Power 5 Teams Who Have Never Played Alabama in Football

Alabama’s Non-Conference dance card is pretty full until 2034. Even still, it is the offseason and we might as well speculate at what games your grandchildren will be watching at Bryant-Denny-Saban Stadium.

12 teams from Power-5 Conferences have never faced the Crimson Tide on the gridiron - and some of them are a little surprising:

• Arizona - Scheduled to play in 2032 and 2033.
• Arizona State
• Indiana
• Iowa - This one needs to happen.
• Kansas
• Northwestern
• Oregon - You would think one of these Kickoff games would have negotiated a game between these two.
• Oregon State
• Pitt - A little surprising that they never met in the Johnny Majors, Dan Marino, Tony Dorsett years.
• Purdue
• Virginia - They are kinda southeast.
• Wake Forest - After the way their baseball fans acted towards Tide fans in the baseball Super Regional, they need a good ass-whupping.

ONE AND DONE

Ten Power teams have played Alabama once:

• Illinois - The 1982 Liberty Bowl win was Bear Bryant’s last game. Future NFL QB Tony Eason led the Illini.
• Iowa State - 2001 Independence Bowl win. Waine Bacon blocked a punt and Alabama recovered at the ISU 29-yard line. Two plays later, Andrew Zow hit tight end Terry Jones Jr. for a 27-yard touchdown reception and game winner with just under 5 minutes to play. Seneca Wallace was QB for the ‘Clones.
• Kansas State - ‘Member this one?
• Minnesota - Ugh. Revenge coming in 2032 and 2033.
• North Carolina - 1993 Gator Bowl win, Gene Stallings over Mack Brown.
• Oklahoma State - Oklahoma State led the 2006 Independence Bowl 31-17 in the 4th quarter. An 86-yard punt return TD by Javier Arenas was followed by OSU fumbling the ensuing kickoff, and then a throwback pass to offensive tackle Andre Smith to tie it at 31-31. However, Okie Lite kicked a field goal with 9 seconds left for the win. Bama lost but Joe Kines sure made it a memorable loss.
• Utah - Another Ugh.
• Washington State - 1930-31 National Championship in the Rose Bowl, Wallace Wade’s final game at Bama.
• West Virginia - The first start for QB Blake Sims and first game as OC for Lane Kiffin in the 2014 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game win.
• BYU - Are the Mormons P5? I suppose so. Anyway, Shaun Alexander ran for five touchdowns and Bama beat the Coogs in a regular season game in 1998 by the score of 38-31.

IT’S BEEN A MINUTE

• Washington State, last meeting: 1931 Rose Bowl, 1930 National Champions
• Stanford, W 29-13, Don Hutson and Dixie Howell in the 1935 Rose Bowl, 1934 National Champions
• Syracuse, W 61-6, 1953 Orange Bowl
• Rice 1956, L 20-13 under Coach Ears Whitworth
• Tulsa 1962, W 35-6
• Cal 1973, W 66-0
• Maryland 1974, W 21-16 on the road.
• TCU 1975, W 45–0
• Nebraska 1978, W 20-3
• Rutgers 1980, W 17-13 played in Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
• Baylor 1981, W 30-2 Cotton Bowl (1980 season)
• Illinois 1982, W 21-15, Bryant’s final bow.
• SMU 1983, W 28-7 Sun Bowl
• Boston College 1984, L 38-31
• Georgia Tech 1984, L 16-6
• Army 1988, W 29-28 Sun Bowl
• Temple 1991, W 41-3
• Memphis 1991, W 10-7, regular season game in Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
• North Carolina 1993, W 24-10 Gator Bowl

Military Academies:

• Army - Bama beat the Cadets in the scary 1988 Sun Bowl, 29-28. Starting Alabama quarterback David Smith is now an SEC football Head Referee (he is not allowed to officiate Bama games).
• Navy - 0
• Air Force - 0

Legion Field

The last home game for Alabama at Legion Field was 20 years ago against South Florida on August 30, 2003. The Tide won 40-17 in Mike Shula’s first game as head coach. Bama and USF will meet for a second time in Tampa, FL on September 16, 2023.

FCS Team Most Played:

• Samford - 20-0-1, Last game was in 1944 - W 63-7