1957 Alabama Crimson Tide football team

Schedule

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Game summaries

LSU

Baton Rouge, LA

• Source: To open the 1957 season, Alabama was shutout by LSU 28–0 at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge. LSU took the opening kickoff and drove 67-yards for a one-yard Jim Taylor touchdown run that gave the Tigers a 7–0 lead at halftime after a scoreless second quarter. In the third quarter, Win Turner intercepted an Alabama pass that gave LSU possession at their 40-yard line. Six plays later, Turner then threw a 42-yard touchdown pass to J. W. Brodnax for a 14–0 lead. Billy Cannon then scored the final two Tigers' touchdowns for the 28–0 victory. The first came on a 53-yard run in the third quarter and the second on a 73-yard run in the fourth quarter that followed a fake punt. The loss brought Alabama's all-time record against LSU to 15–7–4.

Vanderbilt

Nashville, TN

• Sources: In their second consecutive road game to open the 1957 season, the Crimson Tide played the Vanderbilt Commodores to a 6–6 tie at Dudley Field.

TCU

Fort Worth, TX

• Sources: For the third consecutive season, Alabama played the Texas Christian University (TCU) Horned Frogs of the Southwest Conference, and for the third time in as many years the Crimson Tide lost 28–0.

Tennessee

Birmingham, AL

• Sources: In their annual rivalry game against Tennessee, the score was tied at zero as the teams entered the fourth quarter. However, a pair of touchdowns by the Volunteers in the final quarter gave Tennessee the 14–0 victory in Birmingham.

Mississippi State

Tuscaloosa, AL

• Sources: One year after the Crimson Tide defeated Mississippi State to end their 17-game losing streak, the Maroons were victorious on homecoming at Denny Stadium by a final score of 25–13. Alabama took a 6–0 lead on the second play of the game when Jim Loftin scored on a 65-yard touchdown run. The lead was short lived as on the Maroons possession that ensued, Billy Stacy threw a 57-yard touchdown pass to Charles Weatherly that tied the game 6–6. State then took a 12–6 halftime lead on a 21-yard Gil Peterson touchdown run in the second quarter.

After a scoreless third quarter, the Maroons extended their lead to 25–6 in the fourth quarter on short touchdown runs by Molly Halbert and Robert Collins. The Crimson Tide then made the final score 25–13 on a 62-yard Bobby Jackson touchdown pass to Marlin Dyess late in the final period. The loss brought Alabama's all-time record against Mississippi State to 29–10–3.

Georgia

Athens, GA

• Sources: Against the Georgia Bulldogs, Alabama won their first game of the season 14–13 at Sanford Stadium in Athens.

Tulane

Mobile, AL

• Sources: In their annual home game played at Ladd Stadium, the Crimson Tide were shutout 7–0 by the Tulane Green Wave at Mobile.

Georgia Tech

Birmingham, AL

• Sources: Against Georgia Tech, Alabama lost 10–7 to the Yellow Jackets at Legion Field.

Mississippi Southern

Tuscaloosa, AL

• Sources: In their final non-conference game of the season, Alabama won their second game of the season against the Mississippi Southern Golden Eagles 29–2 at Denny Stadium.

Auburn

Birmingham, AL

• Sources: Against the rival Auburn, the Tigers scored 34 first half points en route to a 40–0 shutout victory at Legion Field in the season finale. After the Tigers recovered an Alabama fumble on their first possession, Auburn took a 7–0 lead on a one-yard Bill Atkins touchdown run. Atkins then extended their lead to 14–0 with a six-yard touchdown run later in the first that capped a six-play, 62-yard drive. Up by 14, three second-quarter touchdowns resulted in a 34–0 halftime lead for Auburn. Points were scored on a two-yard Lloyd Nix run and on interception returns of 21-yards by Tommy Lorino and 66-yards by Jackie Burkett.

The final Auburn touchdown was scored in the third on a 27-yard Nix pass to Jim Phillips that made the final score 40–0. The loss brought Alabama's all-time record against Auburn to 9–12–1. Three days after their victory over the Crimson Tide, Auburn was recognized as the 1957 national champions by the Associated Press in their final poll of the season.

After the season

In the week that followed their loss to Tennessee, the University of Alabama Faculty Committee on Physical Education and Athletics announced the university would not renew coach Whitworth's contract effective December 1 at the conclusion of the season. On December 3, the university formally introduced then Texas A&M head coach and former Crimson Tide player Bear Bryant as the new head coach of the Crimson Tide. At the time of the announcement, Bryant also became athletic director as the replacement for Hank Crisp and signed a ten-year contract to serve as Alabama's head coach.

Personnel

Varsity letter winners

Coaching staff

References

General

Specific

References

1. (September 29, 1957). "Cannon paces Tigers over Alabama, 28–0". The Montgomery Advertiser.
2. (October 6, 1957). "'Bama gains upset tie, 6–6, with Commodores". Kingsport Times-News.
3. (October 13, 1957). "TCU's long gainers stun 'Bama, 28–0". Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
4. (October 20, 1957). "Gordon-led Vols beat Tide, 14–0". The Birmingham News.
5. (October 27, 1957). "State rolls to victory". The Clarion-Ledger.
6. (November 3, 1957). "Alabama finds winning touch, topples favored Georgia, 14–13". The Macon Telegraph & News.
7. (November 10, 1957). "Tulane stops sputtering Tide". The Birmingham News.
8. (November 17, 1957). "Tide loses 10 to 7 heartbreaker to Tech". The Birmingham News.
9. (November 24, 1957). "Tide rolls, 29–2". The Birmingham News.
10. Max Mosley. (December 1, 1957). "Auburn Mauls Hapless Alabama, 40-0 To Finish Unbeaten, Untied, Uninvited". The Montgomery Advertiser.
11. "1957 Alabama football schedule". University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.
12. Ragsdale, W. B. Jr.. (September 29, 1957). "LSU slaps Crimson Tide in opener, 28–0". The Florence Times.
13. Land, Charles. (September 29, 1957). "Bama loses to LSU Tiger in opener, 28–0". The Tuscaloosa News.
14. 1957 Season Recap
15. DeLassus, David. "Alabama vs Louisiana State". College Football Data Warehouse.
16. Davis, Ben. (October 6, 1957). "Tide battles Vandy to 6–6 tie as final drive halted". The Tuscaloosa News.
17. (October 6, 1957). "Underdog Bama gets 6–6 tie in Vandy tilt". The Gadsden Times.
18. DeLassus, David. "Alabama vs Vanderbilt". College Football Data Warehouse.
19. Land, Charles. (October 13, 1957). "TCU crosses goal 4 times to whip Bama". The Tuscaloosa News.
20. Ford, Robert E.. (October 13, 1957). "TCU batters 'Bama by 28 to 0 margin". The Florence Times.
21. Land, Charles. (October 20, 1957). "Tennessee thumps Tide in last period, 14 to 0". The Tuscaloosa News.
22. Smith, James W.. (October 20, 1957). "Tide bows 14–0 after Tennessee unleashes drive". The Gadsden Times.
23. Land, Charles. (October 27, 1957). "Stunned State steams by Crimson Tide, 25 to 13". The Tuscaloosa News.
24. Cox, Don. (October 27, 1957). "Maroons subdue Bama, 25 to 13, nip homecoming". The Gadsden Times.
25. DeLassus, David. "Alabama vs Mississippi State". College Football Data Warehouse.
26. Bolton, Clyde. (November 3, 1957). "Crimson Tide rolls, 14–13". The Gadsden Times.
27. Butler, Vernon. (November 3, 1957). "Tide beats Georgia for first win". The Miami News.
28. Land, Charles. (November 10, 1957). "Tulane topples Tide with first quarter score, 7–0". The Tuscaloosa News.
29. Atkins, Stan. (November 10, 1957). "Tulane nips Bama in close tilt, 7–0". The Florence Times.
30. Land, Charles. (November 17, 1957). "Tide fails in stretch as Tech wins, 10 to 7". The Tuscaloosa News.
31. Simms, Leroy. (November 17, 1957). "Georgia Tech wins close contest from 'Bama, 10–7". The Florence Times.
32. Land, Charles. (November 24, 1957). "Crimson Tide breaks jinx, blasts Southerners 29–2". The Tuscaloosa News.
33. Simms, Leroy. (November 24, 1957). "Bama blasts Southern". The Florence Times.
34. Bassett, Norman. (December 1, 1957). "Upset plans go awry as Tigers whip Tide". The Tuscaloosa News.
35. Griffin, John Chandler. (2001). "Alabama vs. Auburn: Gridiron Grudge Since 1893". Hill Street Press.
36. DeLassus, David. "Alabama vs Auburn". College Football Data Warehouse.
37. Wilks, Ed. (December 3, 1957). "Auburn ruled national champ, Buckeyes second". The Tuscaloosa News.
38. Land, Charles. (October 24, 1957). "Whit's departure official". The Tuscaloosa News.
39. Land, Charles. (December 3, 1957). "Bryant signs 10-year pact as coach of Crimson Tide". The Tuscaloosa News.
40. (2011). "2011 Alabama Crimson Tide Football Record Book". University of Alabama Athletics Media Relations Office.
41. (2011). "2011 Alabama Crimson Tide Football Record Book". University of Alabama Athletics Media Relations Office.