The Tide Machine
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The Tide Machine with @cbranchiv and @msouthern17, An Alabama Football History podcast, presented by @CrimsonXOver
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The game that immortalized Paul “Bear” Bryant and spawned commemorative Coca-Cola bottles still cherished by fans happened 44 years ago today when No. 4-ranked Alabama Football rallied to beat Auburn, 28-17, as Bryant won his 315th game on Nov. 28, 1981 in Legion Field. After falling behind 17-14 early in the fourth quarter, Alabama responded with two touchdowns to ensure Bryant passed Amos Alonzo Stagg for the most Division I coaching victories. Walter Lewis started the comeback with a 38-yard touchdown pass to Jesse Bendross and Linnie Patrick followed with a 15-yard scoring run. Alabama played three quarterbacks against Auburn as Alan Gray scored the first Crimson Tide touchdown on a 1-yard run in the first quarter. Ken Coley came in and threw a 26-yard scoring pass to Bendross in the third quarter. “About the record the players set today,” Bryant said afterwards. “I want to thank the good Lord for being associated with all the people who made it possible. It’s been a hard year for me. I wasn’t strong enough or bright enough to handle it. Only the last week has it really dawned on me that so many people were involved.” The victory over his former assistant, Pat Dye, also clinched Bryant’s 13th SEC championship, as the Crimson Tide tied with Georgia as both finished 6-0 in conference play.
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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Alabama Football played its latest regular-season game in program history five years ago today when the No. 1-ranked Crimson Tide completed a SEC-only schedule with a 52-3 romp over the Arkansas Razorbacks on Dec. 12, 2020 in Fayetteville. With the victory, Alabama finished unbeaten during the delayed 10-game season and went on to win the SEC Championship Game and the national championship to complete a perfect 13-0 record. Alabama rushed for 216 yards as three running backs accounted for 195 of those yards and six touchdowns. Brian Robinson Jr. scored three touchdowns on runs of 1, 4 and 4 yards, while Najee Harris followed with two touchdowns on runs of 1 and 5 yards. Jace McClellan added an 80-yard scoring run for the final touchdown of the game. DeVonta Smith returned a punt 84 yards for a score late in the first quarter and Will Reichard kicked a 45-yard field goal. The Crimson Tide defense held the Razorbacks to just 188 yards of total offense (108 passing, 80 rushing) and had a season-high eight sacks and forced four turnovers. Jaylen Moody and Byron Young each had seven tackles, while Will Anderson Jr. and Christian Barmore had two sacks apiece.
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Just 13 years ago today Alabama Football handed Auburn its worst loss in the Iron Bowl since 1948 when the No. 2-ranked Crimson Tide shut out the Tigers, 49-0, on Nov. 24, 2012 inside Bryant-Denny Stadium. In a master class of offensive efficiency, Alabama scored touchdowns on its first seven possessions before emptying the bench with substitutions. The victory clinched the SEC Western Division title as the Crimson Tide beat Georgia in Atlanta and Notre Dame for the national championship. Quarterback AJ McCarron completed 15 of 21 passes for 216 yards and four touchdowns, running back Eddie Lacy rushed for 131 yards and two touchdowns and receiver Amari Cooper caught five passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns in the offensive onslaught. Robert Lester had five tackles and an interception to lead an Alabama defense that forced three fumbles, intercepted two passes and had two sacks. Auburn finished with just 163 yards of total offense (92 rushing, 71 passing) and seven first downs. Prior to the 49-point romp in Tuscaloosa, the largest margin of victory by the Crimson Tide over its in-state nemesis occurred on Dec. 4, 1948 in a 55-0 thrashing in Birmingham.
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Just eight years ago today, Alabama Football won its fifth national championship under Nick Saban in one of the most incredible, surprise-twist endings ever as the Crimson Tide stunned the Georgia Bulldogs, 26-23, in overtime on Jan. 8, 2018 inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Freshman quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who replaced two-year starter Jalen Hurts at halftime, threw a game-winning, 41-yard touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith in walk-off fashion. The pass to DeVonta Smith atoned for a disastrous sack Tua. T 🇦🇸 had taken on the previous play that created a second-and-26 with Alabama trailing 23-20. Georgia jumped out to a 13-0 halftime lead that spurred the quarterback change from Saban at the start of the third quarter. Behind Tagovailoa, the Crimson Tide mounted its comeback and tied the game 20-20 with 3:49 remaining in regulation on touchdown passes to Henry Ruggs III and Calvin Ridley along with two field goals by Andy Pappanastos. Alabama had a chance to win the game in the fourth quarter, but Pappanastos missed a 36-yard field goal in the final seconds. In overtime, Georgia took its 23-20 lead on a 51-yard field goal by Rodrigo Blankenship.
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Just 10 years ago today Alabama Football finished one of the craziest championship runs in college football history. The next step of the Nick Saban dynasty was the toughest. No blowout. No margin for error. Just resilience, power and nerve as Alabama outlasted Clemson, 45–40, in a College Football Playoff title game that became a classic on Jan. 11, 2016. Derrick Henry, O.J. Howard, and Kenyan Drake delivered the explosive plays. Long touchdowns, relentless pressure and timely answers against a Clemson team led by Deshaun Watson, who matched Alabama blow for blow all night. With the score tied 24–24 and 10:34 left in the fourth quarter, Saban made the boldest call of his career — the now-legendary pop-up onside kick. Adam Griffith executed it perfectly. Marlon Humphrey secured it. Momentum flipped in an instant. “I made the decision to do it because the score was tied and we were tired on defense,” Saban said. “I felt like if we didn’t do something or take a chance to change the momentum of the game, we wouldn’t have a chance to win.” Moments later, Jake Coker found O.J. Howard uncovered once again for a 51-yard touchdown. Clemson responded, but Kenyan Drake answered with a stunning 95-yard kickoff return TD as the fourth quarter turned into a track meet. Watson finished with over 400 passing yards and four touchdowns, but Henry slammed the door late with his third rushing score. After early-season doubts and a September loss to Ole Miss, the Tide stood on top once more — four national championships in seven seasons, Saban’s fifth overall, and Alabama’s first in the playoff era.
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Four years ago today Bryce Young did something no Alabama Football quarterback had ever done in 129 years when he became the first player in program history to eclipse 500 yards passing in a single game. Bryce Young threw for 559 yards and five touchdowns as No. 2-ranked Alabama beat the Arkansas Razorbacks, 42-35, on Nov. 20, 2021 in Bryant-Denny Stadium. The previous record for passing yards had been 484 by Scott Hunter on Nov. 29, 1969. Young threw three of his touchdowns to Jameson Williams (79, 32 and 40 yards). The other two went to John Metchie and Christian Leary. Williams finished with 190 yards receiving on nine catches to go with his three touchdowns, while Metchie followed with 173 yards on 10 receptions. Will Reichard scored the remaining Alabama points with field goals of 48 and 30 yards.
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Today marks 43 years since the passing of Paul “Bear” Bryant, the man who didn’t just coach Alabama Football — he defined it. On Jan. 26, 1983, just more than a month after retiring, Bryant left this world, but his presence has never left Tuscaloosa. Bryant finished with 323 career victories, a number that once stood as the all-time standard in college football. More than wins, he built a culture of toughness, discipline, and accountability that turned Alabama into a national symbol of excellence. His six national championships (1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979) weren’t just trophies — they were milestones in a dynasty that stretched across generations, eras, and styles of football. Bryant proved that greatness wasn’t a flash — it was a habit. From Junction Boys grit to Bryant-Denny Stadium Saturdays, his influence shaped not just players, but an entire state. Coaches, athletes and fans alike still speak his name with reverence because his standard still lives in every Crimson Tide snap. When Bryant stepped away in December 1982, he famously said, “I think I’ve been fortunate.” Alabama would argue it was the other way around. No program in the country was ever more fortunate to be led by one man. Forty-three years later, we don’t just remember Bear Bryant — we still feel him in the Walk of Champions, in the roar of Bryant-Denny Stadium, and in every championship banner that followed. Legends never leave. They just become part of the fabric. 🐘 Forever the Bear. Forever The Standard.
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For those that had the privilege to see the greatness of linebacker Derrick Thomas in person, they will remember the significance of what happened 37 years ago when the Alabama Football legend ensured the Crimson Tide would not lose in an 8-3 victory over Penn State on Oct. 22, 1988, inside Legion Field. Thomas terrorized Penn State’s Tony Sacca all afternoon and finished with three sacks, nine quarterback hurries, eight tackles and almost outscored the Nittany Lions by himself with a fourth-quarter safety. Led by the heroic performance, the Crimson Tide defense allowed just 21 yards in the second half. In the 1988 season, Thomas won the Butkas Award as the nation’s top linebacker and finished with a staggering 27 sacks. To put that in perspective, Alabama as a team had 25 sacks last season with one extra game. “We made some changes at halftime to free Derrick Thomas,” Alabama head coach Bill Curry said. “Once Derrick Thomas is flying around, all kinds of things happen. They start looking for him. It’s a real nightmare when there’s a player like that on the other team.” CBS televised the defensive slugfest and announcer Brent Musburger described Thomas’s afternoon as, “the most dominating performance I’ve ever seen by a college player.” Philip Doyle scored the only offensive points for Alabama with a 39-yard field goal in the second quarter, before giving the Crimson Tide a 6-3 lead with a 35-yard field goal in the third quarter. Thomas added his safety early in the fourth quarter and a late quarterback hurry ended Penn State’s final offensive series when Lee Ozmint intercepted Sacca. Penn State finished with just 169 yards of total offense (98 passing, 71 rushing) and eight first downs.
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In an unorthodox method 26 years ago today, Alabama Football won its 21st conference championship by using five quarterbacks and intercepting four passes as the No. 8-ranked Crimson Tide crushed the No. 5-ranked Florida Gators, 34-7, on Dec. 4, 1999 inside the Georgia Dome. Freddie Milons played wide receiver, quarterback and returned punts en route to his most valuable player performance in the SEC Championship Game. In the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, he lined up under center, took the snap, started to run to his left before reversing direction for a 77-yard touchdown run to give Alabama a 22-7 lead. Alabama started Andrew Zow at quarterback and during the game used Tyler Watts, Milons, Luke Tucker and Jonathan Richey. The Crimson Tide defense forced four interceptions, three by Jesse Palmer, and held Florida to just 114 yards of total offense (83 passing, 31 rushing), the lowest in the Steve Spurrier era. Seconds after the touchdown run by Milons, Reggie Grimes intercepted a tipped pass from Palmer and returned it 38 yards for another score that pushed the Crimson Tide advantage to 28-7. Shaun Alexander finished the scoring with 3:58 remaining on a 7-yard touchdown run that completed the season sweep of the Gators. Earlier that year, Alabama traveled to Gainesville and left with a wild 40-39 overtime victory. The Crimson Tide led 12-7 at halftime on a 27-yard touchdown pass from Zow to Jason McAddley and two Ryan Pflugner field goals (29 and 48 yards).
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After thinking its national championship hopes had been dashed during the regular season, Alabama Football received an opportunity for redemption 14 years ago today when the Crimson Tide shut out top-ranked LSU, 21-0, on Jan. 9, 2012 in the Louisiana Superdome. LSU had edged Alabama, 9-6, in Bryant-Denny Stadium which at the time appeared to end the Crimson Tide’s championship aspirations. But after upsets ravaged higher-ranked teams, Alabama found itself in the BCS championship game in a rematch against the Tigers. This time the Crimson Tide defense made sure the outcome would be different as LSU failed to cross midfield until the fourth quarter. The Tigers finished with just 92 yards of total offense (39 rushing, 53 passing) and five first downs. “I think it’s a great team win,” Alabama head coach Nick Saban said. “Our offense controlled the tempo of the game. We did a great job on special teams. It was just a great team win for every guy here, every fan that we have, every supporter of this program. This is great for Alabama.” Jeremy Shelley kicked five field goals (23, 34, 41, 35 and 44 yards) to give Alabama a 15-0 lead by the end of third quarter, before Trent Richardson scored the game’s only touchdown on a 34-yard run with 4:36 remaining in the game.
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In a decade when people rented movies on VHS tapes, David “The Deuce” Palmer ended his spectacular freshman season 34 years ago today with two touchdowns as No. 8-ranked Alabama Football beat the No. 15-ranked Colorado Buffaloes, 30-25, in the Blockbuster Bowl on Dec. 28, 1991. Palmer entertained the Miami crowd with moves that seemed more fitted for a South Beach night club as he started things with a 52-yard punt return for a touchdown in the first quarter. He provided a bookend to his offensive performance with an outstretched 5-yard touchdown reception from Jay Barker in the fourth quarter and earned the “Brian Piccolo Award” as the most valuable player. Colorado had won the national championship the previous season, but Alabama held the Buffaloes to minus-11 yards rushing on 30 attempts. Besides the pass to Palmer, Barker also threw touchdowns to Siran Stacy (13 yards) and Kevin Lee (12 yards). Matt Wethington also kicked a 25-yard field goal for the Crimson Tide. Alabama finished 11-1 to set the stage for a national championship run of its own the following season.
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