game over. Bama did not play well in the second half, but won on the scoreboard.
 

jabcmb

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2006 Cotton Bowl win over Texas Tech (later vacated I think), Bama won 13-10 on a low, long, wobbly field goal at the end. Texas Tech had a great offense but met their match and Bama had a few sacks. When Texas Tech did finally score their lone TD that day, it happened so fast and easy it was almost a shock they didn’t do it again.
And I don’t miss the old Cotton Bowl.
 

TideEngineer08

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You forgot the most insane aspect of the game. I forget the exact amount of time, paging dr @selmaborntidefan, but I remember us down 7, having no time outs, on their side of the 50 , very little time remaining, and Dumbose decides to punt. They muff and we recovered it inside their 20. That effectively sent it into over time.
Yep. Not sure of timing either. And I'm pretty sure it was Marvin Brown that recovered the fumble, but he really didn't. Instant replay may have overturned that one. It was a stunning play to have happened to Florida in the Swamp. It does seem like there were a couple of minutes left in the game at that point. Too late to be giving the ball back to them.

But, as to the point of the thread, Lady Luck was smiling on Doo Bose that day.
 
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jabcmb

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From before your time but....


1972 vs Tennessee


Vols lead, 10-3, with 2:39 left in the game. Alabama drives 54 yards for a TD to tie the game. Yes, TIE the game. Moments later, Alabama gets a fumble from Vols QB Condredge Holloway and scores a second TD with about a minute or so left. Tide wins, 17-10, despite trailing most of the 2nd half.

1981 Mississippi State - 17 turnovers between the two teams, 11 by Alabama. MSU had won the previous year and were in FG range for a tie. They went for the win and Tommy Wilcox picked off the pass at the goal line for a 13-10 survival win. They outplayed us, they just didn't beat us.

1984 Auburn - Pat Dye blew his own testicles off that day.

1985 Auburn - just an incredible game, but yes, we were fortunate. Lucky, no. But fortunate, yes.

1988 Kentucky - the Big Blue Cats collapsed, and we won with a backup QB to a guy almost nobody remembers on the last play

1989 Penn State - God bless Thomas Rayam's mother

1990 Tennessee - Rocky Block I

1991 Miss State - we were as good as dead, first and goal State, third and goal at the two. But someone jumped with a false start, and we got away with it.

1998 LSU - I'm sure you recall this one. We had no business winning that game.
On that 89 Penn St game - Bama held the lead but was was physically worn out at the end as PS drained the clock running the ball, gaining gobs of yardage. Why Paterno kicked at the end—-resulting in Thomas Rayam’s blocked FG—I don’t know. PS rb (Blair Thomas?) could have walked in.
 
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selmaborntidefan

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You forgot the most insane aspect of the game. I forget the exact amount of time, paging dr @selmaborntidefan, but I remember us down 7, having no time outs, on their side of the 50 , very little time remaining, and Dumbose decides to punt. They muff and we recovered it inside their 20. That effectively sent it into over time.

We were at the Gator 49.
A little over 3:20 to go.
Darrell Jackson fumbled at the 19 and we recovered at the 22.
It was fourth and 11.

Florid had scored on their three previous drives and one Alabama drive with a pick six since about 8 minutes left in the third quarter. They'd gotten 180 yards and three TDs in only 20 plays after we'd stopped them other than the first possession.
 

selmaborntidefan

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On that 89 Penn St game - Bama held the lead but was was physically worn out at the end as PS drained the clock running the ball, gaining gobs of yardage. Why Paterno kicked at the end—-resulting in Thomas Rayam’s blocked FG—I don’t know. PS rb (Blair Thomas?) could have walked in.
Probably because we had gone for it on a sure thing at the end of the first half and not gotten any points.
 
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