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1996 Alabama Crimson Tide football team

The 1996 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama for the 1996–97 college football season, competing in the Western Division in the Southeastern Conference. Gene Stallings led the Crimson Tide to a 10–3 record in his final year with the program. The team played their home games at Bryant–Denny StadiuminTuscaloosa, Alabama, and Legion FieldinBirmingham, Alabama.

Alabama's loss to Mississippi State broke a 15-game winning streak Alabama had in the series and was their first loss to the Bulldogs since a dramatic upset MSU posted over the #1 ranked Tide in 1980.

Following a victory in the annual Iron Bowl on November 23, head coach Gene Stallings announced his retirement, which would go into effect at the end of the season.^[1]

Schedule[edit]

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Source
August 31	2:00 p.m.	Bowling Green*	No. 13	Legion Field Birmingham, AL	PPV	W 21–7	76,878	[2]
September 7	11:30 a.m.	Southern Miss*	No. 14	Legion Field Birmingham, AL (rivalry)	JPS	W 20–10	82,338	[3]
September 14	5:00 p.m.	Vanderbilt	No. 13	Bryant–Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, AL	ESPN2	W 36–26	70,123	[4]
September 21	11:30 a.m.	atArkansas	No. 13	War Memorial Stadium Little Rock, AR	JPS	W 17–7	54,827	[5]
October 5	1:00 p.m.	Kentucky	No. 13	Bryant–Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, AL	PPV	W 35–7	70,123	[6]
October 12	2:30 p.m.	atNC State*	No. 8	Carter–Finley Stadium Raleigh, NC	ABC	W 24–19	50,750	[7]
October 19	5:00 p.m.	Ole Miss	No. 7	Bryant–Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, AL (rivalry)	ESPN2	W 37–0	70,123	[8]
October 26	2:30 p.m.	at No. 6Tennessee	No. 7	Neyland Stadium Knoxville, TN (Third Saturday in October)	CBS	L 13–20	106,700	[9]
November 9	6:30 p.m.	at No. 11LSU	No. 10	Tiger Stadium Baton Rouge, LA (rivalry, College GameDay)	ESPN	W 26–0	80,290	[10]
November 16	8:00 p.m.	atMississippi State	No. 8	Scott Field Starkville, MS (rivalry)	ESPN	L 16–17	40,050	[11]
November 23	6:30 p.m.	Auburn	No. 15	Legion Field Birmingham, AL (Iron Bowl, College GameDay)	ESPN	W 24–23	83,091	[12]
December 7	8:00 p.m.	vs. No. 4Florida	No. 11	Georgia Dome Atlanta, GA (SEC Championship Game, rivalry)	ABC	L 30–45	74,132	[13]
January 1, 1997	10:00 a.m.	vs. No. 15Michigan*	No. 16	Houlihan's Stadium Tampa, FL (Outback Bowl)	ESPN	W 17–14	53,161	[14]
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Central time

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Rankings[edit]

Coaching staff[edit]

Game summaries[edit]

Bowling Green[edit]

Alabama wins its sixth straight season opener over newly Division 1 opponent Bowling Green.

Southern Miss[edit]

Alabama would hold Southern Miss to 104 yards of offense to win for the sixth straight year over the Golden Eagles.

Vanderbilt[edit]

In the first home game at Bryant-Denny Stadium for 1996, a shootout would unfold as the Crimson Tide would use a 21 point 3rd quarter to beat the Commodores.

Arkansas[edit]

A defensive struggle goes the Crimson Tide way as they avenge their loss of a year ago to Arkansas.

Kentucky[edit]

Former Alabama coach Bill Curry returned to Tuscaloosa for the first time since leaving Alabama for Kentucky in 1989. Despite being heavy underdogs, Curry's Wildcats forced a 7-7 tie at halftime which brought a chorus of boos from the homecoming crowd. The Crimson Tide then would use a 28 point third quarter to beat Kentucky.

NC State[edit]

Despite giving up a season high 418 yards of offense, The Crimson Tide survived on the road to stay undefeated.

Ole Miss[edit]

The Crimson Tide put its most complete game together to date in 1996 to roll to a shutout win of Ole Miss.

Tennessee[edit]

Tennessee used 14 unanswered points in the 4th quarter to beat Alabama for the second year in a row and for the first time in Knoxville since 1984.

LSU[edit]

For the second time in three games, Alabama defense would shut out its opponent. The Crimson tide offense went through one man Redshirt Freshman Shaun Alexander rushed for a School record 291 yards and all four Alabama touchdowns.

Mississippi State[edit]

For the first time since 1980, Alabama would lose to Mississippi State in one of the biggest upset of the Gene Stallings era.

Auburn[edit]

Alabama would pounce on Auburn early with 17 straight points to begin the game. Auburn would respond with 23 unanswered to lead by 6 late in the fourth quarter. Alabama would drive 74 yards to score on a 6-yard swing pass from Freddie Kitchens to Dennis Riddle to tie the game. Jon Brock extra point would give Alabama the one-point lead and eventual win to clinch the SEC West. After the game, Gene Stallings officially announced his retirement as Alabama head coach at the end of the season.

Florida[edit]

Alabama would be in its fourth SEC Championship game in five seasons and once again would face Florida, as they had the previous three meetings. The Gators would use nearly 500 yards of offense to win its fourth straight SEC title, a record that still holds to this day.

Michigan[edit]

Two 4th quarter touchdowns proved to be enough as Alabama would win its 10th game of the season and the 70th and final for Gene Stallings as head coach.

References[edit]