1942 Alabama Crimson Tide football team

Schedule

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Rankings

Game summaries

Southwestern Louisiana

Montgomery, AL

• Source: To open the 1941 season, Alabama defeated the Southwestern Louisiana Institute Bulldogs (now known as the Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns) 54–0 at the Cramton Bowl on a Friday night. After Don Salls recovered a Bobby Voitier fumble on the Bulldogs' opening possession, Salls scored Alabama's first touchdown of the night on a 30-yard run on the possession that ensued. The Crimson Tide then extended their lead to 14–0 at the end of the first quarter after Russ Mosley threw a 47-yard touchdown pass to George Weeks. In the second quarter, Alabama scored a trio of touchdowns on Kenny Reese runs of 7 and 24-yards and on a 45-yard Norman Mosley run to make the halftime score 35–0. The second half saw many of Alabama's reserves play and three more touchdowns. In the third-quarter touchdowns were scored by Joe Domnanovich on a 25-yard interception return and on an Al Sabo reception. The Crimson Tide got their final points in the fourth quarter on a 2-yard Lou Scales touchdown run. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against the Bulldogs to 2–0.

Mississippi State

Tuscaloosa, AL

• Source: In the first conference game of the season, Alabama defeated Mississippi State 21–6 in what was the first conference loss for the Maroons since the 1939 season.

Pensacola NAS

• Source: With the outbreak of World War II, many leaders in the military viewed football as a means to help develop leadership abilities and greater discipline in preparation for combat. As such, during this time colleges scheduled military schools and organizations for regular season football games. For their third game of the season, Alabama met the team that represented the Naval Air Station Pensacola at Mobile, and defeated the Goslings 27–0. In the game, Alabama scored a touchdown in all four quarters and outgained Pensacola in rushing yards 295 to minus 2. Touchdowns were scored by Russ Craft on a 3-yard run in the first, on a 5-yard Johnny August pass to Al Sabo in the second, Craft on a 6-yard reverse in the third and on a 39-yard Kenny Reese run in the fourth.

Tennessee

Birmingham, AL

• Source: After each team opened the season undefeated through the fourth week, Alabama entered the first AP Poll of the season as No. 4 team and Tennessee entered as the No. 15 team. Due to each team being ranked and the heated rivalry between each other, NBC broadcast the game nationally over 218 radio affiliates and Bill Stern served as commentator. In the game, Alabama defeated the Volunteers 8–0 before 25,000 fans at Legion Field.

Kentucky

Lexington, KY

• Source: After their victory over Tennessee, Alabama moved up one position to the No. 3 spot in the AP Poll prior to their game at Kentucky. On what was homecoming in Lexington, the Crimson Tide shutout the Wildcats 14–0.

Georgia

Atlanta, GA

• Source: As both Alabama and Georgia were undefeated as they entered their game, both received top five rankings in the weekly AP Poll. Although the Crimson Tide led 10–0 at the start of the fourth quarter, three late touchdowns gave the Bulldogs the 21–10 victory at Grant Field in Atlanta.

South Carolina

Tuscaloosa, AL

• Source: After their loss to Georgia, the Crimson Tide dropped five places to the No. 8 position in the weekly AP Poll prior to their game against South Carolina. On homecoming at Denny Stadium, Alabama defeated the Gamecocks 29–0.

Georgia Tech

Atlanta, GA

• Source: Prior to their second trip to Atlanta of the season, this time to face Georgia Tech, Alabama moved up from the No. 8 position to the No. 5 position in the AP Poll. Against the Yellow Jackets, the Crimson Tide was shutout 7–0 at Grant Field in a game that saw two dominant defenses.

Vanderbilt

Birmingham, AL

• Source: After their loss against Georgia Tech, Alabama dropped down spots to the No. 9 position in the AP Poll prior to their game against Vanderbilt. Against the Commodores, Alabama rebounded from their loss to the Yellow Jackets with a 27–7 victory at Legion Field.

Georgia Pre-Flight

Birmingham, AL

• Source: After their victory over Vanderbilt, Alabama moved up two spots to the No. 7 position in the AP Poll prior to their game against Georgia Pre-Flight. Against the Skycrackers, Alabama lost 35–19 at Legion Field to a team that featured several former college stars in addition to former Crimson Tide player and future coach Bear Bryant. The Skycrackers took a 7–0 lead in the first quarter after Thomas White blocked a Russ Mosley quick kick that was returned 40-yards by Darrell Tully for a Georgia touchdown. Tully then scored the second touchdown on a 9-yard run in the second quarter to cap a 70-yard drive and give the Skycrackers a 14–0 halftime lead. Georgia extended their lead further to 28–0 at the end of the third quarter with touchdowns on a 25-yard Frank Filchock pass to Bob Foxx and on a Jim Poole reception. In the fourth quarter, Alabama scored first on a 3-yard Don Salls touchdown run to cut the Georgia lead to 28–6. The Skycrackers responded with a 9-yard Filchock to Poole touchdown pass to extend their lead to 35–6. Alabama did score the final pair of touchdowns in the game on a 19-yard Tom Jenkins run and on a 21-yard Norman Mosley pass to Jim McWhorter to make the final score 35–19.

Boston College

Miami, FL

• Source: After their loss to Georgia Pre-Flight in their regular season finale, on November 30 Alabama accepted an invitation to play in the Orange Bowl against the Boston College Eagles. At that time, the final AP Poll was also released with Alabama in the No. 10 position and Boston College in the No. 8 position. In the Orange Bowl, the Crimson Tide overcame a 14–0 first quarter deficit to defeat the Eagles 37–21. Boston College took a 14–0 lead with first-quarter touchdowns scored on a 65-yard Mike Holovak pass to Ed Doherty and on a 33-yard Holovak run. Alabama responded with three consecutive touchdowns in the second quarter to take a 19–14 lead on a 14-yard Russ Mosley pass to Wheeler Leeth, a 17-yard Johnny August pass to Ted Cook and on a 40-yard Tom Jenkins run. The Eagles then scored their final points of the game on a 1-yard Holovak touchdown run before the Crimson Tide took a 22–21 halftime lead on a 15-yard George Hecht field goal. Alabama went on to shutout the Eagles in the second half and score on a 15-yard August run in the third and on a 1-yard Jenkins run in the fourth. Joe Domnanovich then tackled Harry Connolly for a safety to make the final score 37–21.

Personnel

Varsity letter winners

Coaching staff

After the season

NFL draft

Several players that were varsity lettermen from the 1942 squad were drafted into the National Football League (NFL) between the 1943 and 1945 drafts. These players included the following:

References

General

Specific

References

1. "1942 Alabama football schedule". University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.
2. (September 27, 1942). "Alabama opens season with 54–0 'warm-up' over SLI Bulldogs". Google News Archives.
3. 1942 Season Recap
4. DeLassus, David. "Alabama vs Louisiana–Lafayette". College Football Data Warehouse.
5. (October 4, 1942). "Crimson Tide drowns State title hopes with 21 to 6 triumph". Google News Archives.
6. DeLassus, David. "Alabama vs Mississippi State". College Football Data Warehouse.
7. (October 11, 1942). "Tide power downs Fliers 27–0". Google News Archives.
8. (October 11, 1942). "Alabama Defeats Pensacola Team". [[The Philadelphia Inquirer]].
9. (October 18, 1942). "Alabama rallies in last half to down Tennessee 8–0". Google News Archives.
10. (October 13, 1942). "Tide ranked fourth in U.S.". Google News Archives.
11. (October 12, 1942). "Tide-Vol game to go overseas". Google News Archives.
12. (October 25, 1942). "Tide continues unbeaten, whipping Kentucky 14–0". Google News Archives.
13. Claassen, Harold. (October 20, 1942). "Alabama is ranked third in AP scribes' voting". Google News Archives.
14. Jack Troy. (November 1, 1942). "Georgia Wins, 21-10, To Take Front Rank In Nation's Grid List". The Atlanta Constitution.
15. (November 1, 1942). "Georgia's passes defeat Bama in furious last period, 21–10". Google News Archives.
16. (October 27, 1942). "Ohio State holds top spot". Google News Archives.
17. (November 8, 1942). "Tide stages offensive show to beat Gamecocks". Google News Archives.
18. Claassen, Harold. (November 3, 1942). "Georgia takes first in poll". Google News Archives.
19. (November 15, 1942). "Tech's first period touchdown stands against Tide onslaught". Google News Archives.
20. (November 10, 1942). "Georgia holds first in poll". Google News Archives.
21. (November 22, 1942). "Bama Tiders roll over Commodores 27–7". Google News Archives.
22. Claassen, Harold. (November 17, 1942). "Georgia clings to poll lead". Google News Archives.
23. (November 29, 1942). "Georgia cadets defeat Bama in finale 35–19". Google News Archives.
24. Bealmear, Austin. (November 24, 1942). "Boston College is No. 1 team". Google News Archives.
25. (January 3, 1943). "Alabama's victory Tide starts home in 2 groups". The Tuscaloosa News.
26. (December 1, 1942). "Tide, Eagles to meet in Miami". The Tuscaloosa News.
27. (December 1, 1942). "Ohio State wins final AP Poll". The Tuscaloosa News.
28. (2011). "2011 Alabama Crimson Tide Football Record Book". University of Alabama Athletics Media Relations Office.
29. (2011). "2011 Alabama Crimson Tide Football Record Book". University of Alabama Athletics Media Relations Office.
30. "Alabama Drafted Players/Alumni". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
31. "Draft History by School–Alabama". National Football League.