1964 Alabama Crimson Tide football team

Schedule

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Game summaries

Georgia

Tuscaloosa, AL

• Sources: To open the 1964 season, the Crimson Tide defeated Georgia 31–3 in what was the first game for Vince Dooley as head coach of the Bulldogs. After the Crimson Tide took a 7–0 lead on a five-yard Hudson Harris touchdown run in the first quarter, Georgia scored their only points early in the second on a 26-yard Robert Etter field goal. Alabama responded with the first of three Joe Namath touchdown runs from eight-yards out that gave the Crimson Tide a 14–3 halftime lead. Alabama closed the game with a 27-yard David Ray field goal and Namath touchdown runs of one and five-yards for the 31–3 victory. In the game, Namath completed 16 of 21 passes for 167 yards, ran for 55 yards, and scored three touchdowns. The 16 completions tied a school record with Harry Gilmer set during the 1946 season, and for his performance Namath was recognized as the AP's Back of the Week. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Georgia to 28–18–4.

Tulane

Mobile, AL

• Source: At Mobile, the Crimson Tide defeated the Tulane Green Wave 36–6 in their annual Ladd Stadium game of the season.

Vanderbilt

Birmingham, AL

• Sources: After their victory over Tulane, Alabama moved into the No. 4 position in the AP Poll prior to their game against Vanderbilt. In the first Legion Field game of the season, the Crimson Tide shut out the Commodores, 24–0, at Birmingham.

NC State

Tuscaloosa, AL

• Sources: After their victory over Vanderbilt, Alabama moved up one position in the polls to the No. 3 spot prior to their first non-conference game of the season. In a game that saw starting quarterback Joe Namath injured in the second quarter, backup Steve Sloan rallied the Crimson Tide to a 21–0 victory over the NC State Wolfpack in Tuscaloosa.

Tennessee

Knoxville, TN

• Sources: In what was their first road game of the 1964 season, Alabama defeated the rival Tennessee Volunteers 19–8 at Neyland Stadium.

Florida

Tuscaloosa, AL

• Sources: As they entered their 1964 homecoming game against Florida, Alabama was ranked No. 3 and Florida No. 9 in the AP Poll. Against the Gators, Alabama rallied for a 17–14 comeback victory after they scored ten unanswered points in the fourth quarter.

Mississippi State

Jackson, MS

• Sources: At the Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium, a near sellout crowd saw David Ray connect on three field goals and Steve Bowman score on a pair of touchdown runs in this 23–6 win over the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

LSU

Birmingham, AL

• Source: As they entered their game against LSU, Alabama remained in the No. 3 position with the Tigers in the No. 8 position for a top ten matchup. Against the Tigers, Alabama rallied back for a 17–9 win that secured the 1964 SEC championship at Legion Field in Birmingham. LSU scored first and took an early 6–0 lead on a 13-yard Billy Ezell touchdown pass to Doug Moreau. The Crimson Tide responded later in the first quarter with a one-yard Steve Bowman touchdown run and took a 7–6 lead. Later, a 35-yard Moreau field goal in the second quarter gave the Tigers a 9–7 halftime lead that they retained through the fourth quarter when Alabama started their rally. In the fourth, the Tide took the lead with a 36-yard David Ray field goal and extended it to the final margin of 17–9 later in the quarter when Hudson Harris intercepted and Ezell pass and returned it 34-yards for the touchdown.

The game was also the dedication of 13,000 additional seats at Legion Field, and the 67,749 in attendance made it the largest crowd to ever see a football game in the state of Alabama at that time. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against LSU to 16–8–4.

Georgia Tech

Atlanta, GA

• Sources: After their victory over LSU, Alabama moved into the No. 2 position and Georgia Tech, which exited the SEC following the 1963 season, into the No. 10 position in the AP poll prior to their game in Atlanta. In what was the final game of a series that stretched back nearly uninterrupted to the 1920s, Alabama defeated the Yellow Jackets 24–7 at Grant Field. After a scoreless first quarter, an injured Joe Namath entered the game for the Crimson Tide and led them to a pair of touchdowns in just a 1:20 of playing time. After Alabama recovered a Tech fumble at their 49-yard line, Namath threw a 48-yard completion to David Ray and on the next play took a 7–0 lead on a one-yard Steve Bowman touchdown run. The Crimson Tide then recovered an onside kick on the kickoff that ensued on the Jackets' 48-yard line. On the next play, Namath passed for 45-yards to Ray Ogden and then threw a three-yard touchdown pass to Ray for the 14–0 halftime lead.

After a 22-yard Ray field goal extended their lead to 17–0 in the third, Bowman scored on a four-yard fumble recovered for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Georgia Tech did manage to avoid the shutout late in the fourth when Jerry Priestley threw a five-yard touchdown pass to Giles Smith that made the final score 24–7. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Georgia Tech to 24–19–3.

Auburn

Birmingham, AL

• Sources: In the week prior to their game against Auburn, Alabama retained their No. 2 ranking in the AP poll. In the annual Iron Bowl game, Alabama defeated the Tigers 21–14 land secured their second undefeated regular season under coach Bryant.

Texas

Miami, FL

• Sources: Immediately after their Iron Bowl victory, Alabama accepted a bid to play Texas in the Orange Bowl. Although they were recognized as undefeated national champions at the conclusion of the regular season, Alabama lost to the Longhorns 21–17 in the game and finished the season 10–1. Texas took a 14–0 lead after touchdowns were scored on a 79-yard Ernie Koy run in the first and on a 69-yard Jim Hudson pass to George Sauer Jr. in the second quarter. The Crimson Tide responded with a seven-yard Joe Namath touchdown pass to Wayne Trimble, but a two-yard Koy touchdown run made the halftime score 21–7 in favor of Texas. Alabama closed the game with a 20-yard Ray Perkins touchdown reception in the third and with a 26-yard David Ray field goal in the fourth, but lost 21–17. The loss brought Alabama's all-time record against Texas to 0–5–1.

National championship claim

The NCAA recognizes consensus national champions as the teams that have captured a championship by way of one of the major polls since the 1950 college football season. After No. 1 Notre Dame was upset by USC in their final game of the season, it was speculated that Alabama would move into the top position in the polls and claim the 1964 national championship. As such, the Crimson Tide were voted into the No. 1 position in both the final AP and UPI polls and captured the national championship. On November 30, the final UPI poll was released with Alabama in the No. 1 position having claimed 33 first place votes and 333 total points in the poll ahead of No. 2 Arkansas. On December 1, the final AP poll was released with Alabama in the No. 1 position having claimed 34.5 first place votes ahead of the 11.5 first place votes awarded to No. 2 Arkansas.

Although officially recognized as national champions at the conclusion of the regular season, Alabama went on to lose against Texas in the Orange Bowl. Due to this embarrassment, and the increasing number of top ranked teams participating in bowl games, 1964 was one of the final years the AP released its final poll before the completion of bowl season. The AP would permanently switch to a final poll conducted after the bowl games starting with the 1968 season. Arkansas defeated Nebraska in the 1965 Cotton Bowl Classic and was the only major team that finished the entire season undefeated, to include a victory over Texas in Austin. Arkansas was voted national champions by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and the Helms Athletic Foundation after the bowl games.

NFL/AFL Draft

Several players that were varsity lettermen from the 1964 squad were drafted into the National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL) between the 1965 and 1967 drafts. These players included the following:

Freshman squad

Prior to the 1972 NCAA University Division football season, NCAA rules prohibited freshmen from participating on the varsity team, and as such many schools fielded freshmen teams. For the 1964 season, the Alabama freshmen squad was coached by Sam Bailey and finished their season with a record of two wins and two losses (2–2). Alabama opened the season with a 14–7 loss to Mississippi State in a game that saw the Baby Tide turn the ball over seven times. The Bulldogs took a 7–0 lead in the first quarter on a one-yard Walter Pennebaker touchdown run. Alabama tied the game 7–7 in the third quarter on a 46-yard Ken Stabler touchdown pass to Dennis Homan; however, Stabler threw an interception later in the third to Alton Ellis that he returned 73 yards for the game-winning touchdown.

Two weeks later, Alabama won their first game of the season at New Orleans with a 13–6 victory over Tulane. The Baby Tide scored on their first offensive play when Stabler threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Homan in the first quarter. Steve Davis kicked a 26-yard field goal on the next Alabama possession and another from 24 yards out in the third that made the score 13–0 in favor of the Tide. In the game, Rebel touchdowns were scored on a pair of Carr Walker touchdown passes. The first came in the opening period to Milie Haile and the second on a 59-yard pass to Carl Pope in the third quarter.

The next week, Alabama closed the season with a 17–0 victory over rival Auburn at Denny Stadium. The Baby Tide took a 14–0 first quarter lead on a 70-yard Homan punt return and on a one-yard Phil Schaeffer touchdown run that capped a 71-yard drive. Steve Davis provided for the final points of the game late in the fourth quarter n a 21-yard field goal that made the final score 21–0.

Personnel

Varsity letter winners

Coaching staff

References

General

Specific

References

1. (September 20, 1964). "Tide sinks 'Dawgs, 31–3". The Sunday Ledger-Enquirer.
2. (September 27, 1964). "Crimson Tide overpowers Tulane Green Wave, 36–6". The Montgomery Advertiser.
3. (October 4, 1964). "Tide batters Vandy". The Montgomery Advertiser.
4. (October 11, 1964). "NC State bows 21–0 to Alabama". Lincoln Sunday Journal & Star.
5. (October 18, 1964). "Crimson Tide captures Vols, 19–8". Johnson City Press.
6. (October 25, 1964). "Tide comebacks thwart Florida's hopes, 17–14". Tallahassee Democrat.
7. (November 1, 1964). "Alabama surge defeats Miss. State U., 23 to 6". The Clarion-Ledger.
8. (November 8, 1964). "Bama nips LSU to win SEC title". The Dothan Eagle.
9. (November 15, 1964). "Second-ranked Alabama trounces Ga. Tech 24–7". The Greenville News.
10. (November 27, 1964). "Tide sinks tough Auburn, 21–14". Birmingham Post-Herald.
11. (January 2, 1965). "Big plays by Texas hold off Namath rush". The Miami News.
12. "1964 Alabama football schedule". University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.
13. Land, Charles. (September 20, 1964). "Namath fires Tide by Bulldogs, 31–3". The Tuscaloosa News.
14. Halbrooks, Hap. (September 20, 1964). "Namath proves a sparkler in 31–3 Alabama victor". The Florence Times.
15. 1964 Season Recap
16. (September 23, 1964). "Alabama's Namath selected national back of week". St. Petersburg Times.
17. DeLassus, David. "Alabama vs Georgia". College Football Data Warehouse.
18. Land, Charles. (September 27, 1964). "High Tide rolls by Greenies". The Tuscaloosa News.
19. DeLassus, David. "Alabama vs Tulane". College Football Data Warehouse.
20. Thomas, Ronnie. (October 4, 1964). "Tide whips Vandy 24–0". The Gadsden Times.
21. (October 4, 1964). "Alabama gets 24–0 victory". The News and Courier.
22. Couch, Dick. (September 29, 1964). "Tide draws fourth spot in grid poll". The Tuscaloosa News.
23. Land, Charles. (October 11, 1964). "Sloan sparks Alabama victory". The Tuscaloosa News.
24. (October 11, 1964). "Alabama breaks State's bubble". The News and Courier.
25. Meier, Ted. (October 6, 1964). "Tide climbs to third spot in national football poll". The Tuscaloosa News.
26. Land, Charles. (October 18, 1964). "Tide handles Vols, 19–8". The Tuscaloosa News.
27. (October 16, 1964). "Alabama beats Tennessee 19–8". The Spokesman-Review.
28. Martin, Buddy. (October 25, 1964). "Crimson Tide nips Gators". Ocala Star-Banner.
29. Land, Charles. (October 25, 1964). "Alabama fights off Gators, 17–14". The Tuscaloosa News.
30. Watkins, Ed. (October 25, 1964). "Victory puts the icing on homecoming cake". The Tuscaloosa News.
31. (November 1, 1964). "Field goals lift Alabama, 23 to 6". The News and Courier.
32. Land, Charles. (November 1, 1964). "Ray, Sloan spark Bama by Bulldogs, 23–6". The Tuscaloosa News.
33. Halbrooks, Hap. (November 8, 1964). "Tide downs LSU". The Florence Times.
34. Land, Charles. (November 8, 1964). "Alabama wraps up SEC title with 17–9 win". The Tuscaloosa News.
35. Chass, Murray. (November 3, 1964). "Irish climb past Bucks as Alabama stays third". The Tuscaloosa News.
36. DeLassus, David. "Alabama vs Louisiana State". College Football Data Warehouse.
37. (November 15, 1964). "'Bama routs Georgia Tech for 9th, 24–7". The Miami News.
38. Bassett, Norman. (November 15, 1964). "Quick striking Alabama dumps Tech 24–7". The Tuscaloosa News.
39. (November 6, 1964). "Tide challenging Irish for lead". The Tuscaloosa News.
40. Land, Charles. (November 15, 1964). "Namath tosses spark victory". The Tuscaloosa News.
41. DeLassus, David. "Alabama vs Georgia Tech". College Football Data Warehouse.
42. Land, Charles. (November 27, 1964). "Tide does it the hard way again, 21–14 over Auburn". The Tuscaloosa News.
43. Griffin, John Chandler. (2001). "Alabama vs. Auburn: Gridiron Grudge Since 1893". Hill Street Press.
44. Green, Bob. (November 24, 1964). "Tide stays second". The Tuscaloosa News.
45. Land, Charles. (January 2, 1965). "Longhorns hold off fighting Tide, 21–17". The Tuscaloosa News.
46. Fitzgerald, Tommy. (January 2, 1965). "Big plays by Texas hold off Namath rush". The Miami News.
47. (November 27, 1964). "Orange Bowl bid offered, accepted". The Tuscaloosa News.
48. DeLassus, David. "Alabama vs Texas". College Football Data Warehouse.
49. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). "National Poll Champions". NCAA.org.
50. Solomon, Jon. (January 6, 2010). "Got 12? Here's how Alabama bumped up its claim to a dozen national titles". The Birmingham News.
51. (November 29, 1964). "Mighty Irish fall, Bama No. 1 now?". The Tuscaloosa News.
52. (December 1, 1964). "Bama crowned best in nation". The Tuscaloosa News.
53. (January 3, 1965). "Namath, Alabama won't soon forget Nobis & Co.". St. Petersburg Times.
54. (November 24, 1965). "Spartans eye college title". The Pal Beach Post.
55. "Draft History by School–Alabama". National Football League.
56. "1965 AFL Draft". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
57. "1966 AFL Draft". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
58. Kersey, Jason. (August 27, 2012). "NCAA's decision to allow freshman eligibility changed football landscape". The Oklahoman.
59. Reed, Delbert. (January 21, 1972). "Unanimous vote makes SEC frosh eligible". The Tuscaloosa News.
60. Land, Charles. (November 22, 1964). "Homan's dash starts 17–0 Baby Tide win over Tigers". The Tuscaloosa News.
61. Land, Charles. (October 3, 1964). "State frosh deal Tide 14–7 defeat". The Tuscaloosa News.
62. (October 24, 1964). "Davis, Stabler lead fresh win". The Tuscaloosa News.
63. (November 14, 1964). "UA freshmen fall to Rebs". The Tuscaloosa News.
64. ''2012 Alabama Crimson Tide Football Record Book'', pp. 187–201
65. ''2012 Alabama Crimson Tide Football Record Book'', pp. 202–203