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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Oct 10, 2015; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide cheerleaders prior to the game against Arkansas Razorbacks at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 10, 2015; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide cheerleaders prior to the game against Arkansas Razorbacks at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports /

1978

The 1978 Alabama Crimson Tide went 10-1 during the regular season, beating two ranked teams, and knocked off No. 1 Penn State in the 1979 Sugar Bowl, 14-7, to be crowned the 1978 National Champions according to the AP Poll.

Alabama’s lone loss of the season came against then No. 7 Southern California. The Tide defeated two ranked teams in the non-conference that year in then No. 10 Nebraska and then No. 11 Missouri, in addition to winning the SEC Championship outright.

Though beating then No. 1 Penn State in the Sugar Bowl is an undisputed, major bowl game victory, the Coaches’ Poll did name Southern California as their National Champion, who did beat Alabama 24-14 during the regular season.

This is a national title that Alabama can proudly claim. Who would have something to say about the No. 2 team knocking off the No. 1 team in the country in the Sugar Bowl? However, the pesky Coaches’ Poll once again had to complicate things by naming the USC Trojans the National Champions over Alabama just because they beat the Tide head-to-head.

Since in the late 1970s both the AP Poll and the Coaches’ Poll carried nearly equal weight, it is understandable how both schools claim the National Championship. The 1978 National Championship was Alabama’s 11th in school history and his fifth claimed title while in Tuscaloosa. That was USC’s ninth national title to date, the last before the Pete Carroll era in the early to mid-2000s.

Next: 10. 1926

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