1969 record 6–5 (2–4 SEC) Captain Alvin Samples | ||
Home stadium Denny StadiumLegion Field | ||
The 1969 Alabama Crimson Tide football team (variously "Alabama", "UA" or "Bama") represented the University of Alabama in the 1969 college football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 75th overall and 36th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The team was led by head coach Bear Bryant, in his 12th year, and played their home games at Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. They finished season with six wins and five losses (6–5 overall, 2–4 in the SEC) and with a loss against Colorado in the Liberty Bowl.
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Alabama opened the season ranked No. 13 and defeated VPI at Blacksburg and Southern Miss in the first regular season game played at Denny Stadium on AstroTurf. In their third game, the Crimson Tide defeated an Archie Manning led Ole Miss squad 33–32 in a record-breaking game before a nationally televised audience. Alabama then lost consecutive game for the first time during Bryant's tenure as head coach against Vanderbilt and Tennessee.
After their loss to Tennessee, Alabama rebounded with victories at Clemson and at Mississippi State before they lost their third game of the season at LSU. They rebounded the next week with a homecoming victory over Miami but then lost to Auburn in the Iron Bowl. In the December that followed, Alabama lost 47–33 to Colorado in the Liberty Bowl.
The 1969 season marked the 100th anniversary of the start of college football, and as such Alabama commemorated the event by altering their helmet design. Instead of the player number, the helmet for the 1969 season featured the number "100" inside a football to commemorate the anniversary of the first college football game.
Schedule
NFL Draft
Several players that were varsity lettermen from the 1969 squad were drafted into the National Football League (NFL) in the 1971 and 1972 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 1969 season and finished with a record of three wins and two losses (3–2). The Baby Tide opened their season with a 13–7 loss against Mississippi State at Scott Field. After Alabama took a 7–0 lead on a one-yard Steve Wade run in the second, Billy Baker threw for both of the State touchdowns. The first was from 39-yards to Emil Petro in the third and the second was from 56-yards to Lewis Grubbs in the fourth for the 13–7 victory. In their second game, the Alabama freshmen defeated Vanderbilt 12–8 at Denny Stadium. After a scoreless first, Butch Hobson gave Alabama a 7–0 halftime lead with his short touchdown run, and a pair of Randy Moore field goals in the second half accounted for the 12 Crimson points. The Commodores scored their only touchdown in the fourth quarter on a 44-yard Pete Power touchdown pass to Cliff Flemore.
In their third game, the Alabama freshmen defeated Ole Miss 13–6 at Denny Stadium. After a 30-yard Randy Moore field goal gave Alabama a 3–0 first quarter lead, Johnny Sharpless scored on an eight-yard touchdown run in the second for a 10–0 halftime lead. Moore connected on a 33-yard field goal in the third and then Ole Miss scored their only points in the final minute of the game on a one-yard Norris Weese touchdown run. After a 35–0 victory at Tennessee, the Baby Tide closed the season with a 17–9 loss to Auburn at Cliff Hare Stadium