Alabama football bowl history: Every bowl game the Crimson Tide have played in
By Josh Yourish
Orange Bowl (5-4)
1943: Alabama 37 Boston College 21
1953: Alabama 61 Syracuse 6
1963: Alabama 17 Oklahoma 0
1965: Texas 21 Alabama 17
Texas came into the Orange Bowl ranked No. 5 with a 9-1 record and knocked off the No. 1 Crimson Tide who were 10-0, but that still wasn’t enough for the Longhorns to jump Alabama. The Crimson Tide secured a share of the national championship with Arkansas.
Texas led 21-7 at halftime and held on despite getting shut out in the second half. Joe Namath threw a third-quarter touchdown and led a field goal drive to start the fourth, but the offense couldn’t finish off the comeback.
1966: Alabama 39 Nebraska 28
This time, the Crimson Tide and Bear Bryant got to celebrate after their final game of the season and didn’t need to wait for the voters to crown them the national champions. At 8-1-1, Alabama came into the game ranked fourth, one spot behind 10-0 Nebraska. For the second straight season, the Orange Bowl was played at night, and earlier in the day, No. 1 Michigan State lost the Rose Bowl and No. 2 Arkansas lost the Cotton Bowl. That set the stage for a de facto national championship game in Miami.
Alabama led 24-7 at the half and added enough insurance to stave off a comeback attempt by the Cornhuskers. Bryant won his third national championship at Alabama, going back-to-back for the first time.
1972: Nebraska 38 Alabama 6
1975: Notre Dame 13 Alabama 11
1999: Michigan 35 Alabama 34
2018: Alabama 45 Oklahoma 34
Tua Tagovailoa outdueled Kyler Murray in the CFP semifinal in Miami. Tua threw for 318 yards and four touchdowns on 24/27 passing while Murray went 19/37 for 308 yards and two scores. Murray also ran for 109 yards and a touchdown, but it wasn’t enough.
The Crimson Tide made it to the national championship game at 14-0, but fell to Trevor Lawrence and Clemson.