1981 Alabama Crimson Tide football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1981 Alabama Crimson Tide football Southeastern Conference SEC 6 7 9–2–1 6–0 Bear Bryant 24th Mal Moore 7th Wishbone Ken Donahue 8th 5–2 Warren Lyles Alan Gray Bryant–Denny StadiumLegion Field SEC co-champion Cotton Bowl L Lost 12–14 vs. Texas The 1981 Alabama Crimson Tide football team (variously "Alabama", "UA" or "Bama") represented the University of Alabama in the 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 87th overall and 48th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The team was led by head coach Bear Bryant, in his 24th year, and played their home games at Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. They finished season with nine wins, two losses and one tie (9–2–1 overall, 6–0 in the SEC), as SEC co-champions with Georgia and with a loss against Texas in the Cotton Bowl. Alabama recovered from an upset loss to a 1–10 Georgia Tech team to win its ninth SEC title in eleven years (shared with Georgia). It was Bama's 18th SEC championship, and the 13th and last conference title for Paul "Bear" Bryant at Alabama. Alabama's 28–17 win over Auburn was Coach Bryant's 315th career victory, breaking the then all-time record held by Amos Alonzo Stagg.Jimmy Smothers Bryant now winningest college coach in history https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Y6kfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ddYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2795%2C5154207 The Gadsden Times 17 November 29, 1981 July 16, 2015 Alabama's Cotton Bowl Classic loss to Texas dropped the Tide's all-time record against the Longhorns to 0–7–1. Schedule 1981 AP Central September 5 8:00 p.m. w y 4 LSU Tiger Stadium Baton Rouge, LA rivalry ABC 24–7 78,066 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71520371/alabama-gets-an-easy-one/ The Anniston Star Alabama gets an easy one September 6, 1981 February 19, 2021 Newspapers.com September 12 4:00 p.m. l y 2 Georgia Tech Legion Field Birmingham, AL rivalry ESPN 21–24 78,865 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71520795/tech-24-alabama-21-it-really-did/ The Atlanta Constitution Tech 24, Alabama 21 - it really did happen September 13, 1981 February 19, 2021 Newspapers.com September 19 12:30 p.m. w y 12 Kentucky Commonwealth Stadium Lexington, KY 19–10 57,853 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71521035/bama-bounces-back-to-beat-uk-1910/ The Courier-Journal 'Bama bounces back to beat UK 19–10 September 20, 1981 February 19, 2021 Newspapers.com September 26 7:00 p.m. w y 10 Vanderbilt Vanderbilt Stadium Nashville, TN 28–7 41,000 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71521193/tide-sinks-commodores-287/ The Tennessean Tide sinks Commodores, 28–7 September 27, 1981 February 19, 2021 Newspapers.com October 3 1:30 p.m. w y 11 Ole MissPrior to the 1980 season, the SEC ruled if two SEC teams scheduled each another independently, and not through the conference office, the game would not count in SEC standings. As such, although both were members of the SEC, the Alabama–Ole Miss games in 1980 and 1981 did not count as conference games in the official SEC standings.Kirk McNair SEC football - With the death late last week of legendary Mississippi Football Coach John Vaught, the question was raised as to why Alabama and Coach Paul Bryant had so few meetings against the Rebels and Vaught http://www.scout.com/college/alabama/story/497709-sec-football?s=14 Scout.com 'BamaMag February 7, 2006 July 16, 2015 "A" rivalry Bryant–Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, AL 38–7 60,210 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71521373/king-bama-aint-dead-yet/ The Clarion-Ledger King Bama ain't dead yet October 4, 1981 February 19, 2021 Newspapers.com October 10 1:30 p.m. t y 7 Southern Miss Legion Field Birmingham, AL 13–13 76,400 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71529507/usm-ties-a-1313-shocker-on-alabama/ The Clarion-Ledger USM ties a 13–13 shocker on Alabama October 11, 1981 February 19, 2021 Newspapers.com October 17 1:30 p.m. w 15 Tennessee Legion Field Birmingham, AL Third Saturday in October 38–19 78,550 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71529717/tides-first-half-monsoon-wrecks-vols/ The Tennessean Tide's first half monsoon wrecks Vols October 18, 1981 February 19, 2021 Newspapers.com October 24 1:30 p.m. w y y 11 Rutgers Bryant–Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, AL 31–7 60,210 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71529982/bama-varies-attack-and-buries-rutgers/ The Anniston Star Bama varies attack, and buries Rutgers October 25, 1981 February 19, 2021 Newspapers.com October 31 1:30 p.m. w 8 Mississippi State 7 Bryant–Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, AL rivalry 13–10 60,210 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71530251/state-fires-and-falls-back-1310/ The Clarion-Ledger State fires and falls back 13–10 November 1, 1981 February 19, 2021 Newspapers.com November 14 11:30 a.m. w y y 6 Penn State 5 Beaver Stadium University Park, PA rivalry ABC 31–16 85,133 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71530482/penn-state-falls-to-alabama-3116/ Sunday News Penn State falls to Alabama, 31–16 November 15, 1981 February 19, 2021 Newspapers.com November 28 2:45 p.m. w y 4 Auburn Legion Field Birmingham, AL Iron Bowl ABC 28–17 78,170 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71530782/bendross-sparks-alabama-offense/ The Montgomery Advertiser Bendross sparks Alabama offense November 29, 1981 February 19, 2021 Newspapers.com January 1, 1982 1:00 p.m. l y y 3 Texas 6 Cotton Bowl Dallas, TX Cotton Bowl Classic CBS 12–14 73,243 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71531016/ut-turns-tide-on-bama-1412/ Austin American-Statesman UT turns tide on 'Bama, 14–12 January 2, 1982 February 19, 2021 Newspapers.com https://rolltide.com/sports/2016/6/10/sports-m-footbl-archive-m-footbl-archive-1981-html.aspx?id=197 1981 Alabama football archives RollTide.com University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics February 19, 2021 Game summaries Notes "A" References General http://grfx.cstv.com/schools/alab/graphics/docs/81-m-footbl-recaps.pdf 1981 Season Recaps RollTide.com University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics July 15, 2015 March 4, 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160304203606/http://grfx.cstv.com/schools/alab/graphics/docs/81-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 16, 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:Southeastern Conference football champion seasons Alabama Crimson Tide football