1966 Alabama Crimson Tide football team

Before the season

Alabama was recognized as national champions from the Associated Press for the 1965 season after they defeated Nebraska in the Orange Bowl and finished with an overall record of 9–1–1. In February 1966, SEC commissioner Bernie Moore penalized Alabama for scholarship violations with its freshman squad. Moore found that Alabama awarded 42 freshman scholarships instead of the 40 allowed by the league. As such, the Crimson Tide were penalized with a scholarship reduction of two to 38 for the 1966 recruiting class.

Schedule

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Game summaries

Louisiana Tech

Birmingham, Alabama

• Sources: To open the 1966 season, the No. 3 Crimson Tide defeated the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs 34–0 in the first all-time meeting between the schools on the football field. After a scoreless first quarter, Alabama took a 14–0 halftime lead on a 32-yard Ken Stabler touchdown pass to Dennis Homan and on an eight-yard Stabler touchdown run. After a two-yard Harold Moore touchdown run in the third, the Crimson Tide made the final score 34–0 in the fourth after they scored on a 79-yad Stabler pass to Homan and on a four-yard Moore run.

Ole Miss

Jackson, Mississippi

• Sources: Prior to their game against Ole Miss, Alabama retained the No. 3 position in the AP Poll, and on a Saturday evening, the Crimson Tide defeated the Rebels 17–7 at Jackson. After a scoreless first quarter, Alabama took a 7–0 halftime lead when Leslie Kelley scored on a one-yard touchdown run with only 0:40 left in the quarter. The Crimson Tide then extended their lead further to 14–0 in the third quarter when Ken Stabler threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Ray Perkins. The Rebels responded early in the fourth and cut the Crimson Tide lead in half when Julian Cunningham scored on a two-yard touchdown run, and then Alabama closed the game with a 21-yard Steve Davis field goal that made the final score 17–7. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Ole Miss 19–3–2.

Clemson

Tuscaloosa, Alabama

• Source: After their closer-than-expected victory over Ole Miss, Alabama dropped into the No. 4 position in the AP Poll prior to their game against Clemson. In what was their first game against the Tigers since the 1936 season, who were led by former Crimson Tide player Frank Howard as head coach, Alabama won 26–0.

Tennessee

Knoxville, Tennessee

• Sources: After their victory over Clemson, Alabama regained the No. 3 position in the AP Poll prior to their game against Tennessee. At a rain-soaked Neyland Stadium, Alabama overcame a 10–0 fourth quarter deficit and defeated the rival Volunteers 11–10 and preserved their perfect record.

Vanderbilt

Birmingham, Alabama

• Sources: After their victory over Tennessee, Alabama again dropped into the No. 4 position in the AP Poll prior to their game against Vanderbilt. Against the Commodores, Alabama played 56 different players in their 42–6 victory at Birmingham.

Mississippi State

Tuscaloosa, Alabama

• Sources: At Denny Stadium, the Crimson Tide traded touchdowns in the fourth quarter and defeated the Mississippi State Bulldogs 27–14 in Tuscaloosa.

LSU

Birmingham, Alabama

• Sources: After their victory over Mississippi State, Alabama retained the No. 4 position in the AP Poll prior to their game against LSU. Behind a strong defensive performance, the Crimson Tide defeated the Tigers 21–0 at Legion Field.

South Carolina

Tuscaloosa, Alabama

• Sources: On homecoming in Tuscaloosa, Alabama defeated the South Carolina Gamecocks 24–0 at Denny Stadium.

Southern Miss

Mobile, Alabama

• Sources: In their annual game played at Mobile, Alabama shutout the Southern Miss Southerners 34–0 at Ladd Stadium.

Auburn

Birmingham, Alabama

• Sources: In the annual Iron Bowl game, Alabama defeated the Auburn Tigers 31–0 and secured their third consecutive SEC championship.

Nebraska

New Orleans, Louisiana

• Sources: For the second year in a row, Alabama played Nebraska in their bowl game, and for the second consecutive year defeated the Cornhuskers. In the 1967 edition of the Sugar Bowl, the Crimson Tide defeated Nebraska 34–7 and finished the season undefeated. Alabama opened with a 17–0 lead in the first quarter on touchdown runs of one-yard by Leslie Kelley, 14-yards by Ken Stabler and on a 30-yard Steve Davis field goal. They then extended it to 24–0 at halftime after a six-yard Wayne Trimble touchdown run in the second quarter. After a 40-yard Davis field goal in the third for the Crimson Tide, Nebraska scored their only points early in the fourth quarter on a 15-yard Bob Churchich touchdown pass to Dick Davis that made the score 27–7. Alabama then closed the game with a 45-yard Stabler touchdown pass to Ray Perkins that made the final score 34–7. For his performance, Stabler was recognized as the game's MVP. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Nebraska to 2–0.

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 NCAA University Division football season. Although Alabama was the only team with a perfect record at the end of the season as Notre Dame and Michigan State tied in their meeting, it was not recognized as national champion. Keith Dunnavant suggests in his book about the 1966 season, that the continued segregation of the Alabama football team (the Crimson Tide did not integrate until Wilbur Jackson and John Mitchell made the 1971 team), as well as the Birmingham campaign and Selma to Montgomery marches by white Alabamians during the Civil Rights Movement, cost the Crimson Tide support with voters in 1966 and led to the third-place finish. The 1966 squad was retroactively recognized as national champion by Berryman and Sagarin (ELO-Chess) but Alabama does not claim either in their official national championship total.

NFL draft

Several players that were varsity lettermen from the 1966 squad were drafted into the National Football League (NFL) between the 1967 and 1969 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. The Alabama freshmen squad was led by coach Clem Gryska for the 1966 season and finished with a record of four wins and zero losses (4–0). The Baby Tide opened their season with a 27–14 victory over Mississippi State at Denny Stadium. After a scoreless first quarter, Alabama took a 7–0 lead in the second when Scott Hunter threw a five-yard touchdown pass to Tommy Wade. They then extended their lead to 17–0 at halftime when Mike Dean connected on a 46-yard field goal and Hunter scored on a short quarterback sneak. After Dean connected on a 31-yard field goal late in the third, the Bulldogs scored their first points late in the fourth on a 43-yard Dickie Carpenter touchdown run that made the score 20–7. Alabama responded with a 13-yard Wade touchdown run and State with a 13-yard Carpenter touchdown pass to George Davis that made the final score 27–14.

In their second game of the season, the Alabama freshmen defeated Ole Miss 31–14 at Oxford. Alabama took a 14–7 halftime lead with a pair of Tommy Wade touchdown runs from one and three-yards; Ole Miss scored their touchdown on a four-yard John Bowen run. The Vols led 9–7 at halftime after Vic Dingus tackled Eddie Bentley in the endzone for a safety and on a 35-yard Mike Jones touchdown pass to Gary Kreis. Alabama's first half touchdown came on a 15-yard Tommy Wade run. The Baby Tide closed the game with touchdowns on a 13-yard Scott Hunter pass to Perry Willis in the third and on a two-yard Wade run in the fourth that made the final score 21–9.

In their final game of the season, Alabama defeated Auburn 6–3 at Denny Stadium and finished the season undefeated. After Joe Riley scored Auburn's only points with his 35-yard field goal in the first, Mike Dean scored all of the Tide's points with field goals of 20 and 31-yards.

Personnel

Varsity letter winners

Coaching staff

References

General

Specific

References

1. Dellnski, Bernie. (August 31, 2006). "Title denied: 1966 Tide team holds reunion". TimesDaily.
2. Griffith, R. D.. (2012). "To the NFL: You Sure Started Somethin' – A Historical Guide of All 32 NFL Teams and the Cities They've Played in". Dorrance Publishing.
3. Green, Bob. (January 4, 1966). "Tide keeps AP title trophy". The Tuscaloosa News.
4. Land, Charles. (February 8, 1966). "UA penalized two grid grants". The Tuscaloosa News.
5. (November 27, 1966). "Alabama crushes Southern, 34–0". The Montgomery Advertiser.
6. "1966 Alabama football schedule". University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.
7. Land, Charles. (September 25, 1966). "Tide's aerial circus KOs pesky Tech". The Tuscaloosa News.
8. Smothers, Jimmy. (September 25, 1966). "Sputtering Crimson Tide pounds Louisiana Tech 34–0". The Gadsden Times.
9. 1966 Season Recap
10. DeLassus, David. "Alabama vs Louisiana Tech". College Football Data Warehouse.
11. Land, Charles. (October 2, 1966). "Little bitty Bama bops tough Ole Miss, 17–7". The Tuscaloosa News.
12. (October 2, 1966). "Alabama uses pass to subdue Ole Miss". Eugene Register-Guard.
13. Olan, Ben. (September 27, 1966). "Bama stays third". The Tuscaloosa News.
14. DeLassus, David. "Alabama vs Mississippi". College Football Data Warehouse.
15. Land, Charles. (October 9, 1966). "Clemson's snakebit". The Tuscaloosa News.
16. Vehorn, Frank. (October 9, 1966). "'Bama skins Tigers". Spartanburg Herald-Journal.
17. Olan, Ben. (October 4, 1966). "Bama drops to fourth". The Tuscaloosa News.
18. Land, Charles. (October 16, 1966). "Miracle-working Tide turns water into win". The Tuscaloosa News.
19. (October 16, 1966). "Tide nips Tennessee". Star-News.
20. Recht, Mike. (October 11, 1966). "Tide climbs up to third". The Tuscaloosa News.
21. Land, Charles. (October 23, 1966). "Tide 'bags' Vandy early". The Tuscaloosa News.
22. Thomas, Ronnie. (October 23, 1966). "Tide drops Vandy". The Florence Times.
23. Olan, Ben. (October 18, 1966). "Tide drops to fourth". The Tuscaloosa News.
24. Land, Charles. (October 30, 1966). "Tricky Tide turns back late State bid, 27–14". The Tuscaloosa News.
25. Smothers, Jimmy. (October 30, 1966). "Trimble takes Tide in for 27–14 win". The Gadsden Times.
26. (November 6, 1966). "Tide crushes LSU 21 to 0". Ocala Star-Banner.
27. Land, Charles. (November 6, 1966). "Tide puts Tiger in tank". The Tuscaloosa News.
28. Olan, Ben. (November 1, 1966). "Tide stays fourth in poll". The Tuscaloosa News.
29. Land, Charles. (November 13, 1966). "Tide's just enough". The Tuscaloosa News.
30. (November 13, 1966). "Third-ranked Crimson Tide waterlog Gamecocks 24–0". Spartanburg Herald-Journal.
31. Land, Charles. (November 27, 1966). "Tide turns killer, belts Southerners". The Tuscaloosa News.
32. (November 27, 1966). "Tide stands alone after 34–0 triumph". The Florence Times.
33. Land, Charles. (December 4, 1966). "Cobra-quick Tide bites Tigers 31–0". The Tuscaloosa News.
34. Smothers, Jimmy. (December 4, 1966). "Stabler, passing game provide 31–0 Tide win". The Gadsden Times.
35. Land, Charles. (January 3, 1967). "Tide makes believer of Nebraska, 34–7". The Tuscaloosa News.
36. Halbrooks, Hap. (January 3, 1967). "Tide rolls, Nebraska folds". The Florence Times.
37. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). "Bowl/All-Star Game Records: Most Valuable Players in Major Bowls". NCAA.org.
38. DeLassus, David. "Alabama vs Nebraska". College Football Data Warehouse.
39. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). "National Poll Champions". NCAA.org.
40. (January 5, 1967). "Writers pick Notre Dame as top team". Beaver County Times.
41. Dunnavant, Keith. (2007). "The Missing Ring: How Bear Bryant and the 1966 Alabama Crimson Tide Were Denied College Football's Most Elusive Prize". Macmillan.
42. Solomon, Jon. (January 6, 2010). "Got 12? Here's how Alabama bumped up its claim to a dozen national titles". AL.com.
43. "Draft History by School–Alabama". National Football League.
44. Kersey, Jason. (August 27, 2012). "NCAA's decision to allow freshman eligibility changed football landscape". The Oklahoman.
45. Reed, Delbert. (January 21, 1972). "Unanimous vote makes SEC frosh eligible". The Tuscaloosa News.
46. Land, Charles. (November 20, 1966). "Dean boots frosh in, 6–3". The Tuscaloosa News.
47. Land, Charles. (October 4, 1966). "Baby Tide sparkles in 27–14 win". The Tuscaloosa News.
48. (October 15, 1966). "Tide frosh tops Rebs". The Tuscaloosa News.
49. Land, Charles. (November 8, 1966). "Baby Tide rushing, defense too much for Vols, 21–9". The Tuscaloosa News.
50. ''2012 Alabama Crimson Tide Football Record Book'', pp. 187–201
51. ''2012 Alabama Crimson Tide Football Record Book'', pp. 202–203