Alabama National Championship Wins

Last Modified Dec 7, 2024 07:24 GMT
Alabama Crimson Tide. Source: @alabamafbl

The Alabama Crimson Tide represents the University of Alabama and plays in both the Southeastern Conference's (SEC) Western Division and the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Nick Saban, the head coach of the Crimson Tide, has guided them to six national titles. The Alabama Crimson Tide has won 18 national championships since its inception in 1892. Of those, 13 were wire-service (AP or coaches') national crowns during the poll era and five were won before the poll era. Paul "Bear" Bryant, a Hall of Fame coach who guided the team to six national titles, was in charge of the team from 1958 to 1982.

The first Alabama player to win the Heisman Trophy was running back Mark Ingram II in 2009. Prior to that, no player had ever won the award. Derrick Henry was the second Heisman winner from the university in 2015. The Crimson Tide, along with DeVonta Smith and Bryce Young, won back-to-back Heisman trophies in 2020 and 2021.

How many National Championships has Alabama won?

Alabama has won the national championship 18 times in 1925, 1926, 1930, 1934, 1941, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1992, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, and 2020.

In NCAA Division I, Alabama has 965 recognized wins, plus an extra 21 vacated wins, eight forfeited wins, and one tie. Alabama has made an NCAA record 77 postseason bowl appearances and won 34 conference championships (Four Southern Conference and 30 SEC). The team holds NCAA records for 46 bowl victories and 36 seasons with 10 or more wins (plus one vacated). 18 division titles and 15 trips to the SEC Championship Game have put the Crimson Tide atop the SEC West Division. Alabama is undefeated against all SEC schools, both past and present. Alabama is ranked fourth in the all-time final AP Poll appearances by the Associated Press (AP).

When was the last time Alabama won the National Championships?

The recent National Championship won by Alabama was in 2020. Nick Saban's 2020 Alabama Crimson Tide football team concluded the regular season with a perfect 13–0 record. The COVID-19 outbreak forced the season to be shortened to an all-conference format.

To win the SEC Western Division title, the Tide defeated Florida 52–46 in the SEC Championship. For the sixth time in seven seasons, Alabama made it back to the playoffs. In the Rose Bowl, they triumphed 31–14 over Notre Dame. The Tide defeated Ohio State 52–24 in the championship game.

Alabama's Heisman Trophy-winning wide receiver DeVonta Smith finished with 215 yards and three touchdowns, and with this win, Saban surpassed Bear Bryant for the most national championships ever with his seventh.

Alabama National Championships wins years

SeasonCoachSelectorsRecordBowl
1925Wallace WadeVarious10–0W Rose Bowl
1926Wallace WadeVarious9–0–1T Rose Bowl
1930Wallace WadeVarious10–0W Rose Bowl
1934Frank ThomasVarious10–0W Rose Bowl
1941Frank ThomasDeke Houlgate9–2W Cotton Bowl Classic
1961Paul "Bear" BryantAP, Coaches11–0W Sugar Bowl
1964Paul "Bear" BryantAP, Coaches10–1L Orange Bowl
1965Paul "Bear" BryantAP9–1–1W Orange Bowl
1973Paul "Bear" BryantCoaches11–1L Sugar Bowl
1978Paul "Bear" BryantAP11–1W Sugar Bowl
1979Paul "Bear" BryantAP, Coaches12–0W Sugar Bowl
1992Gene StallingsAP, Coaches13–0W Sugar Bowl (Bowl Coalition National Championship Game)
2009Nick SabanAP, Coaches, BCS14–0W BCS National Championship Game
2011Nick SabanAP, Coaches, BCS12–1W BCS National Championship Game
2012Nick SabanAP, Coaches, BCS13–1W BCS National Championship Game
2015Nick SabanAP, Coaches, CFP14–1W Cotton Bowl Classic W College Football Playoff National Championship
2017Nick SabanAP, Coaches, CFP13–1W Sugar Bowl W College Football Playoff National Championship
2020Nick SabanAP, Coaches, CFP13–0W Rose Bowl W College Football Playoff National Championship

Alabama Conference Titles Wins

Alabama has won 34 conference titles in total, including 30 SEC and four Southern Conference titles. The four Southern Conference championships that Alabama won were in 1924, 1925, 1926, and 1930. Alabama won the inaugural SEC championship in 1933 and has won 30 in total.

SeasonConferenceCoachOverall recordConference record
1924SouthernWallace Wade8–15–0
1925SouthernWallace Wade10–07–0
1926SouthernWallace Wade9–0–18–0
1930SouthernWallace Wade10–08–0
1933SECFrank Thomas7–1–15–0–1
1934SECFrank Thomas10–07–0
1937SECFrank Thomas9–16–0
1945SECFrank Thomas10–06–0
1953SECHarold Drew6–3–34–0–3
1961SECPaul "Bear" Bryant11–07–0
1964SECPaul "Bear" Bryant10–18–0
1965SECPaul "Bear" Bryant9–1–16–1–1
1966SECPaul "Bear" Bryant11–06–0
1971SECPaul "Bear" Bryant11–17–0
1972SECPaul "Bear" Bryant10–27–1
1973SECPaul "Bear" Bryant11–18–0
1974SECPaul "Bear" Bryant11–16–0
1975SECPaul "Bear" Bryant11–16–0
1977SECPaul "Bear" Bryant11–17–0
1978SECPaul "Bear" Bryant11–16–0
1979SECPaul "Bear" Bryant12–06–0
1981SECPaul "Bear" Bryant9–2–17–0
1989SECBill Curry10–26–1
1992SECGene Stallings13–08–0
1999SECMike DuBose10–37–1
2009SECNick Saban14–08–0
2012SECNick Saban13–17–1
2014SECNick Saban12–27–1
2015SECNick Saban14–17–1
2016SECNick Saban14–18–0
2018SECNick Saban14–18–0
2020SECNick Saban13–010–0
2021SECNick Saban13–27–1
2023SECNick Saban12–28–0

Alabama Division Titles Wins

The 1992 season saw the separation of the SEC into two divisions. Alabama was a member of the SEC West. As of 2024, Alabama had won eighteen division titles and had an 11–4 record in the SEC Championship Game.

SeasonDivisionOpponentSEC CG result
1992SEC WestFloridaW 28–21
1993SEC WestFloridaL 13–28
1994SEC WestFloridaL 23–24
1996SEC WestFloridaL 30–45
1999SEC WestFloridaW 34–7
2008SEC WestFloridaL 20–31
2009SEC WestFloridaW 32–13
2012SEC WestGeorgiaW 32–28
2013SEC WestN/A lost tiebreaker to Auburn
2014SEC WestMissouriW 42–13
2015SEC WestFloridaW 29–15
2016SEC WestFloridaW 54–16
2017SEC WestN/A lost tiebreaker to Auburn
2018SEC WestGeorgiaW 35–28
2020SEC WestFloridaW 52–46
2021SEC WestGeorgiaW 41–24
2022SEC WestN/A lost tiebreaker to LSU
2023SEC WestGeorgiaW 27–24

FAQs on Alabama National Championship Wins

A. Alabama has won 18 national championships in football.

A. Mark Ingram II won Alabama's first Heisman Trophy in 2009.

A. Paul "Bear" Bryant coached Alabama to six national titles from 1958 to 1982.

A. Alabama's most recent national championship was in 2020.

A. Alabama has won a total of 30 SEC championships in football as of 2024.

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