Way back in 1977, the Alabama Crimson Tide was one season away from back-to-back National Championships in 1978 and 1979. The 70s were a decade like no other for Alabama, until Nick Saban's great run that began in 2009.
In the 1971 through 1979 seasons Alabama Football was 97-11 with three national championships. The 1977 season was close to being another, with Alabama going 11-1 and finishing No. 2 in the AP Poll.
Why revisit what is, to most, ancient Alabama football history? One reason is that New Year's Eve will mostly drag by with Crimson Tide fans anxious for 3:00 PM on New Year's Day to arrive. There is also an obscure connection to 1977 and the 2026 Rose Bowl. In 1977, Paul Simon wrote and recorded a song titled Slip Slidin' Away. It was later included in his Greatest Hits album.
The song has nothing to do with football, but the title might perfectly describe the greatest threat to Alabama beating Indiana in the Rose Bowl. The field in the Rose Bowl Stadium is Kentucky Bluegrass. By the kickoff, it is expected that it will have rained in Pasadena for more than 12 hours. After the turf cover comes up, the prediction is more rain throughout most of the game.
Fortunately, rain during the game is predicted to be light, but the turf will be wet. Experts predict that it will disadvantage a passing-dependent team like the Crimson Tide more than Indiana. Google's AI suggests the Rose Bowl turf could be slick, possibly causing footing and ball security issues.
If the weather forecast and AI are correct, the outcome of the Rose Bowl might come down to which team makes the best choice of cleats. If Indiana chooses well and Alabama does not, the Crimson Tide's upset chances may slip and slide away, like the old Paul Simon tune.
Note: Alabama football season history provided by Sports Reference