Alabama Football: A Tie Is Like Kissing Your Sister – 10 Crimson Tide Tie Games

Alabama Football – Birmingham, AL Sept. 23, 1967

Alabama 37 – Florida State 37

Alabama Football opened the 1967 season against Florida State at Legion Field. Alabama was the dominant team in college football, going back to its National Championship season in 1961, followed by two more National Championships in 1964 and 1965.

The undefeated 1966 Alabama football team, sometimes described by Paul Bryant as his best team ever, should have been awarded a National Championship. Many college football historians agree the Tide was robbed of AP votes from the East and West seeking retribution against the still racially segregated Alabama team.

Alabama concluded the 1966 season with a 34-7 win, demolishing a very good Nebraska team in the Sugar Bowl. The Cornhuskers were Big 8 Champions in 1965 and 1966. Prior to the 1967 Sugar Bowl, Nebraska had only lost twice in two seasons.

Alabama finished No. 3 in the AP and Coaches polls, behind Notre Dame and Michigan State who tied against each other in the regular season. Notre Dame was No. 1 in both polls despite clearly playing for nothing more than a tie late in the game against the Spartans.

It can be argued that never before and never since had an Alabama fan base been so angry and so focused on retribution than the months between the 1967 Sugar Bowl and the 1967 season opener against the Seminoles. There was such interest nationally that ABC Sports produced a documentary covering practice preparation and the actual game.

Florida State in 1967 bore no resemblance to the Seminoles after Bobby Bowden took over in 1975. Florida State did not start competing in organized football until 1947. Under coach Bill Peterson, FSU went 10-10-1 in 1965 and 1966. The last meeting between the teams, the Tide had won 21-0 in Tuscaloosa.

The 1966 Alabama defense had surrendered a total of 44 points, four points per game. In 1967 Alabama football would be led by one of its all-time great signal-callers, Kenny “Snake” Stabler.

Alabama was ranked No. 2 in the nation in the early polls. On that warm September night in 1967, there was no reason to expect FSU could lose by less than three touchdowns.

FSU jumped out to a 14-0 lead following a long punt return for a touchdown. Stabler did not start due to suspension but he led Alabama back to a 37-30 lead for the Tide. Deep into the final quarter, FSU executed a 65-yard drive to tie the game at 37-37.

Alabama had time to salvage a win but FSU intercepted a Stabler pass. FSU attacked for the win in the closing seconds but Alabama’s Bobby Jones intercepted an FSU pass as the game ended.

The video below is Bryant talking to the team in the locker room after the game. If you have never seen this video, watch it. If it is not a bucket list item for Crimson Tide fans, it should at least be required viewing for anyone seeking to understand Alabama football. And it is as timely today as it was that night almost half a century ago.

For those who chose to skip the video for now, here are some of the closing words Bryant said to the team that night: “If you got class, it will be alright … if you don’t, it don’t really matter anyway.”

Bryant talked about class often. He said once that he couldn’t define it, but he could spot it from a mile away.