1978 Alabama Crimson Tide football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1978 Alabama Crimson Tide football Southeastern Conference SEC 2 1 11–1 6–0 Bear Bryant 21st Mal Moore 4th Wishbone Ken Donahue 5th 5–2 Marty Lyons Jeff Rutledge Tony Nathan Bryant–Denny StadiumLegion Field AP Poll national championFWAA national championNFF national championSEC championSugar Bowl champion Sugar Bowl W Won 14–7 vs. Penn State The 1978 Alabama Crimson Tide football team (variously "Alabama", "UA" or "Bama") represented the University of Alabama in the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 84th overall and 45th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The team was led by head coach Bear Bryant, in his 21st year, and played their home games at Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. They finished season with eleven wins and one loss (11–1 overall, 6–0 in the SEC), as SEC champions and as national champions after a 14–7 victory over Penn State in the Sugar Bowl. Alabama's costumed "Big Al" mascot officially debuted this season, appearing at the Sugar Bowl. Schedule 1978 AP September 2 w y 1 Nebraska 10 Legion Field Birmingham, AL ABC 20–3 77,023 https://www.newspapers.com/article/sioux-city-journal-huskers-drop-203-bat/134307523/ The Sioux City Sunday Journal Huskers drop 20–3 battle September 3, 1978 October 29, 2023 Newspapers.com September 16 w y y 1 Missouri 11 Memorial Stadium Columbia, MO 38–20 73,655 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kansas-city-star-mu-fails-to-ride-cr/134307660/ The Kansas City Star MU fails to ride Crimson Tide 38–20 September 17, 1978 October 29, 2023 Newspapers.com September 23 l y 1 USC 7 Legion Field Birmingham, AL ABC 14–24 77,313 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-usc-has-no-1-bam/134307794/ Los Angeles Times USC has No. 1 'Bama on the run, 24–14 September 24, 1978 October 29, 2023 Newspapers.com September 30 w 7 Vanderbilt Bryant–Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, AL 51-28 56,910 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-selma-times-journal-tide-buries-vand/134287159/ The Selma Times-Journal Tide buries Vandy October 1, 1978 October 29, 2023 Newspapers.com October 7 w y y 8 Washington Husky Stadium Seattle, WA 20–17 60,975 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-nerves-of-steele-fail-h/134307889/ The News Tribune Nerves of Steele fail Huskies 20–17 October 8, 1978 October 29, 2023 Newspapers.com October 14 w 7 Florida Bryant–Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, AL rivalry 23–12 60,210 https://www.newspapers.com/article/pensacola-news-journal-bryant-unhappy-af/134290633/ The Pensacola News-Journal Bryant unhappy after beating Florida October 15, 1978 October 29, 2023 Newspapers.com October 21 w y 4 Tennessee Neyland Stadium Knoxville, TN Third Saturday in October 30–17 85,436 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/101449514/vols-fall-prey-to-tide-3017/ The Tennessean Vols fall prey to Tide 30–17 October 22, 1978 October 29, 2023 Newspapers.com October 28 w y y 3 Virginia Tech Bryant–Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, AL 35–0 60,210 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90633327/alabama-romps-to-homecoming-victory/ The Selma Times-Journal Alabama romps to homecoming victory October 29, 1978 October 29, 2023 Newspapers.com November 4 w 3 Mississippi State Legion Field Birmingham, AL rivalry 35–14 74,217 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-tide-chains-msu/134289880/ The Shreveport Times Tide chains MSU November 5, 1978 October 29, 2023 Newspapers.com November 11 w 3 LSU 10 Legion Field Birmingham, AL rivalry ABC 31–10 76,831 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-buffalo-news-tide-swamps-lsu/134299900/ The Buffalo News Tide swamps LSU November 12, 1978 October 29, 2023 Newspapers.com December 2 w y 2 Auburn Legion Field Birmingham, AL Iron Bowl 34–16 79,218 https://www.newspapers.com/article/pensacola-news-journal-alabama-crushes-a/134301534/ The Pensacola News-Journal Alabama crushes Auburn December 3, 1978 October 29, 2023 Newspapers.com January 1, 1979 w y y 2 Penn State 1 Louisiana Superdome New Orleans, LA ABC Sugar Bowl, rivalry 14–7 76,824 https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-post-herald-hard-hitting-defe/134308123/ Birmingham Post-Herald Hard-hitting defense keys Bama victory January 2, 1979 October 29, 2023 Newspapers.com http://www.rolltide.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/m-footbl-results-archive.html#1978 1978 Alabama football schedule RollTide.com University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics July 15, 2015 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20111125000700/http://www.rolltide.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/m-footbl-results-archive.html November 25, 2011 Before the season Alabama ended the 1977 season with the disappointment of a #2 finish, an 11-point voting margin behind national champion Notre Dame. On April 13, 1978, Paul Bryant was one of several coaches quoted in an AP interview that focused on efforts to rid college football of cheating. Bryant advocated a rule requiring coaches notify the NCAA of suspected infractions immediately and getting it over with rather than complaining after losing a game. On April 20, nearly a dozen players with injuries were held out of the annual A-Day game that ended in a colorless 7–7 tie. The biggest concern was a knee injury to second-string QB Steadman Shealy. Bryant, in the post A-Day game press conference, declared his 1978 team would have "a questionable offense, an average kicking game, and a good defense" in the post-A-Day game press conference. Lastly a newcomer who was recruited four years ago but decided to pursue other athletics adventures started as outside linebacker from Richmond Virginia, Eddie McGeorge. Bear Bryant felt his team was not prepared enough for their week-1 game against Nebraska and did not feel his team deserved their #1 rating.1978 Bryant:Tide Not No. 1 after Spring's Discontent The Sacramento Bee web https://www.newspapers.com/image/620943655/?terms=Michael%20Droese%20sprinter 13 March 2023 Sugar Bowl The 1979 Sugar Bowl against Penn State would go down as a classic.Greatest Bowl Games Alabama scored in the second quarter, then Penn State answered in the third, then Alabama took a 14–7 lead on a touchdown set up by a 62-yard punt return. Penn State had a chance to tie in the fourth, but quarterback Chuck Fusina threw an interception into the Alabama end zone.http://digitalnewspapers.libraries.psu.edu/Default/Skins/BasicArch/Client.asp?Skin=BasicArch&&AppName=2&enter=true&BaseHref=DCG%2F1979%2F01%2F03&EntityId=Ar00400 Penn State Daily Collegian, 3 January 1979 20 February 2021 4 March 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160304022810/http://digitalnewspapers.libraries.psu.edu/Default/Skins/BasicArch/Client.asp?Skin=BasicArch&&AppName=2&enter=true&BaseHref=DCG%2F1979%2F01%2F03&EntityId=Ar00400 dead Then Alabama had a chance to put the game away, but fumbled the football back to Penn State at the Nittany Lion 19-yard-line with four minutes to go. Penn State drove to a first and goal at the Alabama eight. On third and goal from the one, Fusina asked Bama defensive lineman Marty Lyons "What do you think we should do?", and Lyons answered "You'd better pass.""Sugar Bowl Memories", Tuscaloosa News On third down, Penn State was stopped inches short of the goal line. On fourth down, Penn State was stopped again, Barry Krauss meeting Mike Guman and throwing him back for no gain. Alabama held on for a 14–7 victory. The Crimson Tide split the national championship, winning the AP poll while Southern California won the UPI Coaches' poll, this despite the Trojans' 24–14 victory over the Crimson Tide on September 23. It was Alabama's fifth wire service national championship. Personnel 1978 Alabama Crimson Tide f Buddy Aydelette 78 T Jr y Sr Bruce Bolton WR Jr Vince Boothe OL Jr Mike Brock OL Jr Jim Bunch OL y Tim Clark WR Fr James Haney RB So John Hill RB Sr Lou Ikner RB So Billy Jackson RB y Billy Jackson (American football) So Joe Jones RB Sr Kevin Jones QB Alan Krout WR Tony Nathan 22 RB Sr y Sr Rick Neal WR 42 So Major Ogilvie RB 4 Jr Keith Pugh WR Jeff Rutledge 11 QB Sr y 69 So Bill Searcey OT y 10 Jr Steadman Shealy QB y Dwight Stephenson 57 C Jr y Tim Travis 88 TE Jr n Sr John Turpin RB Steve Whitman 45 FB Jr n So Henry Adams DB Sr Phil Allman DB So Charles Andre LB Jr Thomas Boler DT So Byron Braggs DL y Sr Allen Crumbley DB 51 So Gary DeNiro DL 94 Jr Wayne Hamilton DL Jim Bob Harris DB 95 So Mike Inman DT E. J. Junior 39 DE So y Sr Barry Krauss LB y Sr Murray Legg DB Fr Warren Lyles DL Sr Marty Lyons DL y Eddie McGeorge LB Curtis McGriff 96 DT Jr y Don McNeal 28 DB Jr y Randy Scott Randy Scott (American football) 50 LB So y Jr Bobby Smith DB So Ricky Tucker DB Rich Wingo 36 LB Sr y So Don Jacobs P So Woody Umphrey P *Bear Bryant https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/rolltide.com/documents/2010/4/21/78-m-footbl-roster.pdf?timestamp=20160610120150 References General http://grfx.cstv.com/schools/alab/graphics/docs/77-m-footbl-recaps.pdf 1977 Season Recaps RollTide.com University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics July 15, 2015 March 4, 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160304085944/http://grfx.cstv.com/schools/alab/graphics/docs/77-m-footbl-recaps.pdf dead http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/alab/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2012-13/misc_non_event/2012FootballRecordBook.pdf 2012 Alabama Crimson Tide Football Record Book 2012 University of Alabama Athletics Media Relations Office Tuscaloosa, Alabama July 15, 2015 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20160304115208/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/alab/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2012-13/misc_non_event/2012FootballRecordBook.pdf March 4, 2016 Specific Alabama Category:Alabama Crimson Tide football seasons Category:College football national champions Category:Southeastern Conference football champion seasons Category:Sugar Bowl champion seasons Alabama Crimson Tide football