Alabama Football: FBS programs that have never played the Crimson Tide

Alabama football fans, let’s take a break from scrutinizing the Crimson Tide’s 2023 and 2024 schedules. Yes, Alabama’s schedules are plenty tough and other SEC teams have an easier go, but taking on all comers has long been an Alabama Football mentality.

Instead of overthinking 2023 and 2024, let’s look back – all the way back to the 19th century to all the (now FBS) teams the Alabama Crimson Tide has and has not played.

Thanks to the exceptional resource, mcubed.net we know Alabama Football has played 1178 games against teams that are classified as FBS teams for the 2023 season. Of those 133 teams, the Alabama Crimson Tide has failed to play against only 12 Power Five football programs. The distribution is the Crimson Tide is yet to play four Pac-12 teams, four Big Ten teams, three ACC teams and one Big 12 team.

There are another 33, non-Power Five programs the Crimson Tide has also never played.

How many of the 45 teams has the Crimson Tide chosen to avoid is a fair question. It is generally believed the Alabama program has been either unwilling or reluctant to play in-state FBS programs. That distinction applies to UAB, South Alabama, Troy and the state’s most recent FBS entrant, Jacksonville State.

Among the other 41 teams yet to play the Crimson Tide, it is suspected at least some of them have not been interested in a game against such a formidable foe as the Crimson Tide.

The following pages provide a breakdown of the teams, segmented by conference.