1996 Alabama Crimson Tide football team explained
The 1996 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama for the 1996–97 college football season, competing in the Western Division in the Southeastern Conference. Gene Stallings led the Crimson Tide to a 10–3 record in his final year with the program. The team played their home games at Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama.
Alabama's loss to Mississippi State broke a 15-game winning streak Alabama had in the series and was their first loss to the Bulldogs since a dramatic upset MSU posted over the #1 ranked Tide in 1980.
Following a victory in the annual Iron Bowl on November 23, head coach Gene Stallings announced his retirement, which would go into effect at the end of the season.[1]
Schedule
[2]
Rankings
See also: 1996 NCAA Division I-A football rankings.
Coaching staff
| Name | Position | Consecutive seasons at Alabama |
|---|
| | 7th |
| Woody McCorvey | Offensive coordinator | 7th |
| Wide receivers and Tight end coach | 4th |
| Offensive tackles coach/Special teams coordinator | 6th |
| Offensive line Coach | 13th |
| Randy Ross | Quarterbacks coach/recruiting coordinator | 7th |
| Ivy Williams | | 3rd |
| Defensive coordinator/defensive line | 7th |
| Secondary coach | 1st |
| Jeff Rouzie | Linebackers coach | 6th |
| Graduate assistant | 1st |
| Reference:[3] | |
Game summaries
Bowling Green
See also: 1996 Bowling Green Falcons football team. Alabama wins its sixth straight season opener over newly Division 1 opponent Bowling Green.
| Statistics | style=" | Bowling Green! | Alabama |
|---|
| First downs | 7 | 16 |
| Total yards | 177 | 316 |
| Rushing yards | 80 | 154 |
| Passing yards | 97 | 162 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 3 |
| Time of possession | 27:42 | 32:18 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Bowling Green | Passing | Bob Niemet | 9–19, 59 yards, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Courtney Davis | 13 carries, 54 yards, 1 TD |
| Receiving | Jacque Rogers | 4 receptions, 44 yards |
| Alabama | Passing | | 10–16, 156 yards, 1 INT |
| Rushing | | 6 carries, 63 yards, 1 TD |
| Receiving | Michael Vaughn | 5 receptions, 73 yards |
|
Southern Miss
See also: 1996 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team. Alabama would hold Southern Miss to 104 yards of offense to win for the sixth straight year over the Golden Eagles.
| Statistics | style=" | Southern Miss! | Alabama |
|---|
| First downs | 8 | 20 |
| Total yards | 109 | 304 |
| Rushing yards | 11 | 115 |
| Passing yards | 98 | 189 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 19:37 | 40:21 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Southern Miss | Passing | Heath Graham | 8–26, 98 yards, 2 INT's |
| Rushing | Eric Booth | 5 carries, 46 yards |
| Receiving | | 2 receptions, 59 yards |
| Alabama | Passing | | 15–23, 180 yards, 2 TD's |
| Rushing | | 20 carries, 73 yards |
| Receiving | Michael Vaughn | 5 receptions, 70 yards |
|
Vanderbilt
See also: 1996 Vanderbilt Commodores football team. In the first home game at Bryant-Denny Stadium for 1996, a shootout would unfold as the Crimson Tide would use a 21 point 3rd quarter to beat the Commodores.
| Statistics | style=" | Vanderbilt! | Alabama |
|---|
| First downs | 11 | 23 |
| Total yards | 255 | 367 |
| Rushing yards | 116 | 160 |
| Passing yards | 139 | 207 |
| Turnovers | 5 | 3 |
| Time of possession | 23:47 | 36:13 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Vanderbilt | Passing | Damian Allen | 11–21, 139 yards, 3 INT's |
| Rushing | Bill Marinangel | 1 carry, 81 yards, 1 TD |
| Receiving | Billy Miller | 1 reception, 38 yards |
| Alabama | Passing | | 16–27, 209 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT's |
| Rushing | | 19 carries, 83 yards, 1 TD |
| Receiving | Marcell West | 3 receptions, 43 yards, 1 TD |
|
Arkansas
See also: 1996 Arkansas Razorbacks football team. A defensive struggle goes the Crimson Tide way as they avenge their loss of a year ago to Arkansas.
| Statistics | Alabama | Arkansas |
|---|
| First downs | 14 | 13 |
| Total yards | 288 | 206 |
| Rushing yards | 105 | 130 |
| Passing yards | 183 | 76 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 3 |
| Time of possession | 33:08 | 26:52 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Alabama | Passing | | 14–28, 183 yards, 1 TD |
| Rushing | Dennis Riddle | 20 carries, 77 yards, 1 TD |
| Receiving | Calvin Hall | 3 receptions, 78 yards |
| Arkansas | Passing | Pete Burks | 11–24, 76 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT |
| Rushing | | 14 carries, 72 yards
9 carries, 72 yards |
| Receiving | Anthony Eubanks | 3 receptions, 37 yards, 1 TD | |
Kentucky
See also: 1996 Kentucky Wildcats football team. Former Alabama coach Bill Curry returned to Tuscaloosa for the first time since leaving Alabama for Kentucky in 1989. Despite being heavy underdogs, Curry's Wildcats forced a 7-7 tie at halftime which brought a chorus of boos from the homecoming crowd. The Crimson Tide then would use a 28 point third quarter to beat Kentucky.
| Statistics | style=" | Kentucky! | Alabama |
|---|
| First downs | 4 | 17 |
| Total yards | 124 | 358 |
| Rushing yards | 75 | 168 |
| Passing yards | 49 | 190 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 5 |
| Time of possession | 27:10 | 32:50 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Kentucky | Passing | | 5–14, 49 yards, 1 INT |
| Rushing | | 15 carries, 54 yards, 1 TD |
| Receiving | | 1 reception, 22 yards |
| Alabama | Passing | | 9–16, 152 yards, 1 TD |
| Rushing | | 9 carries, 54 yards, 1 TD |
| Receiving | Calvin Hall | 2 receptions, 52 yards |
|
NC State
See also: 1996 NC State Wolfpack football team. Despite giving up a season high 418 yards of offense, The Crimson Tide survived on the road to stay undefeated.
| Statistics | Alabama | NC State |
|---|
| First downs | 20 | 22 |
| Total yards | 353 | 418 |
| Rushing yards | 172 | 158 |
| Passing yards | 181 | 260 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 30:40 | 29:20 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Alabama | Passing | | 13–24, 181 yards |
| Rushing | Dennis Riddle | 33 carries, 154 yards, 3 TD's |
| Receiving | Michael Vaughn | 6 receptions, 102 yards |
| NC State | Passing | | 14–25, 260 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT |
| Rushing | | 22 carries, 105 yards |
| Receiving | Chris Coleman | 1 reception, 72 yards, 1 TD | |
Ole Miss
See also: 1996 Ole Miss Rebels football team. The Crimson Tide put its most complete game together to date in 1996 to roll to a shutout win of Ole Miss.
| Statistics | style=" | Ole Miss! | Alabama |
|---|
| First downs | 9 | 28 |
| Total yards | 158 | 489 |
| Rushing yards | 26 | 273 |
| Passing yards | 132 | 216 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 3 |
| Time of possession | 25:53 | 34:07 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Ole Miss | Passing | | 10–22, 132 yards |
| Rushing | Tony Cannion | 9 carries, 37 yards |
| Receiving | Ta'Boris Fisher | 4 receptions, 49 yards |
| Alabama | Passing | | 13–33, 216 yards, 2 TD's, 2 INT's |
| Rushing | Dennis Riddle | 31 carries, 140 yards, 1 TD |
| Receiving | Michael Vaughn | 3 receptions, 89 yards, 2 TD's |
|
Tennessee
See also: 1996 Tennessee Volunteers football team and Third Saturday in October. Tennessee used 14 unanswered points in the 4th quarter to beat Alabama for the second year in a row and for the first time in Knoxville since 1984.
| Statistics | Alabama | Tennessee |
|---|
| First downs | 15 | 10 |
| Total yards | 326 | 296 |
| Rushing yards | 189 | 120 |
| Passing yards | 137 | 176 |
| Turnovers | 4 | 3 |
| Time of possession | 36:28 | 23:22 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Alabama | Passing | | 8–21, 137 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT's |
| Rushing | Dennis Riddle | 38 carries, 184 yards |
| Receiving | Michael Vaughn | 2 receptions, 65 yards |
| Tennessee | Passing | | 12–25, 176 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT |
| Rushing | | 14 carries, 128 yards, 2 TD's |
| Receiving | | 6 receptions, 125 yards, 1 TD | |
LSU
See also: 1996 LSU Tigers football team. For the second time in three games, Alabama defense would shut out its opponent. The Crimson tide offense went through one man Redshirt Freshman Shaun Alexander rushed for a School record 291 yards and all four Alabama touchdowns.
| Statistics | Alabama | LSU |
|---|
| First downs | 19 | 9 |
| Total yards | 412 | 248 |
| Rushing yards | 351 | 52 |
| Passing yards | 61 | 196 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 3 |
| Time of possession | 35:58 | 24:02 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Alabama | Passing | | 6–18, 61 yards |
| Rushing | | 20 carries, 291 yards, 4 TD's |
| Receiving | Michael Vaughn | 1 reception, 19 yards |
| LSU | Passing | Bryan Sparacino | 8–35, 133 yards, 2 INT's |
| Rushing | | 14 carries, 45 yards |
| Receiving | | 3 receptions, 56 yards | |
Mississippi State
See also: 1996 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team. For the first time since 1980, Alabama would lose to Mississippi State in one of the biggest upset of the Gene Stallings era.
| Statistics | Alabama | Mississippi State |
|---|
| First downs | 16 | 16 |
| Total yards | 334 | 309 |
| Rushing yards | 229 | 157 |
| Passing yards | 105 | 152 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 27:55 | 32:05 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Alabama | Passing | | 9–18, 93 yards, 1 INT |
| Rushing | | 15 carries, 106 yards, 1 TD |
| Receiving | Calvin Hall | 3 receptions, 27 yards |
| Mississippi State | Passing | Derrick Taite | 8–20, 152 yards, 1 TD |
| Rushing | Robert Isaac | 21 carries, 96 yards, 1 TD |
| Receiving | | 1 reception, 69 yards | |
Auburn
See also: 1996 Auburn Tigers football team. Alabama would pounce on Auburn early with 17 straight points to begin the game. Auburn would respond with 23 unanswered to lead by 6 late in the fourth quarter. Alabama would drive 74 yards to score on a 6-yard swing pass from Freddie Kitchens to Dennis Riddle to tie the game. Jon Brock extra point would give Alabama the one-point lead and eventual win to clinch the SEC West. After the game, Gene Stallings officially announced his retirement as Alabama head coach at the end of the season.
| Statistics | style=" | Auburn! | Alabama |
|---|
| First downs | 13 | 21 |
| Total yards | 296 | 434 |
| Rushing yards | 116 | 142 |
| Passing yards | 180 | 292 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 5 |
| Time of possession | 28:35 | 31:25 | |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Auburn | Passing | | 11–39, 180 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT's |
| Rushing | Rusty Williams | 17 carries, 89 yards |
| Receiving | | 5 receptions, 92 yards, 1 TD |
| Alabama | Passing | | 20–33, 292 yards, 3 TD's, 3 INT's |
| Rushing | Dennis Riddle | 21 carries, 131 yards |
| Receiving | | 1 reception, 63 yards, 1 TD |
|
Florida
See also: 1996 Florida Gators football team and 1996 SEC Championship Game. Alabama would be in its fourth SEC Championship game in five seasons and once again would face Florida, as they had the previous three meetings. The Gators would use nearly 500 yards of offense to win its fourth straight SEC title, a record that still holds to this day.
| Statistics | Alabama | Florida |
|---|
| First downs | 13 | 22 |
| Total yards | 296 | 470 |
| Rushing yards | 27 | 69 |
| Passing yards | 269 | 401 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 3 |
| Time of possession | 30:12 | 29:48 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Alabama | Passing | | 19–45, 264 yards, 3 TD's, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Dennis Riddle | 17 carries, 42 yards, 1 TD |
| Receiving | Michael Vaughn | 5 receptions, 142 yards, 2 TD's |
| Florida | Passing | | 20–35, 401 yards, 6 TD's, 2 INT's |
| Rushing | | 23 carries, 83 yards |
| Receiving | | 11 receptions, 171 yards, 3 TD's | |
Michigan
See also: 1996 Michigan Wolverines football team and 1997 Outback Bowl. Two 4th quarter touchdowns proved to be enough as Alabama would win its 10th game of the season and the 70th and final for Gene Stallings as head coach.
| Statistics | Alabama | Michigan |
|---|
| First downs | 13 | 22 |
| Total yards | 247 | 415 |
| Rushing yards | 182 | 124 |
| Passing yards | 65 | 291 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 25:28 | 34:32 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Alabama | Passing | | 9–18, 65 yards, 1 INT |
| Rushing | | 9 carries, 99 yards, 1 TD |
| Receiving | Michael Vaughn | 2 receptions, 27 yards |
| Michigan | Passing | | 21–37, 287 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT |
| Rushing | | 12 carries, 58 yards |
| Receiving | | 5 receptions, 113 yards | |
Notes and References
- News: Tide prevails; Stallings retires: Auburn Bama both blow leads. The Atlanta Journal. F1. 1996-11-24.
- Web site: 1996 Alabama football archives . RollTide.com . University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics . February 20, 2021.
- 1997 Alabama Crimson Tide Football Media Guide, p. 2
