The 1959 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 research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Established in 1820 and opened to students in 1831, the University of Alabama is the oldest and largest of the publi ...
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is an American college athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central and Southeastern United States. Its fourteen members include the flagship public universities o ...
(SEC). The team was led by head coach Bear Bryant, in his second year, and played their home games at Denny Stadium 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 ...
,
Legion Field
Legion Field is an outdoor stadium in the southeastern United States in Birmingham, Alabama, primarily designed to be used as a venue for American football, but occasionally used for other large outdoor events. Opened in 1927, it is named in ho ...
in
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1. ...
and at
Ladd Stadium Ladd or Ladds may refer to:
People
* Ladd (surname)
* Brent Ladds (born 1951), Canadian ice hockey administrator
Places
;In the United States
* Ladds, Georgia, an unincorporated community
*Ladd, Illinois, village
* Ladd, Missouri, an unincorporat ...
in Mobile, Alabama. They finished with a record of seven wins, two losses and two ties (7–2–2 overall, 4–1–2 in the SEC) and with a loss against Penn State in the inaugural
Liberty Bowl
The Liberty Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in late December or early January since 1959. For its first five years, it was played at Philadelphia Municipal Stadium in Philadelphia before being held at Atlantic City ...
.
The Crimson Tide opened the 1959 season with three consecutive games on the road. After they dropped the opener at
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
, they rebounded with a victory at
Houston
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 i ...
and then played Vanderbilt to a 7–7 tie at Dudley Field. Alabama then defeated in the first Denny Stadium game of the season and tied
Tennessee
Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
7–7 at Legion Field. On homecoming, the Crimson Tide defeated
Mississippi State
Mississippi State University for Agriculture and Applied Science, commonly known as Mississippi State University (MSU), is a public land-grant research university adjacent to Starkville, Mississippi. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Univer ...
and then one week later defeated
Tulane
Tulane University, officially the Tulane University of Louisiana, is a private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by seven young medical doctors, it turned into a comprehensive pub ...
at Ladd Stadium. The win over Tulane was both the 100th Southeastern Conference victory in the history of the Alabama program and the 100th all-time victory for Bryant as a head coach.
Alabama then went on to upset
Georgia Tech
The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech or, in the state of Georgia, as Tech or The Institute, is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1885, it is part of ...
and as a result entered the polls the following week for the first time since the 1954 season. The Crimson Tide then closed the regular season with a wins over
Memphis State
}
The University of Memphis (UofM) is a public research university in Memphis, Tennessee. Founded in 1912, the university has an enrollment of more than 22,000 students.
The university maintains the Herff College of Engineering, the Center for Ea ...
and Auburn that snapped what was then a school record five-game Iron Bowl losing streak. Alabama next accepted an invitation to compete in the inaugural
Liberty Bowl
The Liberty Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in late December or early January since 1959. For its first five years, it was played at Philadelphia Municipal Stadium in Philadelphia before being held at Atlantic City ...
where they were upset by Penn State in the final game of the season.
Schedule
Game summaries
Georgia
*Sources:
To open the 1959 season,
Fran Tarkenton
Francis Asbury Tarkenton (born February 3, 1940) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Minnesota Vikings. He played college football at ...
led the
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to 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.1959 Season Recap The Bulldogs took an early 3–0 lead after Durward Pennington connected on a 35-yard field goal in the first quarter. Georgia then extended their lead further to 10–0 at halftime on a 40-yard Bill Godfrey touchdown run in the second quarter. After Alabama responded with their only points in the third on a 23-yard Fred Sington, Jr. field goal, Tarkenton scored on a one-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter that made the final score 17–3. The 17 points scored were the most allowed by a Bryant led defense to that point, and the Georgia win marked their first in an opening game since their 1954 season. The loss brought Alabama's all-time record against Georgia to 23–18–4.
Houston
*Source:
A week after they opened the season with a loss at Georgia, the Crimson Tide shutout the
Houston
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 i ...
Cougars
The cougar (''Puma concolor'') is a large cat native to the Americas. Its range spans from the Canadian Yukon to the southern Andes in South America and is the most widespread of any large wild terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere. ...
3–0 in the first all-time meeting between the schools. On a rainy evening, the only points scored came in the third quarter on a 25-yard Fred Sington, Jr. field goal. In the game, the Crimson Tide defense had three
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 ...
s, but was also penalized eight times for 99-yards in the victory.
Vanderbilt
*Sources:
For the third time in as many seasons, the Crimson Tide played the Vanderbilt
Commodores
Commodores are an American funk and soul band, which were at their peak in the late 1970s through the mid 1980s. The members of the group met as mostly freshmen at Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) in 1968, and signed with Motown in ...
to a tie, this time by a 7–7 margin in Nashville. After a scoreless first quarter, the Commodores took a 7–0 halftime lead after Tom Moore scored on a short touchdown run in the second quarter. Alabama tied the game early in the fourth quarter on a short
Pat Trammell
Patrick Lee Trammell (July 11, 1940 – December 10, 1968) was an American college football player. He played quarterback at the University of Alabama from 1958 to 1961. In his senior season, he led the 1961 Alabama Crimson Tide football team t ...
touchdown run, Russell Morris missed a 37-yard field goal attempt later in the quarter and the game ended tied 7–7. The tie brought Alabama's all-time record against Vanderbilt to 18–16–4.
Chattanooga
*Sources:
In rainy conditions for the first home game of the 1959 season, the Crimson Tide shutout the ChattanoogaMocs 13–0 in Tuscaloosa. Alabama took a 7–0 first quarter lead when Robert Skelton scored on an 18-yard touchdown run.
Pat Trammell
Patrick Lee Trammell (July 11, 1940 – December 10, 1968) was an American college football player. He played quarterback at the University of Alabama from 1958 to 1961. In his senior season, he led the 1961 Alabama Crimson Tide football team t ...
then scored the second touchdown of the game in the third on a 54-yard run that made the score 13–0. For the game, Trammell rushed for 106 yards on 17 carries to lead the Crimson Tide. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Chattanooga to 8–0.
Tennessee
*Sources:
In their annual rivalry game against
Tennessee
Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
, Alabama played the No. 14
Volunteers
Volunteering is a voluntary act of an individual or group freely giving time and labor for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency rescue. Others serve ...
to a 7–7 tie in Birmingham. Tennessee took an early 7–0 lead in the first quarter. Bill Majors scored on a two-yard touchdown run that capped a nine-play, 45-yard drive. The Crimson Tide responded in the second quarter when
Pat Trammell
Patrick Lee Trammell (July 11, 1940 – December 10, 1968) was an American college football player. He played quarterback at the University of Alabama from 1958 to 1961. In his senior season, he led the 1961 Alabama Crimson Tide football team t ...
threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Stanley Bell that tied the score 7–7. The only other scoring opportunity came late in the fourth quarter, and after Frank Sington, Jr. missed an eight-yard field goal for Alabama, the game ended in a 7–7 tie. The tie brought Alabama's all-time record against Tennessee to 18–18–6.
Mississippi State
*Sources:
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.
...
in Tuscaloosa, Alabama shutout the
Mississippi State
Mississippi State University for Agriculture and Applied Science, commonly known as Mississippi State University (MSU), is a public land-grant research university adjacent to Starkville, Mississippi. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Univer ...
Maroons
Maroons are descendants of Africans in the Americas who escaped from slavery and formed their own settlements. They often mixed with indigenous peoples, eventually evolving into separate creole cultures such as the Garifuna and the Mascogos.
...
10–0 and secured their first conference victory of the 1959 season. After a scoreless first quarter, Alabama took a 3–0 halftime lead after Fred Sington, Jr. connected on a 25-yard field goal. They then extended their lead to 10–0 in the third quarter when Bobby Skelton threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to Stanley Bell. The Crimson Tide defense was dominant in the victory as they had four
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 ...
s for the game. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Mississippi State to 31–10–3.
Tulane
*Sources:
In their annual home game at Ladd Stadium in Mobile, the Crimson Tide overcame five turnovers and defeated the
Tulane
Tulane University, officially the Tulane University of Louisiana, is a private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by seven young medical doctors, it turned into a comprehensive pub ...
Green Wave
A green wave occurs when a series of traffic lights (usually three or more) are coordinated to allow continuous traffic flow over several intersections in one main direction.
Any vehicle traveling along with the green wave (at an approximate spee ...
19–7. After a scoreless first quarter, Alabama took a 7–0 lead after Marlin Dyess scored on a four-yard touchdown run. The Greenies responded later in the quarter with a 10-yard Phil Nugent touchdown pass to Pete Abadie that tied the game 7–7 at halftime. The Crimson Tide then scored a pair of second half touchdowns. The first came in the third quarter on a 22-yard Bobby Skelton pass to Tommy Brooker and the second in the fourth quarter on a 10-yard W. E. Richardson run. The win was both the 100th Southeastern Conference victory in the history of the Alabama program and the 100th victory for Bryant as a head coach. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Tulane to 18–10–2.
Georgia Tech
*Sources:
Behind a 43-yard game-winning Fred Sington, Jr. field goal, the Crimson Tide upset the
Georgia Tech
The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech or, in the state of Georgia, as Tech or The Institute, is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1885, it is part of ...
Yellow Jackets
Yellowjacket or yellowjacket is the common name in North America for predatory social wasps of the genera '' Vespula'' and '' Dolichovespula''. Members of these genera are known simply as "wasps" in other English-speaking countries. Most of th ...
9–7 at Legion Field. Tech took an early 7–0 after Gary O'Steen fumbled the opening
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 ...
that gave the Yellow Jackets possession at the Alabama 27-yard line. Six plays later Marvin Tibbetts scored on a two-yard run. Alabama's only touchdown drive was set up on their next possession after Tech fumbled a punt that was recovered by W. E. Richardson at their 49-yard line. Eight plays later, Marlin Dyess scored on a 10-yard run, but Bryant then elected to go for a
two-point conversion
In gridiron football, a two-point conversion or two-point convert is a play a team attempts instead of kicking a one-point conversion immediately after it scores a touchdown. In a two-point conversion attempt, the team that just scored must run ...
that was unsuccessful and the Jackets led 7–6. What proved to be the game-winning field goal came on a 43-yard Sington kick in the second quarter that made the score 9–7. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Georgia Tech to 20–18–3.
Memphis State
*Sources:
After their upset victory over Georgia Tech, the Crimson Tide entered the polls for the first time since the 1954 season in the No. 17 position. Down 7–0 at halftime to underdog
Memphis State
}
The University of Memphis (UofM) is a public research university in Memphis, Tennessee. Founded in 1912, the university has an enrollment of more than 22,000 students.
The university maintains the Herff College of Engineering, the Center for Ea ...
, the Crimson Tide rallied with a pair of second half touchdowns and defeated the
Tigers
The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is the largest living cat species and a member of the genus ''Panthera''. It is most recognisable for its dark vertical stripes on orange fur with a white underside. An apex predator, it primarily preys on un ...
14–7 at Denny Stadium. After a scoreless first quarter, Memphis took a 7–0 lead after Jimmy Wright scored on a one-yard touchdown run that capped an 84-yard drive. Alabama then took an 8–7 lead in the third quarter when W. E. Richardson scored on a fourth-and-three touchdown run followed it with a successful
two-point conversion
In gridiron football, a two-point conversion or two-point convert is a play a team attempts instead of kicking a one-point conversion immediately after it scores a touchdown. In a two-point conversion attempt, the team that just scored must run ...
.
Mal Moore
Mal Mathad Moore (December 19, 1939 – March 30, 2013) was an American football coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the athletic director at the University of Alabama from 1999 to 2013. On November 23, 1999, he was hired as ...
then threw a four-yard touchdown pass to William Rice in the fourth quarter that made the final score 14–7. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Memphis State to 2–0.
Auburn
*Sources:
As they entered their season finale against No. 11 Auburn, the Crimson Tide dropped two spots to the No. 19 position after their closer than expected game against Memphis State. At Legion Field in the annual
Iron Bowl
The Alabama–Auburn football rivalry, better known as the Iron Bowl, is an American college football rivalry game between the Auburn University Tigers and University of Alabama Crimson Tide, both charter members of the Southeastern Conferen ...
game, Alabama shutout the
Tigers
The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is the largest living cat species and a member of the genus ''Panthera''. It is most recognisable for its dark vertical stripes on orange fur with a white underside. An apex predator, it primarily preys on un ...
10–0 and won their first game against their rival since the 1953 season. After a scoreless first quarter, Alabama took a 3–0 halftime lead on a 27-yard Tommy Brooker field goal. They extended their lead further to 10–0 in the third quarter on a 39-yard Bobby Skelton touchdown pass to Marlin Dyess. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Auburn to 10–13–1.
Penn State
*Sources:
After their victory over Auburn in their season finale, Bryant turned down an invitation to play in the
Bluegrass Bowl
The Bluegrass Bowl was a college football bowl game that was played only once, on December 13, 1958, at Cardinal Stadium (later known as "Old Cardinal Stadium") in Louisville, Kentucky. The Oklahoma State Cowboys defeated Florida State Seminoles, ...
. However, two days later they accepted an invitation to compete in the inaugural
Liberty Bowl
The Liberty Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in late December or early January since 1959. For its first five years, it was played at Philadelphia Municipal Stadium in Philadelphia before being held at Atlantic City ...
against the Penn StateNittany Lions in the first all-time meeting between the schools. As they entered their contest against Penn State, Alabama finished the season with the No. 10 ranking and the Nittany Lions with the No. 12 ranking. At Municipal Stadium, Alabama was upset 7–0 by Penn State with the only touchdown scored in the second quarter on a 17-yard touchdown reception by Roger Kochman from
Galen Hall
Galen Samuel Hall (born August 14, 1940) is a retired American college and professional football coach and player. He is a native of Pennsylvania, and an alumnus of Penn State University, where he played college football. Hall was previously t ...
on a fake field goal attempt. This bowl game marked the beginning of a school record 25 consecutive bowl appearances.
Personnel
Varsity letter winners
Coaching staff
References
General
*
Specific
{{Alabama Crimson Tide football navbox
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 Ass ...