1966 Alabama Crimson Tide football team
The 1966 Alabama Crimson Tide football team went undefeated with an 11-0 mark as defending national champions. Although they started the season as the #1 ranked team in the Associated Press poll, both Michigan State and Notre Dame leapfrogged the Tide to take the #1 and #2 spots. When those two teams played each other to a tie, they kept their rankings, shutting Alabama out of another championship. The scenario was popularly attributed to a bias against Southern football, against segregationist Governor George Wallace, and as an overcorrection for the title awarded to the 1965 Alabama Crimson Tide football team despite a loss to Texas, which had been beaten by an undefeated Arkansas team.
Coach Bear Bryant's Crimson Tide allowed only 37 points all season on defense and dominated all of its opponents except for Tennessee. The team, led by quarterback Ken Stabler, won a third-straight Southeastern Conference championship and finished #3 in the final AP poll. Other key players included All-Americans Richard Cole, Cecil Dowdy, Mike Hall, Bobby Johns, Dennis Homan, and Ray Perkins.
Schedule
- September 24: The Crimson Tide shut out Louisiana Tech 34-0 in the opening game at Legion Field with 63,187 fans in attendance.
- October 1: The Tide traveled to Jackson's Veterans Memorial Stadium to play Ole Miss in front of 46,703 fans, winning 17-7.
- October 8: The Tide rolled to a 26-0 win over Clemson at Denny Stadium with 46,486 in attendance.
- October 15: Alabama came from behind to defeat Tennessee 11-10 at Shields-Watkins Field with 56,463 fans looking on.
- October 22: In their second Legion Field game, Alabama dominated the Vanderbilt Commodores, winning 42-6 with 56,381 in the stands.
- October 29: 55,215 filled the stands at Denny Stadium to see the Tide beat Mississippi State 27-14.
- November 5: LSU came to Legion Field and were shut out 21-0 by the Crimson Tide with 66,5013 on hand.
- November 12: Alabama defeated South Carolina 24-0 in front of 37,282 at Denny Stadium.
- November 26: 36,166 watched Alabama shut out Southern Miss at Ladd Stadium in Mobile.
- December 3: Alabama won the 1966 Iron Bowl 31-0 in front of 67,786 fans at Legion Field.
- January 2, 1967: Alabama crushed the Nebraska Cornhuskers 34-7 in front of 82,000 at Tulane Stadium in the 1967 Sugar Bowl.
References
- Dunnavant, Keith (2006) The Missing Ring: How Bear Bryant and the 1966 Alabama Crimson Tide Were Denied College Football's Most Elusive Prize. Macmillan. ISBN 0312336837
External links
- Game-By-Game in 1966 recaps at rolltide.com