History of the Alabama Crimson Tide Football Team

The University of Alabama was founded in Tuscaloosa in 1831, but it wasn’t until 1892 that the football team took the field for the first time. There has probably been no program that has meant as much to the identity of its home state as Alabama. Alabama can claim at least a share of 12 National Championships and make a good argument that it was unfairly denied a few others. The Tide have also claimed 21 SEC Championships. Alabama has had 30 ten win seasons, played in 53 bowl games and won 30 bowl games, which are all NCAA records. Ninety-one Alabama players have been All-Americans, but they have not had one Heisman trophy winner. A fact that Alabama takes pride in because it shows they play as a team.

Alabama had a good team right from the beginning of their history. Over the first 30 years they went 116 – 53 – 16, but still lacked respect from the college football world. Going into the 1922 season the University of Penn was one of the powerhouses in college football with a 336 – 101 – 19 record dating back to 1885. That season Penn had Alabama on the schedule and they weren’t giving Alabama any respect, the game against the Tide was considered to be “a breather”. The Tide won 9 – 7 and was the first time Alabama had gone up north and won a game. It may not have been their most dominating game or their most exciting game, but it was the game that gave validation to the Alabama football program.