1998 Alabama Crimson Tide Football Team
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The 1998 Alabama Crimson Tide football team 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
college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...
season of 1998–99. The team's
head coach A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches. In some sports, the head coach is instead called the "manager", as in assoc ...
was
Mike DuBose Michael Lynn DuBose (born January 5, 1953) is an American football coach, most recently serving for Opp High School in Opp, Alabama. His most recent college coaching experience was serving as defensive line coach for the University of Memphis. Du ...
, who was entering his second year at Alabama. They played their home games at both
Bryant–Denny Stadium Bryant–Denny Stadium is an outdoor stadium in the southeastern United States, on the campus of the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. It is the home field of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Open ...
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 ...
and
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 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 ...
,
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 ...
and competed in the West Division of the
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 of ...
. They improved upon a 4–7 record from the 1997 season by finishing the 1998 campaign with a 7–5 record and an appearance in the
Music City Bowl The Music City Bowl is a post-season American college football bowl game certified by the NCAA that has been played in Nashville, Tennessee, since 1998. Since 2020, it has been sponsored by TransPerfect and is officially known as the ''TransPerf ...
. The win against Ole Miss during the season marked Alabama's first ever overtime victory.


Schedule


Rankings


Coaching staff


Game summaries


BYU

The Crimson Tide debut a new east side upper deck and 81 new sky boxes in Bryant-Denny Stadium which set the attendance mark to 83,818. This record-breaking crowd watched as
Shaun Alexander Shaun Edward Alexander (born August 30, 1977) is an American former professional football player who was a running back for the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the ...
scored five touchdowns as the Crimson Tide held on to beat BYU.


Vanderbilt

Alabama would score 32 unanswered points after Vanderbilt took a 7–0 lead in the first quarter to win its first conference game of the year. The Alabama defense held Vanderbilt to -33 rushing yards and forced three interceptions. The Alabama offense was led by
Shaun Alexander Shaun Edward Alexander (born August 30, 1977) is an American former professional football player who was a running back for the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the ...
who rushed for 206 yards and three touchdowns.


Arkansas

Despite only trailing by eight at the half, Alabama would be shut out in the second half and lose by 36 points. This would be the largest margin of defeat since the 1957
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 Conferenc ...
.


Florida

Despite being outgained by over 200 yards, Alabama had an opportunity driving at the end of the game to try to win, but a late interception by Andrew Zow gave Florida the win. Florida had 6 possessions inside the Alabama 12 yard line 3 resulting in turnovers, 3 resulting in field goals that kept Alabama in the game.


Ole Miss

A 22-yard game-winning field goal by Ryan Pflugner in overtime gave the Crimson Tide its first overtime victory in its second try. The Rebels, who tied it late in the 4th quarter with a field goal to force overtime, threw an interception on their first possession which put Alabama in a score and win scenario.


East Carolina

Despite having a 21–0 lead at the half, a blocked extra point ran back for two points in the third quarter was the difference in the second half for Alabama. East Carolina outscored Alabama 22–2 in the second half but, never could take the lead away from Alabama.


Tennessee

Tennessee for the 4th year in a row beat Alabama in what was a close game up until
Peerless Price Peerless LeCross Price (born October 27, 1976) is a former American football wide receiver who played nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Price played college football for the University of Tennessee Volunteers and was drafte ...
ran a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown after the Crimson Tide had cut the lead to three. Alabama would not get closer than the ten point lead after that.


Southern Miss

Behind a career-high 361 yards passing from Andrew Zow, the Crimson Tide amassed 499 yards of offense as they beat Southern Miss in their final game at Bryant-Denny Stadium this season.


LSU

The Crimson Tide trailed 16–7 with less than 3 minutes to go in the game when they were able to score a touchdown with 2:24 left making the score 16–14. Alabama would recover an onside kick and drive down the field and with 38 seconds to go in the game Andrew Zow hit Michael Vaughn on a deflected pass in the end zone and with the two point conversion Alabama led 22–16. An interception by Marcus Spencer would seal one of the greatest comebacks in Alabama History. This game was also the first time both teams came into the game not ranked since 1990.


Mississippi State

J.J. Johnson J.J. Johnson (January 22, 1924 – February 4, 2001), born James Louis Johnson and also known as Jay Jay Johnson, was an American jazz trombonist, composer and arranger. Johnson was one of the earliest trombonists to embrace bebop. Biography ...
broke a Mississippi State school record for rushing yards in a game at 237 as Mississippi State would win its third straight meeting over Alabama. Despite a 20–0 deficit in the third quarter, Alabama rallied to cut the lead to six but that was as close as they could get.


Auburn

Despite trailing 17–0 in the second quarter, Alabama would score the final 31 points of the game to win the
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 Conferenc ...
. Four turnovers for Auburn helped the Crimson Tide get back and eventually pull away from Auburn. This would be the last
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 Conferenc ...
ever to be played at
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.


Virginia Tech

The first ever
Music City Bowl The Music City Bowl is a post-season American college football bowl game certified by the NCAA that has been played in Nashville, Tennessee, since 1998. Since 2020, it has been sponsored by TransPerfect and is officially known as the ''TransPerf ...
had an exciting first half with Alabama trailing Virginia Tech 10–7 at the half. The second half was all Virginia Tech as they would outscore the Crimson Tide 28–0 to beat Alabama. The lose would end the Crimson Tide season at 7–5.


References

{{Alabama Crimson Tide football navbox
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
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 ...