1980 Alabama Crimson Tide football team

American college football season

1980 Alabama Crimson Tide football

Cotton Bowl champion

Cotton Bowl, W 30–2 vs. Baylor

Conference| Southeastern Conference
Ranking
Coaches| No. 6
AP| No. 6
Record| 10–2 (5–1 SEC)
Head coach|

* Bear Bryant (23rd season)

Captains|

* Major Ogilvie
* Randy Scott

Home stadium| Bryant–Denny Stadium
Legion Field

Seasons

← 1979

1981 →

1980 Southeastern Conference football standings

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |   | L |   | T |  |  | W |   | L |   | T
No. 1 Georgia $  | 6  | – | 0  | – | 0 |  |  | 12  | – | 0  | – | 0
No. 19 Mississippi State | 5  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 9  | – | 3  | – | 0
No. 6 Alabama | 5  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 10  | – | 2  | – | 0
LSU | 4  | – | 2  | – | 0 |  |  | 7  | – | 4  | – | 0
Florida | 4  | – | 2  | – | 0 |  |  | 8  | – | 4  | – | 0
Tennessee | 3  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 6  | – | 0
Ole Miss | 2  | – | 4  | – | 0 |  |  | 3  | – | 8  | – | 0
Kentucky | 1  | – | 5  | – | 0 |  |  | 3  | – | 8  | – | 0
Auburn | 0  | – | 6  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 6  | – | 0
Vanderbilt | 0  | – | 6  | – | 0 |  |  | 2  | – | 9  | – | 0

* $ – Conference champion

Rankings from AP Poll

The 1980 Alabama Crimson Tide football team (variously "Alabama", "UA" or "Bama") represented the University of Alabama in the 1980 NCAA Division I-A football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 86th overall and 47th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The team was led by head coach Bear Bryant, in his 23rd year, and played their home games at Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. They finished season with ten wins and two losses (10–2 overall, 5–1 in the SEC) and with a victory over Baylor in the Cotton Bowl.

A 6–3 loss to Mississippi State ended Alabama's school record 28-game winning streak and all-time SEC record 27-game conference winning streak, and was Alabama's first loss to Mississippi State since 1957. It also cost the Tide a share of the SEC championship, the first time since 1976 they failed to win the SEC. Despite surrendering 35 points to Ole Miss, the Alabama defense still allowed only 98 points for the entire season.

## Schedule

[edit]

Date| Time| Opponent| Rank| Site| TV| Result| Attendance| Source

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

September 6| 1:30 p.m.| Georgia Tech*| No. 2|

* Legion Field
* Birmingham, AL (rivalry)

| | W 26–3| 78,410| [1]
September 20| 1:30 p.m.| at Ole Miss[A 1]*| No. 1|

* Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium
* Jackson, MS (rivalry)

| | W 59–35| 50,686| [3]
September 27| 1:30 p.m.| Vanderbilt| No. 1|

* Bryant–Denny Stadium
* Tuscaloosa, AL

| ESPN| W 41–0| 60,210| [4]
October 4| 1:30 p.m.| Kentucky| No. 1|

* Legion Field
* Birmingham, AL

| ESPN| W 45–0| 78,400| [5]
October 11| 12:30 p.m.| at Rutgers*| No. 1|

* Giants Stadium
* East Rutherford, NJ

| ESPN| W 17–13| 58,107| [6]
October 18| 2:30 p.m.| at Tennessee| No. 1|

* Neyland Stadium
* Knoxville, TN (Third Saturday in October)

| ABC| W 27–0| 96,748| [7]
October 25| 1:30 p.m.| No. 20 Southern Miss*| No. 1|

* Bryant–Denny Stadium
* Tuscaloosa, AL

| ESPN| W 42–7| 60,210| [8]
November 1| 1:30 p.m.| at Mississippi State| No. 1|

* Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium
* Jackson, MS (rivalry)

| ESPN| L 3–6| 50,891| [9]
November 8| 1:30 p.m.| LSU| No. 6|

* Bryant–Denny Stadium
* Tuscaloosa, AL (rivalry)

| ESPN| W 28–7| 60,210| [10]
November 15| 2:30 p.m.| No. 6 Notre Dame*| No. 5|

* Legion Field
* Birmingham, AL

| ABC| L 0–7| 78,873| [11]
November 29| 1:30 p.m.| vs. Auburn| No. 9|

* Legion Field
* Birmingham, AL (Iron Bowl)

| | W 34–18| 78,549| [12]
January 1, 1981| 1:00 p.m.| vs. No. 6 Baylor*| No. 9|

* Cotton Bowl
* Dallas, TX (Cotton Bowl)

| CBS| W 30–2| 74,281| [13]

* *Non-conference game
* Homecoming
* Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
* All times are in Central time

[14]

## Roster

[edit]

1980 Alabama Crimson Tide football team roster

Players  | Coaches
Offense | Pos. | # | Name | Class

|
|
|

G | `62` | Scott Allison | Sr
RB | `33` | Billy Jackson | Sr
QB | `5` | Don Jacobs | Sr
Defense | Pos. | # | Name | Class

|
|
|

LB | `90` | Tom Boyd | Jr
DT | `47` | Byron Braggs | Sr
DT | `98` | Jackie Cline | So
DB | `9` | Jim Bob Harris | Jr
LB | `39` | E.J. Junior | Sr
DB | `23` | Benny Perrin | Jr
DE | `81` | Mike Pitts | So
LB | `50` | Randy Scott | Sr
Special teams | Pos. | # | Name | Class

|
|
|

Head coach

* Bear Bryant

Coordinators/assistant coaches

* * *

Legend

* (C) Team captain
* (S) Suspended
* (I) Ineligible

* Injured
* Redshirt

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Prior to the 1980 season, the SEC ruled if two SEC teams scheduled each other independently, and not through the conference office, the game would not count in SEC standings. As such, although both were members of the SEC, the Alabama–Ole Miss games in 1980 and 1981 did not count as conference games in the official SEC standings.[2]

## References

[edit]

General

* "1980 Season Recaps" (PDF). RollTide.com. University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 12, 2012. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
* "2012 Alabama Crimson Tide Football Record Book" (PDF). Tuscaloosa, Alabama: University of Alabama Athletics Media Relations Office. 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 16, 2015.

Specific

1. ^ "Jackets can't stem Tide, 26–3". The Atlanta Constitution. September 7, 1980. Retrieved February 19, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
2. ^ Emerson, Seth (April 28, 2023). "Grudges, politics and gentlemen's agreements: The chaotic history of SEC scheduling". The Athletic. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
3. ^ "59–35, Ole Miss had 500 yards, but Bama had 524 and its 23rd win in a row". The Clarion-Ledger. September 21, 1980. Retrieved February 19, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
4. ^ "VU's improved, but Bama romps". The Tennessean. September 28, 1980. Retrieved February 19, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
5. ^ "Win No. 300 sweet for Bear, sour for Curci". The Lexington Herald-Leader. October 5, 1980. Retrieved February 19, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
6. ^ "Alabama survives RU scare, 17–13". The Daily Home News. October 12, 1980. Retrieved February 19, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
7. ^ "Bama 'waltzes' past Tennessee". The Montgomery Advertiser. October 19, 1980. Retrieved February 19, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
8. ^ "Errors allow Tide to roll". Hattiesburg American. October 26, 1980. Retrieved February 19, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
9. ^ "Mississippi State stuns Alabama". The Montgomery Advertiser. November 2, 1980. Retrieved February 19, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
10. ^ "'Relentless' Tide covers LSU, 28–7". The Shreveport Times. November 9, 1980. Retrieved February 19, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
11. ^ "Hot Irish defense stops Alabama cold". Chicago Tribune. November 16, 1980. Retrieved February 19, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
12. ^ "Unlikely heroes lead Bama win". The Montgomery Advertiser. November 30, 1980. Retrieved February 19, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
13. ^ "Tide in somber mood after Baylor blast". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. January 2, 1981. Retrieved February 19, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
14. ^ "1980 Alabama football archives". RollTide.com. University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. Retrieved February 19, 2021.

* v
* t
* e

Alabama Crimson Tide football

Venues|

* University of Alabama Quad (1893–1914)
* Denny Field (1915–1928)
* Bryant–Denny Stadium (1929–present)
* Rickwood Field (alternate, 1912–1927)
* Cramton Bowl (alternate, 1922–1954)
* Ernest F. Ladd Stadium (alternate, 1948–1968)
* Legion Field (alternate, 1927–2003)

Bowls & rivalries|

* Bowl games
* Auburn: Iron Bowl (Foy–ODK Sportsmanship Trophy)
* Clemson
* Florida
* Georgia
* Georgia Tech
* LSU
* Mississippi State
* Ole Miss
* Penn State
* Tennessee: Third Saturday in October

Culture & lore|

* History
* Saban era
* Traditions
* Big Al
* "Yea Alabama"
* "Dixieland Delight"
* A-Day
* 1922 Penn game
* Million Dollar Band
* Walk of Fame
* Paul W. Bryant Museum
* The Bear
* The Bear Bryant Show
* "Defense wins championships"
* Porter Cup
* 1943 Informals
* Forrest Gump
* Punt Bama Punt
* 2011 "Game of the Century"
* Kick Six (Kick Bama Kick)
* 2019 "Game of the Century"
* 2024 Vanderbilt game

People|

* Head coaches
* All-Americans
* College Football Hall of Fame inductees
* NFL draftees
* Starting quarterbacks
* Statistical leaders
* Yearly leaders
* Champ Pickens

Seasons|

* 1892
* 1893
* 1894
* 1895
* 1896
* 1897
* 1898
* 1899
* 1900
* 1901
* 1902
* 1903
* 1904
* 1905
* 1906
* 1907
* 1908
* 1909
* 1910
* 1911
* 1912
* 1913
* 1914
* 1915
* 1916
* 1917
* 1918
* 1919
* 1920
* 1921
* 1922
* 1923
* 1924
* 1925
* 1926
* 1927
* 1928
* 1929
* 1930
* 1931
* 1932
* 1933
* 1934
* 1935
* 1936
* 1937
* 1938
* 1939
* 1940
* 1941
* 1942
* 1943
* 1944
* 1945
* 1946
* 1947
* 1948
* 1949
* 1950
* 1951
* 1952
* 1953
* 1954
* 1955
* 1956
* 1957
* 1958
* 1959
* 1960
* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024
* 2025

National championship seasons in bold
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Conf.]: Conference record
*[W]: Wins
*[L]: Losses
*[T]: Ties
*[No.]: Number