Alabama ended the 1977 season with the disappointment of a #2 finish, an 11-point voting margin behind national champion Notre Dame.
On April 13, 1978, Paul Bryant was one of several coaches quoted in an AP interview that focused on efforts to rid college football of cheating. Bryant advocated a rule requiring coaches notify the NCAA of suspected infractions immediately and getting it over with rather than complaining after losing a game.
On April 20, nearly a dozen players with injuries were held out of the annual A-Day game that ended in a colorless 7-7 tie. The biggest concern was a knee injury to second-string QB Steadman Shealy. Bryant, in the post A-Day game press conference, declared his 1978 team would have "a questionable offense, an average kicking game, and a good defense" in the post-A-Day game press conference. lastly a new comer that was requited 4 yrs ago but decided to pursue other athletics adventures started as outside linebacker from Richmond Virginia, Eddie McGeorge
Sugar Bowl
The 1979 Sugar Bowl against Penn State would go down as a classic.[2] Alabama scored in the second quarter, then Penn State answered in the third, then Alabama took a 14–7 lead on a touchdown set up by a 62-yard punt return. Penn State had a chance to tie in the fourth, but quarterback Chuck Fusina threw an interception into the Alabama end zone.[3] Then Alabama had a chance to put the game away, but fumbled the football back to Penn State at the Nittany Lion 19-yard-line with four minutes to go.[2] Penn State drove to a first and goal at the Alabama eight. On third and goal from the one, Fusina asked Bama defensive lineman Marty Lyons "What do you think we should do?", and Lyons answered "You'd better pass."[4] On third down, Penn State was stopped inches short of the goal line. On fourth down, Penn State was stopped again, Barry Krauss meeting Mike Guman and throwing him back for no gain. Alabama held on for a 14–7 victory. The Crimson Tide split the national championship, winning the AP poll while Southern California won the UPI Coaches' poll. It was Alabama's fifth wire service national championship.
References
General
"1977 Season Recaps" (PDF). RollTide.com. University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
(PDF). Tuscaloosa, Alabama: University of Alabama Athletics Media Relations Office. 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
Specific
^. RollTide.com. University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. Archived from the original on November 25, 2011. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
1978, alabama, crimson, tide, football, team, variously, alabama, bama, represented, university, alabama, 1978, ncaa, division, football, season, crimson, tide, 84th, overall, 45th, season, member, southeastern, conference, team, head, coach, bear, bryant, 21s. The 1978 Alabama Crimson Tide football team variously Alabama UA or Bama represented the University of Alabama in the 1978 NCAA Division I A football season It was the Crimson Tide s 84th overall and 45th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference SEC The team was led by head coach Bear Bryant in his 21st year and played their home games at Bryant Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and Legion Field in Birmingham Alabama They finished season with eleven wins and one loss 11 1 overall 6 0 in the SEC as SEC champions and as national champions after a victory over Penn State in the Sugar Bowl Alabama s costumed Big Al mascot officially debuted this season appearing at the Sugar Bowl 1978 Alabama Crimson Tide footballAP Poll national championSEC championSugar Bowl championSugar Bowl W 14 7 vs Penn StateConferenceSoutheastern ConferenceRankingCoachesNo 2APNo 1Record11 1 6 0 SEC Head coachBear Bryant 21st season CaptainsMarty Lyons Jeff Rutledge Tony NathanHome stadiumBryant Denny StadiumLegion FieldSeasons 19771979 1978 Southeastern Conference football standingsvte Conf OverallTeam W L T W L TNo 1 Alabama 6 0 0 11 1 0No 16 Georgia 5 0 1 9 2 1Auburn 3 2 1 6 4 1LSU 3 3 0 8 4 0Tennessee 3 3 0 5 5 1Florida 3 3 0 4 7 0Mississippi State 2 4 0 6 5 0Ole Miss 2 4 0 5 6 0Kentucky 2 4 0 4 6 1Vanderbilt 0 6 0 2 9 0 Conference championRankings from AP Poll Contents 1 Schedule 2 Personnel 3 Before the season 4 Sugar Bowl 5 ReferencesSchedule EditDateOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSeptember 2No 10 Nebraska No 1Legion FieldBirmingham ALABCW 20 377 023September 16at No 11 Missouri No 1Memorial StadiumColumbia MOW 38 2073 655September 23No 7 USC No 1Legion FieldBirmingham ALABCL 14 2477 313September 30VanderbiltNo 7Bryant Denny StadiumTuscaloosa ALW 58 2156 910October 7at Washington No 8Husky StadiumSeattle WAW 20 1760 975October 14FloridaNo 7Bryant Denny StadiumTuscaloosa AL rivalry W 23 1260 210October 21at TennesseeNo 4Neyland StadiumKnoxville TN Third Saturday in October W 30 1785 436October 28Virginia Tech No 3Bryant Denny StadiumTuscaloosa ALW 35 060 210November 4Mississippi StateNo 3Legion FieldBirmingham AL rivalry W 35 1474 217November 11No 10 LSUNo 3Legion FieldBirmingham AL rivalry ABCW 31 1076 831December 2vs AuburnNo 2Legion FieldBirmingham AL Iron Bowl W 34 1679 218January 1 1979vs No 1 Penn State No 2Louisiana SuperdomeNew Orleans LA Sugar Bowl rivalry ABCW 14 776 824 Non conference game HomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game 1 Personnel Edit1978 Alabama Crimson Tide football team rosterPlayers CoachesOffense Pos Name ClassOT 78 Buddy Aydelette JrWR Bruce BoltonOL Vince BootheOL Mike BrockOL Jim BunchWR Tim ClarkRB James HaneyRB John HillRB Lou IknerRB Billy JacksonRB Joe JonesQB Kevin JonesWR Alan KroutRB 22 Tony Nathan SrWR Rick NealRB Major OgilvieWR Keith PughQB 11 Jeff Rutledge SrQB Steadman ShealyC 57 Dwight Stephenson JrTE 88 Tim Travis JrRB John TurpinFB 45 Steve Whitman Jr Defense Pos Name ClassDL Byron BraggsDB Allen CrumbleyDL Gary DeNiroLB Eddie McGeorgeDL Wayne HamiltonDB Jim Bob HarrisDE 39 E J Junior SoLB Barry KrauseDB Murray LeggDL Warren LylesDL Marty LyonsDT 96 Curtis McGriff JrDB 28 Don McNeal JrLB 50 Randy Scott SoDB Bobby SmithDB Ricky TuckerLB 36 Rich Wingo Sr Special teams Pos Name ClassP Don JacobsP Woody Umphrey Head coachBear BryantCoordinators assistant coachesLegend C Team captain S Suspended I Ineligible Injured RedshirtBefore the season EditAlabama ended the 1977 season with the disappointment of a 2 finish an 11 point voting margin behind national champion Notre Dame On April 13 1978 Paul Bryant was one of several coaches quoted in an AP interview that focused on efforts to rid college football of cheating Bryant advocated a rule requiring coaches notify the NCAA of suspected infractions immediately and getting it over with rather than complaining after losing a game On April 20 nearly a dozen players with injuries were held out of the annual A Day game that ended in a colorless 7 7 tie The biggest concern was a knee injury to second string QB Steadman Shealy Bryant in the post A Day game press conference declared his 1978 team would have a questionable offense an average kicking game and a good defense in the post A Day game press conference lastly a new comer that was requited 4 yrs ago but decided to pursue other athletics adventures started as outside linebacker from Richmond Virginia Eddie McGeorgeSugar Bowl EditThe 1979 Sugar Bowl against Penn State would go down as a classic 2 Alabama scored in the second quarter then Penn State answered in the third then Alabama took a 14 7 lead on a touchdown set up by a 62 yard punt return Penn State had a chance to tie in the fourth but quarterback Chuck Fusina threw an interception into the Alabama end zone 3 Then Alabama had a chance to put the game away but fumbled the football back to Penn State at the Nittany Lion 19 yard line with four minutes to go 2 Penn State drove to a first and goal at the Alabama eight On third and goal from the one Fusina asked Bama defensive lineman Marty Lyons What do you think we should do and Lyons answered You d better pass 4 On third down Penn State was stopped inches short of the goal line On fourth down Penn State was stopped again Barry Krauss meeting Mike Guman and throwing him back for no gain Alabama held on for a 14 7 victory The Crimson Tide split the national championship winning the AP poll while Southern California won the UPI Coaches poll It was Alabama s fifth wire service national championship References EditGeneral 1977 Season Recaps PDF RollTide com University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics Retrieved July 15 2015 2012 Alabama Crimson Tide Football Record Book PDF Tuscaloosa Alabama University of Alabama Athletics Media Relations Office 2012 Archived from the original PDF on March 4 2016 Retrieved July 15 2015 Specific 1978 Alabama football schedule RollTide com University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics Archived from the original on November 25 2011 Retrieved July 15 2015 a b Greatest Bowl Games Penn State Daily Collegian 3 January 1979 Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 20 February 2021 Sugar Bowl Memories Tuscaloosa News Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1978 Alabama Crimson Tide football team amp oldid 1128069990, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
