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The 1925 Alabama Crimson Tide football team (variously "Alabama", "UA" or "Bama") represented the
University of Alabama The University of Alabama (informally known as Alabama, UA, or Bama) is a Public university, public research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Established in 1820 and opened to students in 1831, the University of Alabama is the oldest and la ...
in the 1925 Southern Conference football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 32nd overall and 4th season as a member of the
Southern Conference The Southern Conference (SoCon) is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I. Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly ...
(SoCon). The team was led by head coach
Wallace Wade William Wallace Wade (June 15, 1892 – October 7, 1986) was an American football player and coach of football, basketball, and baseball, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at the University of Alabama fro ...
, in his third year, and played their home games at Denny Field in
Tuscaloosa Tuscaloosa ( ) is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west-central Alabama, United States, on the Black Warrior River where the Gulf Coastal and Piedmont plains meet. Alabama's fifth-largest city, it had an estimated population of 1 ...
, at
Rickwood Field Rickwood Field, located in Birmingham, Alabama, is the oldest professional baseball park in the United States. It was built for the Birmingham Barons in 1910 by industrialist and team-owner Rick Woodward and has served as the home park for the Bi ...
in
Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...
and at the
Cramton Bowl Cramton Bowl is a 25,000-seat stadium located in Montgomery, Alabama. Cramton Bowl opened in 1922 as a baseball stadium and has been home to Major League Baseball spring training and to minor league baseball. Today, however, its primary use is f ...
in Montgomery,
Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
. They finished the season with their first ever perfect record (10–0 overall, 7–0 in the SoCon), as Southern Conference champions and as national champions after they defeated
Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
in the Rose Bowl. The Crimson Tide entered the season as the defending Southern Conference champions after finishing the 1924 season with an 8–1 record. Alabama would then go on and shutout all but one of their regular season opponents en route to a second consecutive Southern Conference championship. The Crimson Tide then accepted an invitation to participate as the first Southern team in the annual Rose Bowl Game, where they defeated
Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
20–19. This victory has subsequently been recognized as one of the most important in Southern football history as well as has been deemed "the game that changed the South."


Before the season

Alabama was last year upset by
Centre Center or centre may refer to: Mathematics * Center (geometry), the middle of an object * Center (algebra), used in various contexts ** Center (group theory) ** Center (ring theory) * Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentri ...
. Former center and alumnus Shorty Propst was hired to the coaching staff. 1925 saw the south's widespread use of the
forward pass In several forms of football, a forward pass is the throwing of the ball in the direction in which the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line. The forward pass is one of the main distinguishers between gridiron ...
.


Schedule


Game summaries


Union

*Source: Alabama opened their 1925 season against
Union University Union University is a private Baptist Christian university in Jackson, Tennessee, with additional campuses in Germantown and Hendersonville. The university is affiliated with the Tennessee Baptist Convention (Southern Baptist Convention). It is ...
at Denny Field, and defeated the
Bulldogs The Bulldog is a British breed of dog of mastiff type. It may also be known as the English Bulldog or British Bulldog. It is of medium size, a muscular, hefty dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose.1925 Season Recap The Crimson Tide played every player on their squad in this game and touchdowns were scored twice each by
Herschel Caldwell Herschel Amos Caldwell (August 13, 1903 – July 31, 1989) was a college football player and coach. University of Alabama Caldwell was a prominent end and fullback for Wallace Wade's Alabama Crimson Tide of the University of Alabama. 1925 He ...
and David Rosenfeld; and were scored once each by
Johnny Mack Brown John Brown (September 1, 1904 – November 14, 1974) was an American college football player and film actor billed as John Mack Brown at the height of his screen career. He acted and starred mainly in Western films. Early life Born and raise ...
, Hoyt Winslett, Waile and James Johnson. The margin of victory was not unexpected with ''The Augusta Chronicle'' stating:
"Union's squad is nothing more than a first class prep school and the Crimson Tide has no right to boast of their score and win."
The victory brought Alabama's all-time record against Union to 4–0 in what was the final game played between the schools. The starting lineup was
Melvin Vines Melvin Lane Vines (February 20, 1904 – December 26, 1984) was an American football player and coach. He was a high school football head coach for 28 seasons in the state of Alabama during the years from 1930-1941 and 1944, 1946 and 1948-1961 wh ...
(left end), Pickhard (left tackle), Buckler (left guard), Jones (center), Perry (right guard), Camp (right tackle), Hudson (right end), Barnes (quarterback), M. Brown (left halfback), Caldwell (right halfback), Hubert (fullback).


Birmingham–Southern

*Source: Only one team scored on the Tide all regular season — Birmingham–Southern managed a touchdown after recovering a Grant Gillis fumble at the Alabama 25-yard line. Aided by two offside penalties, the Panthers drove the ball into the endzone. The Tide won 50–7. Hubert and Winslett scored two touchdowns each; and Rosenfeld, Gillis, Johnson and Barnes one each. The last period went scoreless. The victory brought Alabama's all-time record against Birmingham–Southern to 3–0 in what was the final game played between the schools.


LSU

*Sources: In a game described by some as "perfection itself," Alabama defeated the
LSU Tigers The LSU Tigers and Lady Tigers are the athletic teams representing Louisiana State University (LSU), a state university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. LSU competes in NCAA Division I, Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Associat ...
at
Baton Rouge Baton Rouge ( ; ) is a city in and the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-sma ...
42–0 in what was both their first road and conference game of the season. The Crimson Tide scored their first of six touchdowns on the opening drive of the game after
Pooley Hubert Allison Thomas Stanislaus "Pooley" Hubert (April 6, 1901 – February 26, 1978) was an American football player and coach of football and basketball. Regarded as one of the South's greatest college football stars, he played quarterback for coach ...
scored on a three-yard run over center. In the second quarter, Hubert scored again on a one-yard run and David Rosenfeld scored on a five-yard run as time expired in the first half that gave Alabama a 21–0 halftime lead. Alabama received the second half
kickoff Kickoff or kick-off may refer to * Kick-off (association football) * Kickoff (gridiron football) * ''Kick Off'' (series), a series of computer association football games * ''Kick Off'' (album), a 1985 album by Onyanko Club * ''Kick Off'' (mag ...
and drove 65 yards for their fourth touchdown scored by Grant Gillis on a one-yard run. Hubert then scored his third touchdown of the game on a short run that gave the Crimson Tide a 35–0 lead as they entered the fourth quarter. In the fourth quarter, Hubert scored his fourth touchdown on another short run that made the final score 42–0. The victory brought Alabama's all-time record against LSU to 8–3–1. The starting lineup was Hudson (left end), Camp (left tackle), Buckler (left guard), Holmes (center), Jones (right guard), Perry (right tackle), Winslett (right end), Gillis (quarterback), Barnes (left halfback), M. Brown (right halfback), Hubert (fullback).


Sewanee

*Sources: 1925 saw the South's widespread use of the
forward pass In several forms of football, a forward pass is the throwing of the ball in the direction in which the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line. The forward pass is one of the main distinguishers between gridiron ...
, and Alabama brought it out to defeat the
Sewanee Tigers The University of the South, familiarly known as Sewanee (), is a private Episcopal Church (United States), Episcopal Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Sewanee, Tennessee. It is owned by 28 Province 4 of the Epis ...
27–0 at Birmingham. In the first quarter, a 28-yard pass from Hoyt Winslett to
Red Barnes Emile Deering Barnes (December 25, 1903 – July 3, 1959) was an American outfielder in Major League Baseball who played from 1927 through 1930 for the Washington Senators and Chicago White Sox. Listed at 5' 10", 158 lb., Barnes batted left ha ...
set up the first touchdown score on a short
Pooley Hubert Allison Thomas Stanislaus "Pooley" Hubert (April 6, 1901 – February 26, 1978) was an American football player and coach of football and basketball. Regarded as one of the South's greatest college football stars, he played quarterback for coach ...
run for a 6–0 lead. The Crimson Tide extended their lead to 13–0 at halftime behind Hubert's second touchdown of the game on a three-yard run. After a scoreless third, Alabama scored their third touchdown on a 35-yard pass from Grant Gillis to
Herschel Caldwell Herschel Amos Caldwell (August 13, 1903 – July 31, 1989) was a college football player and coach. University of Alabama Caldwell was a prominent end and fullback for Wallace Wade's Alabama Crimson Tide of the University of Alabama. 1925 He ...
, and the last set up by a 35-yard pass from Hubert to Winslett. Hubert then scored the final points of the game late in the fourth after he recovered a Caldwell
fumble A fumble in gridiron football occurs when a player who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed (tackled), scoring, or going out of bounds. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking, punting, or successful ...
in the endzone for a touchdown and the 27–0 victory. The victory brought Alabama's all-time record against Sewanee to 8–10–3. The starting lineup was Hudson (left end), Perry (left tackle), Buckler (left guard), Holmes (center), Jones (right guard), Camp (right tackle), Winslett (right end), Gillis (quarterback), M. Brown (left halfback), Caldwell (right halfback), Hubert (fullback).


Georgia Tech

*Sources: On a wet field, Alabama defeated coach William Alexander's Georgia Tech Golden Tornado 7–0 at Atlanta. After a scoreless first half,
Johnny Mack Brown John Brown (September 1, 1904 – November 14, 1974) was an American college football player and film actor billed as John Mack Brown at the height of his screen career. He acted and starred mainly in Western films. Early life Born and raise ...
scored the only points of the game when he returned a
Doug Wycoff Stephen Douglas Wycoff (September 16, 1903 – October 27, 1981) was an American football running back for the New York Giants, Staten Island Stapletons, and Boston Redskins in the National Football League (NFL), the Newark Bears in the fi ...
punt 45-yards for a touchdown. "
Hubert Hubert is a Germanic masculine given name, from ''hug'' "mind" and '' beraht'' "bright". It also occurs as a surname. Saint Hubertus or Hubert (c. 656 – 30 May 727) is the patron saint of hunters, mathematicians, opticians, and metalworkers ...
played the greatest game of his career and was called the greatest
defensive back In gridiron football, defensive backs (DBs), also called the secondary, are the players on the defensive side of the ball who play farthest back from the line of scrimmage. They are distinguished from the other two sets of defensive players, the ...
ever to appear on
Grant Field Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant Field is the football stadium located at the corner of North Avenue at Techwood Drive on the campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. It has been home to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets foo ...
". The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Georgia Tech to 4–7–2. The starting lineup was Winslett (left end), Perry (left tackle), Buckler (left guard), Holmes (center), Jones (right guard), Camp (right tackle), Hudson (right end), M. Brown (quarterback), Barnes (left halfback), Caldwell (right halfback), Hubert (fullback).


Mississippi A&M

*Source: On
homecoming Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni or other former members of an organization to celebrate the organization's existence. It is a tradition in many high schools, colleges, and churches in the United States, Canada and Liberia. ...
, Alabama defeated the Mississippi A&M Aggies 6–0 on a rainy afternoon in Tuscaloosa. After a scoreless first quarter, the Crimson Tide scored the only points of the game in the second after a short punt set them up on the Aggies' 26 yard line. Six plays later,
Pooley Hubert Allison Thomas Stanislaus "Pooley" Hubert (April 6, 1901 – February 26, 1978) was an American football player and coach of football and basketball. Regarded as one of the South's greatest college football stars, he played quarterback for coach ...
threw an eight-yard touchdown pass to Hoyt Winslett, and Alabama took a 6–0 lead that held for the remainder of the game. The closest A&M came to tying the game came in the third, but stalled after
Herschel Caldwell Herschel Amos Caldwell (August 13, 1903 – July 31, 1989) was a college football player and coach. University of Alabama Caldwell was a prominent end and fullback for Wallace Wade's Alabama Crimson Tide of the University of Alabama. 1925 He ...
had an
interception In ball-playing competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for a player of the same team b ...
that stopped an Aggies drive at the Alabama 16 yard line. The victory brought Alabama's all-time record against Mississippi A&M to 10–4–2. The starting lineup was Winslett (left end), Perry (left tackle), Bowdoin (left guard), Paine (center), Dismukes (right guard), Pickhard (right tackle), T. Brown (right end), Hubert (quarterback), Gillis (left halfback), Rosenfeld (right halfback), Johnson (fullback).


Kentucky

*Sources: At Rickwood Field, the Crimson Tide defeated the
Kentucky Wildcats The Kentucky Wildcats are the men's and women's intercollegiate athletic squads of the University of Kentucky (UK), a founding member of the Southeastern Conference. The Kentucky Wildcats is the student body of the University of Kentucky. 30,473 ...
31–0. After Bill Buckler kicked an eight-yard
field goal A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. The entire ba ...
,
Johnny Mack Brown John Brown (September 1, 1904 – November 14, 1974) was an American college football player and film actor billed as John Mack Brown at the height of his screen career. He acted and starred mainly in Western films. Early life Born and raise ...
ran a 79-yard touchdown "on a sweeping flank play" for a 10–0 Alabama lead at the end of the first quarter.
Red Barnes Emile Deering Barnes (December 25, 1903 – July 3, 1959) was an American outfielder in Major League Baseball who played from 1927 through 1930 for the Washington Senators and Chicago White Sox. Listed at 5' 10", 158 lb., Barnes batted left ha ...
extended their lead to 17–0 at halftime after he returned a John Ross
fumble A fumble in gridiron football occurs when a player who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed (tackled), scoring, or going out of bounds. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking, punting, or successful ...
77-yards for a touchdown. Brown scored again in the third quarter on a 16-yard run off a "triple fake pass," and
Pooley Hubert Allison Thomas Stanislaus "Pooley" Hubert (April 6, 1901 – February 26, 1978) was an American football player and coach of football and basketball. Regarded as one of the South's greatest college football stars, he played quarterback for coach ...
made the final score 31–0 with his short run in the fourth quarter. The victory brought Alabama's all-time record against Kentucky to 4–1. The starting lineup was Winslett (left end), Perry (left tackle), Jones (left guard), Holmes (center), Buckler (right guard), Camp (right tackle), T. Brown (right end), Hubert (quarterback), Caldwell (left halfback), Barnes (right halfback), M. Brown (fullback).


Florida

*Sources: A large crowd was expected in Montgomery for the game against the
Florida Gators The Florida Gators are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Florida, located in Gainesville. The University of Florida, its athletic program, its alumni and its sports fans are often collectively referred to as t ...
. The return to the lineup of Tide center Gordon Holmes, injured against Georgia Tech, and the battle between backs Mack Brown and Edgar C. Jones brought intrigue. Mack Brown made two touchdowns;
Red Barnes Emile Deering Barnes (December 25, 1903 – July 3, 1959) was an American outfielder in Major League Baseball who played from 1927 through 1930 for the Washington Senators and Chicago White Sox. Listed at 5' 10", 158 lb., Barnes batted left ha ...
two, and
Pooley Hubert Allison Thomas Stanislaus "Pooley" Hubert (April 6, 1901 – February 26, 1978) was an American football player and coach of football and basketball. Regarded as one of the South's greatest college football stars, he played quarterback for coach ...
one. Brown's first score came when he caught the ball on a pass from Hubert at the 15-yard line, dodged Jones and scored. A pass from Hubert to Brown in the end zone netted the second score. Florida's Scott returned the kickoff to Alabama's 20-yard line, nearly breaking the tackle there. Two Barnes interceptions set up his touchdowns, one a 16-yard run after catch and another an end run. Jones attempted a
drop kick A drop kick is a type of kick in various codes of football. It involves a player dropping the ball and then kicking it as it touches the ground. Drop kicks are used as a method of restarting play and scoring points in rugby union and rugby league ...
, which was short and returned by Brown for 35 yards. A drive and a pass to Barnes got Alabama to Florida's 3-yard line, and Hubert scored over center. The victory brought Alabama's all-time record against Florida to 2–2. The starting lineup was Winslett (left end), Perry (left tackle), Jones (left guard), Holmes (center), Buckler (right guard), Camp (right tackle), T. Brown (right end), Hubert (quarterback), M. Brown (left halfback), Barnes (right halfback), Caldwell (fullback).


Georgia

*Source: In their final regular season game, Alabama defeated the Georgia Bulldogs 27–0 and clinched their second consecutive Southern Conference championship. The Crimson Tide took a 7–0 lead in the first quarter after
Pooley Hubert Allison Thomas Stanislaus "Pooley" Hubert (April 6, 1901 – February 26, 1978) was an American football player and coach of football and basketball. Regarded as one of the South's greatest college football stars, he played quarterback for coach ...
reversed the ball to Hoyt Winslett, who then passed it 25 yards to Grant Gillis, who then ran for 25 more and the score. Hubert then scored the final three touchdowns for Alabama. Hubert scored next after a
fumble A fumble in gridiron football occurs when a player who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed (tackled), scoring, or going out of bounds. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking, punting, or successful ...
in the second. In the third period, Gillis made 22 yards on a triple pass to set up a short Hubert touchdown run. The last touchdown was set up by a Hubert pass to Ben A. Hudson that was followed by a short Hubert run for a 27–0 victory. This victory in conjunction with the tie game between Colgate and
Brown Brown is a color. It can be considered a composite color, but it is mainly a darker shade of orange. In the CMYK color model used in printing or painting, brown is usually made by combining the colors orange and black. In the RGB color model us ...
all but assured the Crimson Tide's selection to the Rose Bowl. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Georgia to 8–9–3. The starting lineup was Winslett (left end), Camp (left tackle), Jones (left guard), Holmes (center), Buckler (right guard), Perry (right tackle), T. Brown (right end), Hubert (quarterback), M. Brown (left halfback), Barnes (right halfback), Gillis (fullback).


Postseason


Washington

The season was extended when Alabama received a surprise invitation to head west and play in the Rose Bowl. It was Alabama's first bowl game ever and the first time a southern team had ever been invited to play in what then was college football's only bowl game. Its opponent was the
Washington Huskies The Washington Huskies are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Washington, located in Seattle. The school competes at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level as a member of the Pac-1 ...
, who had gone 10–0–1, been just as dominant as the Tide, and were regarded as heavy favorites by the press. Through one half, that prediction looked accurate. Washington's star halfback George Wilson intercepted a pass in the first quarter and then led his team 63 yards for a touchdown and a 6–0 lead. In the second quarter Wilson ran for 36 yards and then threw a 22-yard touchdown pass, and Washington went up 12–0. Both extra point tries failed. At the half, Wade changed his game plan, telling
Pooley Hubert Allison Thomas Stanislaus "Pooley" Hubert (April 6, 1901 – February 26, 1978) was an American football player and coach of football and basketball. Regarded as one of the South's greatest college football stars, he played quarterback for coach ...
to run more often. Possibly more importantly, George Wilson sat out the entire third quarter due to sore ribs. It was in that third quarter that Alabama struck. A short punt set up Alabama on the Washington 42 and the Tide quickly capitalized, Hubert scoring on a 1-yard run to make the score 12–7. The Huskies couldn't move the ball without Wilson and punted. Shortly thereafter Grant Gillis hit Brown on a 59-yard touchdown pass and suddenly Alabama led 14–12. Not long after that Washington fumbled the ball and Alabama recovered at the Husky 30. Hubert found Brown for another touchdown pass on the very next play. The extra point failed, but Alabama still led 20–12. Bama scored three touchdowns in seven minutes of clock time. Wilson returned in the fourth quarter and threw a late touchdown pass, but the two missed extra points in the first half proved decisive, and Alabama won 20–19. The starting lineup was Winslett (left end), Perry (left tackle), Buckler (left guard), Holmes (center), Jones (right guard), Camp (right tackle), T. Brown (right end), Gillis (quarterback), M. Brown (left halfback), Barnes (right halfback), Hubert (fullback).


Awards and honors

It was Alabama's first real perfect season in school history, though Alabama was undefeated in 1897 when the Tide played and won one game. The team was ranked No. 2 in the nation in the
Dickinson System The Dickinson System was a mathematical point formula that awarded national championships in college football. Devised by University of Illinois economics professor Frank G. Dickinson, the system crowned national champions from 1925 to 1940. Dicki ...
ratings released in December 1925. Other major selectors retroactively named Alabama as "national champion" for 1925."NCAA History", Retroactive Poll Champions
Johnny Mack Brown John Brown (September 1, 1904 – November 14, 1974) was an American college football player and film actor billed as John Mack Brown at the height of his screen career. He acted and starred mainly in Western films. Early life Born and raise ...
and
Pooley Hubert Allison Thomas Stanislaus "Pooley" Hubert (April 6, 1901 – February 26, 1978) was an American football player and coach of football and basketball. Regarded as one of the South's greatest college football stars, he played quarterback for coach ...
were later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Brown capitalized on his Rose Bowl exposure in southern California by signing a motion picture contract with MGM and beginning a 40-year career in the movies.


Personnel


Depth chart

The following chart provides a visual depiction of Alabama's lineup during the 1925 season with games started at the position reflected in parenthesis. The chart mimics a
single wing In American and Canadian football, a single-wing formation was a precursor to the modern spread or shotgun formation. The term usually connotes formations in which the snap is tossed rather than handed—formations with one wingback and a han ...
on offense.


Varsity letter winners


Line


Backfield


Other


Coaching staff


References

General * Specific


External links

* {{Southern Conference football champions
Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
Alabama Crimson Tide football seasons College football national champions Southern Conference football champion seasons Rose Bowl champion seasons College football undefeated seasons
Alabama Crimson Tide football The Alabama Crimson Tide football program represents the University of Alabama (variously Alabama, UA, or Bama) in the sport of American football. The team competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Asso ...