1997 Alabama Crimson Tide football team

The 1997 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the college football season of 1997–98. The team's head coach was Mike DuBose, who was entering his first year at Alabama. They played their home games at both Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama and competed in the West Division of the Southeastern Conference. Alabama would finish with a record of 4–7 record in suffering the program's first losing season since the 1984 season. The loss against Kentucky marked Alabama's first ever overtime game, as overtime rules for college football had gone into effect the previous season.

1997 Alabama Crimson Tide football
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
DivisionWestern Division
1997 record4–7 (2–6 SEC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorBruce Arians (1st year)
Defensive coordinatorEllis Johnson (1st year)
Captains
Home stadiumBryant–Denny Stadium
(Capacity: 70,123)
Legion Field
(Capacity: 83,091)
1997 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
Eastern Division
No. 7 Tennessee x$  7 –1     11 –2  
No. 10 Georgia  6 –2     10 –2  
No. 4 Florida  6 –2     10 –2  
South Carolina  3 –5     5 –6  
Kentucky  2 –6     5 –6  
Vanderbilt  0 –8     3 –8  
Western Division
No. 11 Auburn xy  6 –2     10 –3  
No. 13 LSU x  6 –2     9 –3  
No. 22 Ole Miss  4 –4     8 –4  
Mississippi State  4 –4     7 –4  
Alabama  2 –6     4 –7  
Arkansas  2 –6     4 –7  
Championship: Tennessee 30, Auburn 29
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule
DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
August 3011:30 a.m.Houston*No. 16
JPSW 42–1781,591
September 117:30 p.m.at VanderbiltNo. 15
ESPNW 20–041,448
September 2011:30 a.m.ArkansasNo. 11
JPSL 16–1770,123
September 272:00 p.m.Southern Miss*No. 21
PPVW 27–1483,091
October 46:00 p.m.at KentuckyNo. 20
PPVL 34–40 OT59,226
October 186:00 p.m.No. 9 Tennessee
ESPNL 21–3883,091
October 2511:30 a.m.at No. 25 Ole Miss
JPSW 29–2041,548
November 11:00 p.m.Louisiana Tech*
PPVL 20–2670,123
November 82:30 p.m.No. 14 LSU
CBSL 0–2770,123
November 1511:30 a.m.No. 17 Mississippi State
JPSL 20–3270,123
November 226:00 p.m.at No. 13 Auburn
ESPNL 17–1885,214
  • *Non-conference game
  • Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Central time

Coaching staff
Name Position Consecutive seasons at Alabama
Mike DuboseHead coach1st
Bruce AriansOffensive coordinator/Quarterback coach1st
Dabo SwinneyTight end5th
Neil CallawayOffensive line coach1st
Woody McCorveyWide receivers coach8th
Ivy WilliamsRunning backs coach4th
Ellis JohnsonDefensive coordinator/Defensive line1st
Curley HallmanSecondary coach2nd
Jeff RouzieLinebackers coach7th
Danny PearmanSpecial teams coordinator7th
Reference:[1]

Game summaries

Houston
See also: 1997 Houston Cougars football team
1 2 3 4 Total
Cougars 0 7 7 3 17
#16 Crimson Tide 21 7 0 14 42

A sell-out crowd filled Legion Field as the Mike Dubose era got off to a great start with the Crimson Tide rolling to a big win over Houston. Alabama's 42 points was the most any Alabama team had put up in a game since the season opener in 1994.

Vanderbilt
See also: 1997 Vanderbilt Commodores football team
1 2 3 4 Total
#15 Crimson Tide 7 0 3 10 20
Commodores 0 0 0 0 0

Alabama defense would hold Vanderbilt offense to 124 yards as the Crimson Tide won its first road and conference game of the year in shutout fashion.

Arkansas
See also: 1997 Arkansas Razorbacks football team
1 2 3 4 Total
Razorbacks 3 0 7 7 17
#11 Crimson Tide 3 3 3 7 16

For the second time in a row, Arkansas would come to Bryant-Denny Stadium and upset a rank Alabama team by one point. Alabama held a 16-10 lead late in the game but, an Anthony Eubanks touchdown grab of 29 yards from Clint Stoerner gave Arkansas a one-point win.

Southern Miss
See also: 1997 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team
1 2 3 4 Total
Golden Eagles 0 10 3 0 13
#21 Crimson Tide 0 10 7 10 27

After being tied at halftime, Alabama would outscore Southern Miss 17-3 in the second half lead by Alabama defense forcing three Southern Miss turnovers.

Kentucky
See also: 1997 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1 2 3 4OT Total
Wildcats 10 3 14 76 40
#20 Crimson Tide 7 7 10 100 34

A back and forth shootout ended with a 26-yard game-winning touchdown pass from Kentucky QB Tim Couch to give Kentucky its first win over Alabama since 1922. Alabama had the ball first in overtime but, a Chad Goss fumble gave Kentucky an opportunity to score and win with their possession. This would mark the first overtime game ever for both teams.

Tennessee
See also: 1997 Tennessee Volunteers football team
1 2 3 4 Total
#9 Volunteers 7 14 10 7 38
Crimson Tide 6 0 8 7 21

For the third straight year, Tennessee would beat Alabama. Alabama would kick two early field goals to have a 6-0 lead but Tennessee would score the next 28 points to put the game out of reach for Alabama. This game would be the last Third Saturday in October game to be played at Legion Field.

Ole Miss
See also: 1997 Ole Miss Rebels football team
1 2 3 4 Total
Crimson Tide 0 7 10 12 29
#25 Rebels 7 7 0 6 20

Mike DuBose would get his first win against a rank team as the Crimson Tide ended their two-game losing streak with a win against Ole Miss.

Louisiana Tech
See also: 1997 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football team
1 2 3 4 Total
Bulldogs 10 3 7 6 26
Crimson Tide 7 0 6 7 20

For the first time since the 1990 season, Alabama would lose a non-conference game. This was also the first homecoming lost since 1990 as well as Louisiana Tech and their 3rd rank passing attack upset Alabama.

LSU
See also: 1997 LSU Tigers football team
1 2 3 4 Total
#14 Tigers 7 7 0 13 27
Crimson Tide 0 0 0 0 0

LSU return the favor after Alabama shutout LSU in Tiger Stadium in 1996 by shutting out Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium. This was the first time Alabama had been shutout since 1991.

Mississippi State
See also: 1998 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team
1 2 3 4 Total
#17 Bulldogs 14 6 9 3 32
Crimson Tide 14 0 6 0 20

For the first time since 1957, Mississippi State would win in Bryant-Denny Stadium. The lose also meant Alabama would not win a game at Bryant-Denny Stadium for the first time since 1955. The lose also guaranteed Alabama first losing season since 1984.

Auburn
See also: 1997 Auburn Tigers football team
1 2 3 4 Total
Crimson Tide 0 10 7 0 17
#13 Tigers 6 0 6 6 18

Despite being an underdog, Alabama would lead for most of the game and be in a position to put the game away but an Ed Scissum fumble recovered by Auburn put them in field goal range to take the lead and ultimately give them the win. Alabama would try a 57-yard field goal with A.J. Diaz as time expired but it fell short. Alabama 7 loses was the most Alabama has had in a season since 1957.

[2]

References
  1. 1997 Alabama Crimson Tide Football Media Guide, p. 2
  2. "1997 Alabama Crimson Tide Football" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 26, 2012. Retrieved October 18, 2008.
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