1952 Alabama Crimson Tide football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1952 Alabama Crimson Tide football Southeastern Conference SEC 9 9 10–2 4–2 Harold Drew 6th Bobby Wilson Denny StadiumLegion FieldLadd StadiumCramton Bowl Orange Bowl champion Orange Bowl W Won 61–6 vs. Syracuse The 1952 Alabama Crimson Tide football team (variously "Alabama", "UA" or "Bama") represented the University of Alabama in the 1952 college football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 58th overall and 19th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The team was led by head coach Harold Drew, in his sixth year, and played their home games at Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Legion Field in Birmingham, Ladd Stadium in Mobile and at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama. They finished with a record of ten wins and two losses (10–2 overall, 4–2 in the SEC) and with a victory over Syracuse in the Orange Bowl. After a 5–6 campaign for the 1951 season, Alabama bounced back in 1952 to have its best season of the decade and finished 10–2. However, losses to Tennessee, for the fifth consecutive year without a victory, and Georgia Tech cost Alabama the SEC title. The Crimson Tide ended the season in its first bowl game in five years, against Syracuse in the Orange Bowl. The 61–6 Alabama victory set a school record for most points scored in a bowl game and an Orange Bowl record for points scored until the 2012 Orange Bowl. The 55-point margin of victory stood as the all-time record for margin of victory in a bowl game through the 2008 GMAC Bowl. Freshman quarterback Bart Starr, playing with the varsity, appeared in seven games as the backup to Clell Hobson. Starr went on to have a legendary Hall of Fame career as quarterback of the Green Bay Packers. Schedule 1952 AP September 19 w y Mississippi Southern Cramton Bowl Montgomery, AL 20–6 12,000 September 27 w y LSU Tiger Stadium Baton Rouge, LA rivalry 21–20 34,000 October 3 w y y Miami (FL) Burdine Stadium Miami, FL 21–7 53,916 October 11 w y 18 VPI Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, AL 33–0 16,000 October 18 l y 18 Tennessee Shields–Watkins Field Knoxville, TN Third Saturday in October 0–20 55,000 October 25 w y Mississippi State Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, AL rivalry 42–19 25,000 November 1 w 19 Georgia Legion Field Birmingham, AL rivalry 34–19 34,000 November 8 w y 16 Chattanooga Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, AL 42–28 18,000 November 15 l y 12 Georgia Tech 2 Grant Field Atlanta, GA rivalry NBC 3–7 40,000 November 22 w y 14 Maryland 8 Ladd Stadium Mobile, AL 27–7 33,178 November 29 w y 8 Auburn Legion Field Birmingham, AL Iron Bowl 21–0 40,000 January 1, 1953 w y y 9 Syracuse 14 Burdine Stadium Miami, FL Orange Bowl CBS 61–6 66,280 http://www.rolltide.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/m-footbl-results-archive.html#1952 1952 Alabama football schedule RollTide.com University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics October 28, 2012 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20111125000700/http://www.rolltide.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/m-footbl-results-archive.html November 25, 2011 Game summaries Mississippi Southern 1952 Southern Miss Golden Eagles Mississippi Southern 0 6 0 0 Alabama 7 6 7 0 September 19 Cramton BowlMontgomery, AL 12,000 Source:Tide running game tops Southern by 20–6 count https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gxEdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=K5gEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7192%2C1647985 Google News Archives The Tuscaloosa News September 20, 1952 1 October 28, 2012 To open the 1952 season, Alabama defeated the Mississippi Southern Golden Eagles 20–6 at the Cramton Bowl in a game where the Crimson Tide set a conference with their 12 fumbles.1952 Season Recap Clell Hobson scored the first touchdown for Alabama on his eight-yard run in the first quarter for a 7–0 lead. Southern responded in the second quarter with their lone points on a 13-yard Laurin Pepper touchdown run before the Crimson Tide made the halftime score 13–6 after a four-yard Bobby Luna run. Alabama then scored the final touchdown of the game in the third on a four-yard Bobby Marlow run. LSU 1952 LSU Tigers football team LSU 0 7 6 7 Alabama 0 14 0 7 September 27 Tiger StadiumBaton Rouge, LA 34,000 Source:Edwin Watkins Bama bounces Bengals by score of 21–20 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iBEdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=K5gEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7007%2C2447916 Google News Archives The Tuscaloosa News September 28, 1952 8 October 28, 2012 To open conference play for the 1952 season, Alabama defeated LSU 21–20 at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge. After the Tigers took a 7–0 lead on a 16-yard Al Doggett touchdown pass to Ron Emberg, Bobby Luna scored on a pair of two-yard touchdown runs and gave the Crimson Tide a 14–7 halftime lead. LSU responded to take a 20–14 lead late in the fourth quarter after Doggett scored on a 38-yard run in the third and on a 20-yard Norman Stevens run early in the fourth quarter. Alabama then scored the game-winning touchdown on a 95-yard Bob Conway kickoff return for the 21–20 win. Miami (FL) 1952 Miami Hurricanes football team Alabama 0 7 7 7 Miami 0 7 0 0 October 3 Burdine StadiumMiami, FL 53,916 Source:U-M fails first major test in power battle Morris McLemore https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MsgyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=C-wFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2815%2C1751041 Google News Archives The Miami News October 4, 1952 2B October 28, 2012 On a Friday evening in Miami, Alabama defeated the Miami Hurricanes 21–7 at Burdine Stadium. After a scoreless first quarter, Miami scored the first touchdown of the game on a one-yard Don James run and Alabama followed with a one-yard Bobby Marlow touchdown run to tie the game at halftime 7–7. In the second half, the Crimson Tide defense shut out the Hurricanes and the offense added a pair of touchdowns to win 21–7. The second-half touchdowns were scored on a second one-yard Marlow run in the third quarter and on a four-yard Thomas Tharp run in the fourth quarter. VPI 1952 VPI Gobblers football team VPI 0 0 0 0 #18 Alabama 14 13 0 6 October 11 Denny StadiumTuscaloosa, AL 16,000 Source:Edwin Watkins Tide eases by V.P.I., 33–0 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kREdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=K5gEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7092%2C3736562 Google News Archives The Tuscaloosa News October 12, 1952 8 October 28, 2012 Against the Fighting Gobblers of VPI (now known as the Virginia Tech Hokies), Alabama won 33–0 at Denny Field. Four first half touchdowns gave the Crimson Tide a 27–0 halftime lead that proved insurmountable for the Gobblers. Touchdown were scored in the first on a 10-yard Bobby Luna run and a three-yard Tommy Lewis run, and in the second on Thomas Tharp runs of 85 and 20-yards. With the reserves in place of the second half, the final touchdown of the game came in the fourth quarter when Bobby Duke threw a 14-yard strike to William Oliver and made the final score 33–0. Tennessee 1952 Tennessee Volunteers football team Third Saturday in October #18 Alabama 0 0 0 0 Tennessee 6 0 0 14 October 18 Shields-Watkins FieldKnoxville, TN 55,000 Sources:Edwin Watkins Tennessee rolls over Tide by 20–0 score https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mBEdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=K5gEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6947%2C4435735 Google News Archives The Tuscaloosa News October 19, 1952 10 October 28, 2012 Against their long-time rival, the Tennessee Volunteers, Alabama was shut out 20–0 at Shields-Watkins Field for their first loss of the season. The first Tennessee points were set up early in the first after Mack Franklin blocked a Bobby Wilson punt. Andy Kozar then gave the Vols a 6–0 lead with his two-yard run on the drive that ensued. Tennessee did not score again until the fourth quarter when Pat Shires threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Frank Alexander and Jimmy Wade scored on a four-yard run for the 20–0 victory. Mississippi State 1952 Mississippi State Maroons football team Mississippi State 7 0 12 0 Alabama 7 14 7 14 October 25 Denny StadiumTuscaloosa, AL 25,000 Source:Norman Bassett Bama batters Maroons 42–19 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zjo_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=7UwMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6385%2C2071790 Google News Archives The Tuscaloosa News 8 October 26, 1952 October 28, 2012 On homecoming in Tuscaloosa, the Crimson Tide scored touchdowns in all four quarters and defeated the Mississippi State Maroons 42–19 at Denny Stadium. Jackie Parker scored the first touchdown of the game for the Maroons with his one-yard touchdown run and Bobby Marlow responded with a nine-yard run to tie the game 7–7 at the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter, Marlow scored touchdowns on a 56-yard run and on a 14-yard reception from Clell Hobson and gave Alabama a 21–7 halftime lead. In between Parker touchdown runs of two and six-yards for State, Thomas Tharp scored for the Tide on a 23-yard run and Alabama led 28–19 at the end of the third. The Crimson Tide then closed the game with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns on a 45-yard Hobson pass to Tharp and a four-yard Bob Conway run for the 42–19 win. Georgia 1952 Georgia Bulldogs football team Georgia 6 6 0 7 #19 Alabama 7 7 7 13 November 1 Legion FieldBirmingham, AL 34,000 Sources:Edwin Watkins Tide ground game batters Bulldogs, 34–19 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=vvgcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OZgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7050%2C116420 Google News Archives The Tuscaloosa News November 2, 1952 10 October 28, 2012 At Legion Field, Alabama defeated the Georgia Bulldogs 34–19, and with the victory exceeded their win total from the previous season. After Bobby Marlow gave Alabama a 7–0 first quarter lead, the Bulldogs responded with a 12-yard Zeke Bratkowski touchdown pass to Robert Dellinger in the first and on a one-yard Robert Clemens run for a 12–7 second quarter lead. Clell Hobson then scored on a four-yard run to give the Crimson Tide a 14–12 halftime lead. Alabama then scored on a pair of Thomas Tharp touchdown runs of 13 and 19-yards and a Bob Conway run of one-yard for a 34–12 lead late in the fourth quarter. A nine-yard James Harper run for Georgia late in the fourth provided for the final 34–19 winning margin for the Crimson Tide. Chattanooga 1952 Chattanooga Mocs Chattanooga 7 0 0 21 #16 Alabama 0 21 21 0 November 8 Denny StadiumTuscaloosa, AL 18,000 Source:Edwin Watkins Tide rips Moccasins, 42–28 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xfgcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OZgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5885%2C792758 Google News Archives The Tuscaloosa News November 9, 1952 8 October 28, 2012 After going down 7–0, Alabama responded with 42 consecutive points and defeated the Chattanooga Moccasins 42–28 at Denny Stadium. Hal Ledyard scored for the Mocs on a three-yard run in the first quarter to give Chattanooga their only lead at 7–0. Alabama responded with touchdown runs of seven-yards by Bobby Marlow and 56 and six-yards by Thomas Tharp in the second for a 21–7 halftime lead. The Crimson Tide then scored another three touchdowns in the third quarter on a 60-yard Hootie Ingram interception return, a one-yard Bob Conway run and a two-yard Bobby Luna run for a 42–7 lead at the end of the third quarter. With the game in hand, the Alabama reserves did surrender three fourth-quarter touchdowns to the Mocs in a span of just over four minutes to make the final score 42–28. Chattanooga touchdowns in the quarter were scored on a 15-yard Ledyard pass to Fremo Ross, a 64-yard Ledyard pass to Jack Stanford and on a one-yard Buck Stamps run. Georgia Tech 1952 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team #12 Alabama 3 0 0 0 #2 Georgia Tech 0 7 0 0 November 15 Grant FieldAtlanta, GA 40,000 ABC Source:Norman Bassett Georgia Tech shades Tide 7–3 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zPgcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OZgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7244%2C1434546 Google News Archives The Tuscaloosa News November 16, 1952 10 October 28, 2012 In what was the ABC televised game of the week, Alabama lost to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 7–3 at Grant Field in Atlanta.Tech, Bama clash in TV Game of the Week https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=y_gcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OZgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5233%2C1337737 Google News Archives The Tuscaloosa News November 15, 1952 1 October 28, 2012 After a 25-yard Bobby Luna field goal gave the Crimson Tide a 3–0 first quarter lead, a nine-yard Dick Pretz touchdown run in the second quarter proved to be the game-winner for Tech. Maryland 1952 Maryland Terrapins football team #8 Maryland 0 0 7 0 #14 Alabama 6 7 7 7 November 22 Ladd StadiumMobile, AL 33,178 Source:Bama running game smashed Terps 27–7 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0_gcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OZgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7257%2C2129316 Google News Archives The Tuscaloosa News November 23, 1952 10 October 28, 2012 In the first all-time meeting between the schools, Alabama upset the Maryland Terrapins 27–7 at Ladd Stadium in Mobile. The Crimson Tide scored touchdowns in all four quarters. They were scored in the first half on an 11-yard Bobby Luna pass to Bart Starr in the first quarter and on a one-yard Tommy Lewis run in the second for a 13–0 halftime lead for Alabama. After a 25-yard Jack Scarbath touchdown pass to Lou Weidensaul early in the third cut the Crimson Tide lead to 13–7, Alabama scored two more touchdowns to put the game away. The first came in the third quarter on a one-yard Bobby Marlow run and the second on a 22-yard Hootie Ingram interception return late in the fourth to make the final score 27–7. Auburn 1952 Auburn Tigers football team Iron Bowl Auburn 0 0 0 0 #8 Alabama 14 7 0 0 November 29 Legion FieldBirmingham, AL 40,000 Source:Norman Bassett Bama splashes to 21–0 win over Auburn https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2PgcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OZgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7248%2C2727020 Google News Archives The Tuscaloosa News November 30, 1952 8 October 29, 2012Griffin John Chandler Alabama vs. Auburn: Gridiron Grudge Since 1893 2001 Hill Street Press Athens, Georgia 1-58818-044-1 139–141 1952: 9–2 Tide takes Orange Bowl win For the fourth time in five years since the revival of the Auburn series, Alabama shutout the Tigers 21–0 at Legion Field. The Crimson Tide took a 14–0 lead in the first quarter on touchdown runs of 13 and eight-yards by Tommy Lewis. Bobby Luna then scored the final touchdown in the second quarter on a four-yard run for the 21–0 victory. Syracuse 1952 Syracuse Orangemen football team Orange Bowl #14 Syracuse 6 0 0 0 #9 Alabama 7 14 20 20 January 1, 1953 Burdine StadiumMiami, FL 66,280 CBS Source:Edwin Watkins Bama smashes records, Syracuse, 61 to 6 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Eh4fAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MpgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6870%2C70648 Google News Archives The Tuscaloosa News January 2, 1953 1 October 29, 2012 In what was the first bowl game that the Crimson Tide competed in since the 1948 Sugar Bowl, Alabama dominated the Syracuse Orangemen 61–6, and the 55-point margin of victory remained the largest for a bowl game until the 2008 GMAC Bowl.http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=280060189 https://web.archive.org/web/20080110133007/http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=280060189 dead January 10, 2008 Smith's 14th straight 300-yard game leads Tulsa past Bowling Green January 6, 2008 Associated Press ESPN.com October 29, 2012 In the first quarter, Alabama scored on a 27-yard touchdown pass from Clell Hobson to Bobby Luna to take a 7–0 lead. Syracuse responded on the following possession with their lone touchdown of the game on a 15-yard Joe Szombathy touchdown run to make the score 7–6. From this point, the Orangemen did not score again and the Crimson Tide dominated with 54 unanswered points. Alabama extended their lead to 21–6 at halftime on a one-yard Bobby Marlow touchdown run and a 50-yard Thomas Tharp reception from Hobson. In the third quarter, the Crimson Tide scored three more touchdowns on a 38-yard Bobby Luna run and on Tommy Lewis runs of one and 30-yards. With a 41–6 lead at the end of the third, Alabama scored another three touchdowns in the fourth quarter on a 21-yard Joe Cummings reception from Bart Starr, an 80-yard Hootie Ingram punt return and a 60-yard Marvin Hill interception return. Personnel Varsity letter winners Player Hometown Position Ralph Carrigan Oak Park, Illinois Center Bob Conway Fort Wayne, Indiana Halfback Ed Culpepper Bradenton, Florida Tackle Joe Cummings Muleshoe, Texas End Joe Curtis Birmingham, Alabama End Tom Danner Tuscaloosa, Alabama Guard Jim Davis Hamilton, Alabama Guard Vincent Delaurentis Hammonton, New Jersey Center Charles Eckerly Oak Park, Illinois Guard Marvin Hill Huntsville, Alabama Quarterback Clell Hobson Tuscaloosa, Alabama Quarterback Travis Hunt Albertville, Alabama Tackle Hootie Ingram Tuscaloosa, Alabama Back Hyrle Ivy Fort Wayne, Indiana End William Kilroy Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Fullback Jerry Lambert Alabama City, Alabama End Harry Lee Birmingham, Alabama Guard Bo Collins Yazoo City, Mississippi Guard Tommy Lewis Greenville, Alabama Fullback Bobby Luna Huntsville, Alabama Halfback Charles Malcolm Birmingham, Alabama Fullback Van Marcus Birmingham, Alabama Tackle Bobby Marlow Troy, Alabama Halfback George Mason Langdale, Alabama Tackle Fred Mims Birmingham, Alabama Guard William Oliver Panola, Alabama Halfback Edward Pharo Birmingham, Alabama Fullback Jess Richardson Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Guard Billy Shipp Mobile, Alabama Tackle Jack Smalley Tuscaloosa, Alabama Tackle John Snoderly Montgomery, Alabama Center Bart Starr Montgomery, Alabama Quarterback Thomas Tharp Birmingham, Alabama Halfback Tommy Tillman Haleyville, Alabama End Jerry Watford Gadsden, Alabama Guard Bob Wilga Webster, Massachusetts Guard Billy Williams Lincoln, Alabama Tackle Virgil Willis Tifton, Georgia End Bobby Wilson Bay Minette, Alabama Quarterback Sid Youngelman Newark, New Jersey TackleReference:2011 Alabama Crimson Tide Football Record Book 2011 All-Time Tide Football Lettermen University of Alabama Athletics Media Relations Office Tuscaloosa, Alabama 127–141 Coaching staff Name Position Seasons atAlabama Alma mater Harold Drew Head coach 19 Bates (1916) Lew Bostick Assistant coach 9 Alabama (1939) Tilden Campbell Assistant coach 13 Alabama (1935) Hank Crisp Assistant coach 25 VPI (1920) John Dee Assistant coach 1 Notre Dame (1945) Joe Kilgrow Assistant coach 9 Alabama (1937) Malcolm Laney Assistant coach 9 Alabama (1932) James Nisbet Assistant coach 4 Alabama (1937)Reference:2011 Alabama Crimson Tide Football Record Book 2011 All-Time Assistant Coaches University of Alabama Athletics Media Relations Office Tuscaloosa, Alabama 142–143 References General http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/alab/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/1952-m-footbl-recaps.pdf 1952 Season Recaps RollTide.com University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics October 29, 2012 PDF https://web.archive.org/web/20160304095738/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/alab/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/1952-m-footbl-recaps.pdf 2016-03-04 dead Specific Alabama Category:Alabama Crimson Tide football seasons Category:Orange Bowl champion seasons Alabama Crimson Tide football