I am not an Alabama fan. I do not think of myself as one and have never identified myself as such. Yet over the last several seasons, I have watched the Crimson Tide more than any other college football team — even the Marshall Thundering Herd, who I actually do consider myself a fan of — and have found myself feeling something like joy when they win and disappointment when they lose. It’s not just that I’m a college football fan who watches their big games out of obligation. No, I also watch them blow out unranked opponents in between the marquee match-ups, eager to see what feats their star players can pull off that week.
- Micah Wimmer
Freelance writer and FanSided contributor
Why you should join this fandom
Oh the stars! I could write lengthy odes to the staggering feats that Tua Tagovailoa, DeVonta Smith, Najee Harris, Derrick Henry, Jalen Hurts, Jerry Jeudy have shown themselves capable of. They’re just so fun to watch! Who wouldn’t want to watch players like that every week?
Best fan moment of the year
After beginning their dynasty as a defensive juggernaut in 2009, the team changed course and became one of the most explosive offenses in the country. Last season featured their best one yet, and few performances in recent college football history have been more impressive than what DeVonta Smith achieved in the 2021 national championship game. The stakes were high and he delivered, with 12 catches, 215 yards, and 3 touchdowns. And he did that despite leaving the game early in the second half! The Tide defeated Ohio State 52-24 and that final score makes the game look closer than it actually was. It was astonishing and a valedictory performance for one of the greatest teams of recent years, maybe one of the greatest ever. It was like Nick Saban saw LSU’s offense from the year before and thought, “Yeah, we can top that.” The shocking thing is not that they tried to, but that they did.