Fansided

Ranking Alabama’s National Championships in football

By John Buhler

Dec 31, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide players celebrate after defeating the Michigan State Spartans in the 2015 CFP semifinal at the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide players celebrate after defeating the Michigan State Spartans in the 2015 CFP semifinal at the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 13, 2014; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide fans crown around the Paul Bear Bryant statue prior the the game at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 13, 2014; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide fans crown around the Paul Bear Bryant statue prior the the game at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports /

1965

The 1965 Alabama Crimson Tide went 9-1-1 in Paul “Bear” Bryant’s third national championship at the university. Alabama defeated the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the 1966 Orange Bowl, 39-28. Alabama lost to Georgia and tied Tennessee in this National Championship season.

The AP Poll selected the Tide as the National Champions after their Orange Bowl victory, despite a few hiccups along the way that season. Though their loss to Georgia was only by a single point, 18-17, in the first game of the season, Alabama needed a special set of circumstances to win the National Title in the bowl season.

Alabama entered the Orange Bowl as the No. 4 team in the nation behind No. 1 Michigan State, No. 2 Arkansas, and No. 3 Nebraska. While the Tide handled Nebraska in the Orange Bowl, the team needed losses by both the Spartans and the Razorbacks to go from fourth to first in the final AP Poll.

Fortunately for the Tide, Michigan State lost the 1966 Rose Bowl to the UCLA Bruins, 16-14, and Arkansas lost the 1966 Cotton Classic to the LSU Tigers, 14-7. By beating the No. 3 Cornhuskers and seeing both Michigan State and Arkansas lose, it catapulted Alabama to its eighth national championship in school history.

Needing all three teams ahead of them in the AP Poll, along with a loss and a tie in the SEC, makes this arguably the most miraculous national championship of Alabama’s 15 to date. Though SEC legend Kenny Stabler was under center in Tuscaloosa this season, two hiccups and series of unfortunate events happening in the top four makes this one of Alabama’s weakest national titles.

Next: 13. 1964

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