In the first three years at Alabama, Nick's Kids raised more than US$1million. Nick Saban has won the most national championships in history. [358] In the home opener, the Tide dominated Arkansas State 577. [344] In the Iron Bowl, the Tide suffered its first loss of the season to in-state rival #6 Auburn 2614. [99] The Dolphins lost their next two games to the Buffalo Bills and the New York Jets to finish 610, Saban's first losing season as a head coach.[99]. 5 LSU, 21-17, after AJ McCarron drives the Tide to victory", "Western Carolina at Alabama Box Score, November 17, 2012", "Alabama Football vs. Western Carolina Postgame Notes", "No. In a back and forth game, the Aggies kicked a last second 28-yard field goal to upset the Tide 4138. He grew up with a sister, Dianna, and graduated from Monongah High School[24] in the small community of Monongah, West Virginia, about 25miles (40km) southwest of Morgantown. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. 20 Wisconsin 35-17 in opener", "Middle Tennessee State at Alabama Box Score, September 12, 2015", "Quarter-by-quarter: Ole Miss stuns Alabama, 43-37", "Louisiana-Monroe at Alabama Box Score, September 26, 2015", "Three thoughts on Alabama's beatdown of Georgia", "After sluggish start, Alabama wears down Arkansas", "Instant replay: Alabama 41, Texas A&M 23", "No. [354] The Tide finished the season 131. [346] On December 3, Alabama was selected to the College Football Playoff for the fourth consecutive year, becoming the first team to be selected for the playoffs after finishing second in the SEC Western division and not having a chance to play for an SEC Championship. [436], On June 7, 2021, Saban agreed to a contract extension with Alabama. [313] Alabama finished its regular season 120 for the third time in Saban's career at Alabama and first since 2009. Original: Jan 11, 2021 No. 1 Alabama 52, No. By Christina Chambers. A North American Championship is a top level international sports competition between North American athletes or sports teams representing their respective countries or professional sports clubs. [351] In overtime, backup quarterback Tua Tagovailoa threw the game-winning touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith for a 2623 victory. This is the beginning. The Cavaliers are Louisville's permanent cross-division rivals, so we'll use them as the Irish's for this example. [230] The Crimson Tide went on to defeat Colorado State, which was coached by Alabama's former offensive coordinator Jim McElwain, 316. [364] In the Third Saturday in October, Alabama defeated rival Tennessee 5821. Beginning in 2009 and continuing through the College Football Playoff era, Saban-coached Alabama has stood alone as the undisputed dynasty of the 21st century. [243] Alabama finished the regular season 111 for the third consecutive year. 1 Tide notch second straight SEC West shutout", "Tide offense struggles in second straight shutout", "Alabama Football Adds To Seasons Winning 10 Or More Games", "Reliving Alabama's strange day vs. [72], The 2003 Tigers started the season with five wins, including a 1710 victory in Tiger Stadium over the defending SEC champion, and then-undefeated, Georgia Bulldogs. [418] Following the bye week, Alabama moved up to #1 in the polls. Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices. [114] In the Iron Bowl, Alabama defeated Auburn 4214. [318] In the first meeting with the Huskies since the 1986 Sun Bowl,[319] Alabama won 247. 1 Alabama in 40-7 loss", "No. [81] He was the sixth coach in the franchise's history. There is no better example than the SEC. [295] 2016 was the ninth consecutive year Alabama was #1 at some point in the season. [473], In his 16th season, Alabama started the year ranked #1 in the preseason AP and Coaches Poll. [210] On homecoming, Alabama beat undefeated #13 Mississippi State 387. 1 Alabama", "Texas A&M at Alabama Box Score, September 22, 2018", "Louisiana at Alabama Box Score, September 29, 2018", "What they're saying in Arkansas after Alabama beat Hogs", "Alabama 58, Tennessee 21: Tua Tagovailoa shines, Jarrett Guarantano hurt; Tide crush Vols", "5 Observations: No. Including. [98] However, the offense was anemic, with the only bright spot being running back Ronnie Brown, who gained over 1,000 rushing yards on the season. [121][122][123] Following a 350 homecoming victory over Arkansas State, the Crimson Tide rose to No. But there were a few close calls, notably a 12-10 win against Tennessee sealed by a blocked field goal in the final seconds. [83] From there, however, the Dolphins struggled, losing seven of their next nine games to fall to 37. [422] The next week, Saban was back on the sideline, as Alabama routed LSU 5517. [430] In the first meeting since the 2013 BCS National Championship Game, the Tide defeated the Irish 3114. [510] Saban not only speaks with NFL players, but former athletes that have moved on past football, such as Eryk Anders, linebacker turned pro fighter in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. [117][118] In the following game, Alabama had a convincing 4914 road-win over Arkansas. 1 and No. Alabama went on to defeat unbeaten #1 Clemson, 4540, to win the College Football Playoff National Championship. However, Alabama has lost 20 games as a . Nick Saban is one of the greatest coaches of all time. [376] In the SEC Championship, Alabama, behind backup quarterback Jalen Hurts, overcame a 14-point deficit to defeat #4 Georgia 3528. [147] The next week Alabama defeated Mississippi State, 313, securing the second straight 10-win season for Alabama. [56] Future NFL head coach Josh McDaniels served as a graduate assistant on Saban's 1999 coaching staff. He has gone 145-20 across 12 seasons at Alabama Is Alabama quarterback Bryce Young related to Vince Young? Alabama claims it has won national titles in 1925, 1926, 1930, 1934, 1941, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1992, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2018. 2 in the BCS standings and advanced to play the BCS No. [84] After a frustrating two months, however, the Dolphins would rally late in the season, as they won their final six games, including a win to end the season in Foxboro, Massachusetts over the New England Patriots. 1 Alabama to 2420 come-from-behind victory over No. Sabans sixth overall championship happened in 2017 when Alabama mounted a comeback to beat Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs. The decision proved costly, as the field goal was short but caught nine yards deep in the Auburn end zone by the Tigers' Chris Davis, who returned the failed attempt 109 yards for a touchdown as time expired. While he only won one national title during a relatively short stint with LSU, Saban has won several with Alabama. [419] It's the thirteenth year in a row Alabama has reached the top spot during a season. [42][43][44], Beginning in 1995, Saban moderately improved Michigan State's fortunes, taking the Spartans to bowl games in each of his first three seasons. 2 Alabama past West Virginia", "FAU struggles during 41-0 loss at No. [116] Alabama won the next two games against Tulane and Western Kentucky before entering SEC play. [246] This was Saban's second bowl loss at Alabama and first since the 2009 Sugar Bowl against Utah. [181][182] In the first game of the season, Alabama defeated Saban's alma mater Kent State 487. Saban has found different ways to win in each of his championships, and he can do it again this year to add to his impressive rsum. [156][157] At the on-campus celebration, Saban famously stated "I want everybody here to know, this is not the end. All rights reserved. [250] In the season opener, Alabama improved to 40 in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game beating West Virginia 3323 in the first meeting between the two schools. Saban is of Croatian ancestry. 1 in the APpoll for the second straight year. [320] In a rematch of the previous season's National Championship game, Alabama fell short to #2 Clemson 3531 when the Tigers scored on a game-winning touchdown pass with one second left on the clock. [127] With the win, Alabama clinched its first SEC Western Division championship since 1999 and guaranteed the team a trip to the 2008 SEC Championship Game. Nick Saban has won seven national championships, which is why so many top recruits choose Alabama. [178][179] The bowl victory brought Alabama to 103 on the season and secured Alabama's third consecutive 10-win season. 2 in both preseason polls for the second consecutive year. The team finished the year with a 97 record, and narrowly missed the playoffs in Saban's first season. 2 in preseason AP poll", "Sims guides No. [383] Saban fell to 22 in CFP championship games. [338] The win was the 11th consecutive victory over the Vols, tying the record set back from 1971 to 1981. How many national championships has Nick Saban won? [414] On October 14, 2020, Saban tested positive for COVID-19, along with the university athletic director, Greg Byrne. North American Bridge Championships; Debate. [221] On December 2, Alabama finished second in the final BCS rankings for the second consecutive season. He has gone 145-20 across 12 seasons at Alabama. [391] Alabama, back in conference play, defeated Ole Miss 5931. In 2012, the Crimson Tide demolished the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to claim its third championship with Saban (his fourth overall). Use of this website (including any and all parts and components) constitutes your acceptance of these. Since 2009, Alabama's played in eight national championships and missed just four. [421] On November 25, Saban returned a positive COVID-19 test. [78] Other losses that season were on the road at Auburn 109, and a loss on the road to Georgia 4516. Leaders Career Passing Yards, Career Rushing Yards, Single Season Rushing TD, Single Season Receiving Yards, . [52] Following the final regular-season game against Penn State, Saban abruptly resigned to accept the head coaching position with LSU. He has won seven national titles as a head coach, the most in college football history. Now that's a straightforward but oh-so-tricky question. The number of championships that Saban has been able to win throughout his career is truly astonishing. [119] The Tide followed that victory with a 4130 win over the No. Will this create a national championship for the Crimson Tide? [206] In week4, Alabama defeated Florida Atlantic 407. [370] The Tide shutout #18 Mississippi State 240, the second consecutive shutout of a conference opponent for first time since 1980. 7 Florida 46", "Alabama football beats Florida 52-46 to win SEC Championship", "Tide to face Notre Dame in Rose Bowl playoff semifinal", "The day the Rose Bowl came to cold, windy Dallas suburbs", "Heisman Finalists: Tide Teammates Plus Lawrence and Trask", "Alabama Defeats Ohio State 52-24, Secures 18th National Title", "Nick Saban built Alabama's 2020 champion (and dynasty) on a foundation of change", "2020 Alabama Crimson Tide Schedule and Results", "College football rankings: Alabama is No. 1 Alabama in preseason USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll", "Another way of visualizing Alabama's historic run under Nick Saban", "AP Preseason Top 25: Alabama opens at No. [193] The next week, Alabama defeated FCS 3rd ranked Georgia Southern 4521 on Senior Day. [458] In the Iron Bowl, Alabama played Auburn in the first overtime game in the rivalrys history, winning 2422 in four overtimes. [85], Going into the 2006 season, the Dolphins were expected to contend for a playoff spot. USA TODAY Sports' Mackenzie Salmon breaks down the path to Alabama's dynamic national championship run. [311] In the Iron Bowl, Saban secured an undefeated regular season by defeating in-state rival #16 Auburn 3012. [300] The next week Saban took on his alma mater Kent State with a 480 shutout. 1 during 10 straight years", "No. On January 3, 2007, following a meeting with Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga, Saban announced that he had accepted an offer to become Alabama's 27thhead coach. They rank one and two in Southeastern Conference history in games won and conference wins. Every Nick Saban recruiting class s. [46][47][48], On November 7, 1998, the Spartans upset the No. In a defensive slugfest, Alabama shut out the Tigers 100. Sabanhas won four national titles with Alabamain 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2015. They were chosen as the #1 seed and played the #4 seed Cincinnati in the first meeting between the schools since 1990. Saban played defensive back for Kent State under coach Don James. [213] Alabama rebounded the following week recording its third shutout of the season defeating Western Carolina 490. Saban's tenure at Alabama is highlighted by national championships won in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017 and 2020. [149][150][151] The Crimson Tide defeated the Florida Gators in the SEC Championship, 3213, in a rematch of the previous year's championship game. No matter the conference, division formats have not always yielded the top two teams playing in a championship game. [469] The Tide played #3 Georgia in a rematch of the SEC Championship in the third All-SEC National title game. 1 in AP preseason top 25", "Alabama is again No. [278] The Tide picked up a conference win dominating #8 Georgia, 3810. [192], Alabama rebounded the next week after struggling in the first half, with a win over Mississippi State 247. [390] In their next game, Alabama defeated Southern Miss 497. 2 Has Alabama ever won a national championship undefeated? The Tide finished the season 130. [184][185] Alabama recorded its first shutout of the season by defeating North Texas 410. [175] In the Iron Bowl, Alabama lost to in-state rival (and eventual BCS champions) #2 Auburn 2827, snapping a 20-game home winning streak. The Citadel", "Auburn instant analysis: Tigers' upset bid fails", "Hurts rallies No. [173] The following week, Alabama bounced back at home defeating #17 Mississippi State, 3010. [107] On September 1, 2007, his Crimson Tide opened the season with a 526 win over the Western Carolina Catamounts, scoring more points than during any game in the 2006 season. . 7 Alabama Football 49, Auburn 27 at the Iron Bowl", "Alabama rolls past Auburn, reaches double-digit wins for 15th year in row", "No. On November 27, 2006, the University of Alabama announced the firing of head coach Mike Shula. [504] In August 2010, the documentary Nick Saban: Gamechanger was released. [359] In their conference opener against Ole Miss, the Crimson Tide won 627. 18 Mississippi State on Jalen Hurts' heroics", "Alabama at Mississippi State by the numbers", "Mercer at Alabama Box Score, November 18, 2017", "Alabama Senior Class Has Tied Wins Record", "No. [140] In its fifth game of the year, Alabama beat Kentucky, 3820. [416] In the Third Saturday in October, Alabama won its 14th straight over rival Tennessee 4817. Including his win at LSU in 2003, Saban stands alone as the only coach in the modern history of the Bowl Subdivision to win seven championships. 1 Alabama routs Louisville 51-14", "Tagovailoa, No. For more NCAA football news, analysis, opinion and unique coverage by FanSided, including Heisman Trophy and College Football Playoff rankings, be sure to bookmark these pages. [251] The Tide won their home opener the next week over Florida Atlantic 410 after the game was called in the fourth quarter due to lightning. Which team has won the most national championships? How many national championships does Alabama have? Saban resigned as head coach at Michigan State following the end of the 1999 regular season. [291] The victory marked Alabama's 16th national title and fourth in seven seasons. The Tide prevailed 4124 to improve to 220 versus former assistants. [289] In the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Cotton Bowl, Alabama shut out the #3 seed Michigan State, 380. 25", "Spartans earn No. 1 under Saban. 1, Notre Dame climbs and Clemson falls", "Alabama Reclaims No. [256] In Saban's 100thgame with the Tide, Alabama bounced back, narrowly defeating Arkansas 1413 for its eighth consecutive victory in the series. [297][298] In their home opener, the Tide took down Western Kentucky, 3810. [498] Bill Belichick and Saban are good friends. 1 Alabama survives Tua injury, beats Tennessee 35-13", "Arkansas at Alabama Box Score, October 26, 2019", "LSU slays the dragon with 46-41 win at Alabama", "Tagovailoa injured in Alabama's 38-7 win at MSU", "Upon Further Review: Alabama 66, Western Carolina 3", "TideIllustrated - Alabama blows out Western Carolina 66-3 on Senior Day", "Auburn Beats Alabama 48-45 in Historic Iron Bowl Showdown", "Alabama drops in final Playoff rankings", "Looking at the history between Michigan and Alabama", "Alabama Solves Maize and Blue with 35-16 Win in Citrus Bowl", "SEC football schedule 2020: 10-game, conference-only slate begins Sept. 26 with two open dates", "Alabama Debuts at No. 9 ranked Clemson Tigers in the Chick-fil-A College Kickoff in the Georgia Dome. 1 recruiting classes in that time. The Crimson Tide's class featured a modern-era . Awards 6 Auburn tops No. [411] In the home opener, Alabama defeated #13 Texas A&M 5224. The two losses were routs at the hands of Purdue and Wisconsin. Saban led the LSU Tigers to the BCS National Championship in 2003 and the Alabama Crimson Tide to BCS and AP national championships in 2009, 2011, 2012, and College Football Playoff championships in 2015, 2017 and 2020. [327] In the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in a matchup of top-three teams, Alabama beat #3 Florida State 247. [133] For his efforts during the season, Saban received several Coach of the Year awards. Saban won his first national. A mythical national championship (sometimes abbreviated MNC) is national championship recognition that is not explicitly competitive.This phrase has often been invoked in reference to American college football, because the NCAA does not sponsor a playoff-style tournament or recognize official national champions for the Football Bowl Subdivision.The relevant recognition before 1998 came from . 1 ranking into Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and came out with a 2721 overtime victory over LSU. 2. [402] It's the first time Saban has lost two games in the regular season since 2010 and didn't qualify for the College Football Playoff for the first time. The Tide won their last 12 games, all but one by double digits, and topped Clemson 45-40 in the first of four meetings in a row in the rivalry. 1 seed and played the No. The season, however, turned out to be a major disappointment. [449][450][451] The next week, Alabama bounced back defeating Mississippi State 499. [433] In the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship, Alabama defeated #3 Ohio State 5224 to win its 18th National Championship. The Tide quickly put those doubts to rest. 1 Alabama stuns No. 1 Alabama 58, Tennessee 21", "Alabama instant analysis: Crimson Tide crushes LSU, 29-0", "No. [110][111][112] The Crimson Tide defeated Colorado in the 2007 Independence Bowl, 3024, to end the year 76. Nick Saban has built a dynasty Nick Saban became the head coach at Alabama in 2007, and the program has since been on one of the most dominant runs of all time. During his third season in 2009, he helped lead Bama to a 14-0 record and a win in the BCS National Championship Game over Texas. 1 in USA Today preseason poll; Tide got 55 of 59 votes", "No. With the Tide's commanding 52-24 win over Ohio State in the 2020 National Championship Game, Saban surpassed Bear Bryant for the most coaching titles in college football history. [307] The following week Alabama defeated Mississippi State 513. [216][217] It was Alabama's fourth shutout of the season (second time back-to-back) and second year in a row the Tide finish the regular season 111. The game was tied 2828 with only a single second remaining in regulation, as Alabama and Auburn appeared headed for overtime.