Coaches No. 12 1968 record 8–3 (4–2 SEC) | AP No. 17 Captain Mike Hall | |
Conference Southeastern Conference Head coach Bear Bryant (11th year) | ||
The 1968 Alabama Crimson Tide football team (variously "Alabama", "UA" or "Bama") represented the University of Alabama in the 1968 college football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 74th overall and 35th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The team was led by head coach Bear Bryant, in his 11th year, and played their home games at Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Legion Field in Birmingham and Ladd Stadium in Mobile, Alabama. They finished season with eight wins and three losses (8–3 overall, 4–2 in the SEC) and with a loss against Missouri in the Gator Bowl.
Contents
Alabama opened the season ranked #7 and won their first two games against Virginia Tech at Birmingham and Southern Miss in their annual Mobile game, which proved to be the last game Alabama would play at Ladd Stadium in Mobile. In their third game, the Crimson Tide were upset by Ole Miss at Jackson, their first loss to the Rebels since the 1910 season. They rebounded the next week with a victory over Vanderbilt but lost the next week to Tennessee after coach Bryant elected to go for the victory instead of a tie and missed a two-point conversion and lost 10–9 at Knoxville.
After their loss to Tennessee, Alabama rebounded and won their final five regular season games. After they defeated Clemson, they returned to Tuscaloosa where they defeated Mississippi State on homecoming. The Crimson Tide next upset LSU in Birmingham, defeated Miami at the Miami Orange Bowl, and Auburn in the Iron Bowl. Later that December, Alabama lost 35–10 to Missouri in the Gator Bowl.
Schedule
NFL Draft
Several players that were varsity lettermen from the 1968 squad were drafted into the National Football League (NFL) in the 1969 and 1971 drafts. These players included the following:
Freshman squad
Prior to the 1972 college 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 1968 season and finished with a record of two wins and three losses (2–3). The Baby Tide opened their season with a 20–16 come-from-behind victory over Mississippi State at Denny Stadium. Chuck Jordan gave State a 3–0 lead with his 31-yard field goal, and Alabama responded with a one-yard Johnny Musso touchdown run that made the score 7–3. In the second quarter, the Bullpups scored on a pair of Steve Natale that made the halftime score 16–7. The first was from eight-yards to Jerry Harris and the second from nine-yards to John Male. After a scoreless third, Alabama won the game 20–16 after fourth-quarter touchdowns on a 55-yard Bubba Sawyer punt return and on a one-yard Musso run.
In their second game Vanderbilt took a 24–0 lead into the fourth quarter and Alabama went on to lose 24–14 at Nashville. Commodores touchdowns were scored by Dwight Blair on a two-yard run, a seven-yard Watson Brown pass to Gary Chesley and on a three-yard Brown run. Alabama scored their touchdowns in the fourth on a 49-yard Al Harvey interception return and on a 38-yard Bubba Sawyer touchdown reception. In their third game, the Baby Tide lost their second road game of the season at Ole Miss 15–13. Against the Rebels, Buddy Talley threw for both of Alabama's touchdowns. The first was from six-yards to David Bailey and the second from 16-yards to Robin Parkhouse, but a failed two-point conversion kept Alabama from tying the game.
Although Tennessee gained 419 yards of total offense in the game, Alabama defeated the Vols 28–21 at Denny Stadium. In the game, Johnny Musso starred for Alabama with a pair of touchdown runs from three and nine-yards as well as a touchdown reception on a 16-yard Terry Davis pass. In their final game of the season against Auburn, Alabama led 27–0 at halftime; however, Pat Sullivan led the Tigers to 36 unanswered points in the second half for a 36–27 Auburn victory at Tuscaloosa. Alabama's touchdowns were scored by Hal Dunbar on runs of five and eight-yards, a three-yard Dunbar pass to Steve Williams and on a 24-yard Tommy Stringfellow run. In the second half, Sullivan threw touchdown passes of 33-yards to Daryl Johnson, 36 and 72-yards to Terry Beasley and four-yards to Jere Colley. The Tigers final touchdown was scored by David Shelby on a one-yard run that made the final score 36–27.