1997 Alabama Crimson Tide football team

1997 Alabama Crimson Tide football
Conference	Southeastern Conference
Division	Western Division
Record	4–7 (2–6 SEC)
Head coach	Mike DuBose (1st season)
Offensive coordinator	Bruce Arians (1st year)
Defensive coordinator	Ellis Johnson (1st year)
Captains	Curtis Alexander Paul Pickett Rod Rutledge Deshea Townsend
Home stadium	Bryant–Denny Stadium (Capacity: 70,123) Legion Field (Capacity: 83,091)

1997 Southeastern Conference football standings

	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
Eastern Division
No. 7 Tennessee x$		7	–	1					11	–	2
No. 10 Georgia		6	–	2					10	–	2
No. 4 Florida		6	–	2					10	–	2
South Carolina		3	–	5					5	–	6
Kentucky		2	–	6					5	–	6
Vanderbilt		0	–	8					3	–	8
Western Division
No. 11 Auburn xy		6	–	2					10	–	3
No. 13 LSU x		6	–	2					9	–	3
No. 22 Ole Miss		4	–	4					8	–	4
Mississippi State		4	–	4					7	–	4
Arkansas		2	–	6					4	–	7
Alabama		2	–	6					4	–	7
Championship: Tennessee 30, Auburn 29
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions Rankings from AP Poll

The 1997 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the college football season of 1997–98. The team's head coach was Mike DuBose, who was entering his first year at Alabama. They played their home games at both Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama and competed in the West Division of the Southeastern Conference. Alabama would finish with a record of 4–7 record in suffering the program's first losing season since the 1984 season. The loss against Kentucky marked Alabama's first ever overtime game, as overtime rules for college football had gone into effect the previous season.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
August 30	11:30 a.m.	Houston*	No. 16	Legion Field Birmingham, AL	JPS	W 42–17	81,591
September 11	7:30 p.m.	at Vanderbilt	No. 15	Vanderbilt Stadium Nashville, TN	ESPN	W 20–0	41,448
September 20	11:30 a.m.	Arkansas	No. 11	Bryant–Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, AL	JPS	L 16–17	70,123
September 27	2:00 p.m.	Southern Miss*	No. 21	Legion Field Birmingham, AL	PPV	W 27–14	83,091
October 4	6:00 p.m.	at Kentucky	No. 20	Commonwealth Stadium Lexington, KY	PPV	L 34–40 OT	59,226
October 18	6:00 p.m.	No. 9 Tennessee		Legion Field Birmingham, AL (Third Saturday in October)	ESPN	L 21–38	83,091
October 25	11:30 a.m.	at No. 25 Ole Miss		Vaught–Hemingway Stadium Oxford, MS (rivalry)	JPS	W 29–20	41,548
November 1	1:00 p.m.	Louisiana Tech*		Bryant–Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, AL	PPV	L 20–26	70,123
November 8	2:30 p.m.	No. 14 LSU		Bryant–Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, AL (rivalry)	CBS	L 0–27	70,123
November 15	11:30 a.m.	No. 17 Mississippi State		Bryant–Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, AL (rivalry)	JPS	L 20–32	70,123
November 22	6:00 p.m.	at No. 13 Auburn		Jordan–Hare Stadium Auburn, AL (Iron Bowl)	ESPN	L 17–18	85,214
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Central time

Coaching staff

Name	Position	Consecutive seasons at Alabama
Mike Dubose	Head coach	1st
Bruce Arians	Offensive coordinator/Quarterback coach	1st
Dabo Swinney	Tight end	5th
Neil Callaway	Offensive line coach	1st
Woody McCorvey	Wide receivers coach	8th
Ivy Williams	Running backs coach	4th
Ellis Johnson	Defensive coordinator/Defensive line	1st
Curley Hallman	Secondary coach	2nd
Jeff Rouzie	Linebackers coach	7th
Danny Pearman	Special teams coordinator	7th
Reference:

Game summaries

Houston

See also: 1997 Houston Cougars football team

	1	2	3	4	Total
Cougars	0	7	7	3	17
#16 Crimson Tide	21	7	0	14	42

A sell-out crowd filled Legion Field as the Mike Dubose era got off to a great start with the Crimson Tide rolling to a big win over Houston. Alabama's 42 points was the most any Alabama team had put up in a game since the season opener in 1994.

Vanderbilt

See also: 1997 Vanderbilt Commodores football team

	1	2	3	4	Total
#15 Crimson Tide	7	0	3	10	20
Commodores	0	0	0	0	0

Alabama defense would hold Vanderbilt offense to 124 yards as the Crimson Tide won its first road and conference game of the year in shutout fashion.

Arkansas

See also: 1997 Arkansas Razorbacks football team

	1	2	3	4	Total
Razorbacks	3	0	7	7	17
#11 Crimson Tide	3	3	3	7	16

For the second time in a row, Arkansas would come to Bryant-Denny Stadium and upset a rank Alabama team by one point. Alabama held a 16-10 lead late in the game but, an Anthony Eubanks touchdown grab of 29 yards from Clint Stoerner gave Arkansas a one-point win.

Southern Miss

See also: 1997 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team

	1	2	3	4	Total
Golden Eagles	0	10	3	0	13
#21 Crimson Tide	0	10	7	10	27

After being tied at halftime, Alabama would outscore Southern Miss 17-3 in the second half lead by Alabama defense forcing three Southern Miss turnovers.

Kentucky

See also: 1997 Kentucky Wildcats football team

	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
Wildcats	10	3	14	7	6	40
#20 Crimson Tide	7	7	10	10	0	34

A back and forth shootout ended with a 26-yard game-winning touchdown pass from Kentucky QB Tim Couch to give Kentucky its first win over Alabama since 1922. Alabama had the ball first in overtime but, a Chad Goss fumble gave Kentucky an opportunity to score and win with their possession. This would mark the first overtime game ever for both teams.

Tennessee

See also: 1997 Tennessee Volunteers football team

	1	2	3	4	Total
#9 Volunteers	7	14	10	7	38
Crimson Tide	6	0	8	7	21

For the third straight year, Tennessee would beat Alabama. Alabama would kick two early field goals to have a 6-0 lead but Tennessee would score the next 28 points to put the game out of reach for Alabama. This game would be the last Third Saturday in October game to be played at Legion Field.

Ole Miss

See also: 1997 Ole Miss Rebels football team

	1	2	3	4	Total
Crimson Tide	0	7	10	12	29
#25 Rebels	7	7	0	6	20

Mike DuBose would get his first win against a rank team as the Crimson Tide ended their two-game losing streak with a win against Ole Miss.

Louisiana Tech

See also: 1997 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football team

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bulldogs	10	3	7	6	26
Crimson Tide	7	0	6	7	20

For the first time since the 1990 season, Alabama would lose a non-conference game. This was also the first homecoming lost since 1990 as well as Louisiana Tech and their 3rd rank passing attack upset Alabama.

LSU

See also: 1997 LSU Tigers football team

	1	2	3	4	Total
#14 Tigers	7	7	0	13	27
Crimson Tide	0	0	0	0	0

LSU return the favor after Alabama shutout LSU in Tiger Stadium in 1996 by shutting out Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium. This was the first time Alabama had been shutout since 1991.

Mississippi State

See also: 1998 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team

	1	2	3	4	Total
#17 Bulldogs	14	6	9	3	32
Crimson Tide	14	0	6	0	20

For the first time since 1957, Mississippi State would win in Bryant-Denny Stadium. The lose also meant Alabama would not win a game at Bryant-Denny Stadium for the first time since 1955. The lose also guaranteed Alabama first losing season since 1984.

Auburn

See also: 1997 Auburn Tigers football team

	1	2	3	4	Total
Crimson Tide	0	10	7	0	17
#13 Tigers	6	0	6	6	18

Despite being an underdog, Alabama would lead for most of the game and be in a position to put the game away but an Ed Scissum fumble recovered by Auburn put them in field goal range to take the lead and ultimately give them the win. Alabama would try a 57-yard field goal with A.J. Diaz as time expired but it fell short. Alabama 7 loses was the most Alabama has had in a season since 1957.