College Team Guide
Alabama Crimson Tide: History, National Titles & Facts
Alabama has played football since 1892 and claims 18 national championships, won under five head coaches. The men's basketball team reached its first Final Four in 2024.
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Updated live from ESPN.
Quick facts
| Football first season | 1892 |
|---|---|
| Football stadium | Bryant–Denny Stadium, opened 1929 as Denny Stadium |
| Football national titles | 18 claimed, through the 2025 season |
| SEC football titles | 30, through the 2025 season |
| Heisman winners | 4 (Mark Ingram II, Derrick Henry, DeVonta Smith, Bryce Young) |
| Conference | SEC, a charter member since 1933 |
National championships
Alabama claims 18 football national titles, from 1925 to the 2020 season. Three came in the College Football Playoff era (2015, 2017, 2020).
- Wallace Wade: 1925, 1926, 1930
- Frank Thomas: 1934, 1941
- Paul "Bear" Bryant: 1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979
- Gene Stallings: 1992
- Nick Saban: 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2020
- Men's basketball: Final Four in 2024
Program history
- 1892: Played its first football season.
- 1893: Played Auburn in the first Iron Bowl.
- 1926: Beat Washington 20–19 in the Rose Bowl.
- 1929: Opened Denny Stadium; it became Bryant–Denny Stadium in 1975.
- 1958: Paul "Bear" Bryant began 25 seasons as head coach; he won six national titles.
- 2007: Hired Nick Saban, who won six national titles before retiring after the 2023 season.
- 2024: Named the playing field Saban Field; the men's basketball team reached its first Final Four.
Program record holders
| Football passing yards | A. J. McCarron, 9,019 |
|---|---|
| Football rushing yards | Najee Harris, 3,843 |
| Football receiving yards | DeVonta Smith, 3,965 |
Retired jerseys
- 20Wendell Hudson (men's basketball)
College Football Hall of Famers
Pooley Hubert, Johnny Mack Brown, Don Hutson, Dixie Howell, Lee Roy Jordan, Ozzie Newsome, John Hannah, Johnny Musso, Cornelius Bennett, Derrick Thomas, Frank Thomas (coach), Paul "Bear" Bryant (coach), Gene Stallings (coach), Nick Saban (coach).
Biggest rivalries
- Auburn Tigers: the Iron Bowl, the in-state rivalry first played in 1893.
- Tennessee Volunteers: the Third Saturday in October, first played in 1901.
- LSU Tigers: a long-running SEC West football rivalry.
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How many national championships has Alabama won in football?
Alabama claims 18, through the 2025 season: 1925, 1926, 1930, 1934, 1941, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1992, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017 and 2020.
Who has won the Heisman Trophy at Alabama?
Mark Ingram II (2009), Derrick Henry (2015), DeVonta Smith (2020) and Bryce Young (2021).
What is the Iron Bowl?
The annual football game between Alabama and Auburn. The first meeting, in Birmingham in 1893, was won by Auburn 32–22.
Who is Bryant–Denny Stadium named after?
University president George H. Denny and coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. The field was named for Nick Saban in 2024.
Has Alabama reached the Final Four in basketball?
Yes, once, in 2024. It lost to eventual champion UConn in the national semifinal.
Sources
Facts checked September 23, 2026. Live figures above come from ESPN.