The Good Old Days: UA Students Too Young to Remember Last Time Bama was on Top in Football Polls

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama football team is having one of its most successful seasons in recent years. While UA has a rich tradition on the field having won 12 national championships, 21 SEC titles and 38 Iron Bowls, most students today have never experienced this or were too young to remember.

1980: Last time Alabama was ranked number one in the regular season
Those 28 years old and younger have never experienced this – current freshman were born in 1990
UA Coach: Bear Bryant
UA President: Howard Gundy
UA enrollment: 17,918
President: Jimmy Carter
Year was known for: “Miracle on Ice,” “Who Shot J.R.?” CNN launched, PacMan, Ronald Reagan elected president, leap year

1992: Last year Alabama won the National Championship
Current UA freshmen were 2 years old
UA Coach: Gene Stallings
UA President: Roger Sayers
UA enrollment: 19,267
President: George H.W. Bush
Year was known for: Johnny Carson retired, Mall of America opened, Bill Clinton elected president, leap year

1999: Last time Alabama won the SEC Championship
Current UA freshman were 9 years old
UA Coach: Mike Dubose
UA President: Andrew Sorensen
UA Enrollment: 18,782
President: Bill Clinton
Year was known for: Y2K scare, Napster debuts

2001: Last time Alabama beat Auburn
Current UA freshman were 11 years old
UA President: Andrew Sorensen
UA Coach: Dennis Franchione
UA Enrollment: 19,171
President: George W. Bush
Year was known for: Google is awarded a patent for its algorithm used in its search engine, Sept. 11

2008:
UA President: Robert E. Witt
UA Coach: Nick Saban
UA Enrollment: 27,052
President: George W. Bush
Year was known for: Fidel Castro resigns as president of Cuba, Michael Phelps surpasses Mark Spitz in Olympic gold medals won at a single Olympics with eight gold medals, Barack Obama elected president, leap year

The University of Alabama will play the University of Florida for the sixth time in the Southeastern Conference championship game on Saturday, Dec. 6. The Tide is 2-3 against the Gators in this game.