1986 Alabama Crimson Tide football team

1986 Alabama Crimson Tide football
Sun Bowl champion
Sun Bowl, W 28–6 vs. Washington
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 9
APNo. 9
Record10–3 (4–2 SEC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorGeorge Henshaw (4th season)
Defensive coordinatorJoe Kines (2nd season)
Captains
Home stadiumBryant–Denny Stadium
(Capacity: 60,210)
Legion Field
(Capacity: 75,808)
Seasons
← 1985
1987 →
1986 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 10 LSU $ 5 1 0 9 3 0
No. 6 Auburn 4 2 0 10 2 0
No. 9 Alabama 4 2 0 10 3 0
Georgia 4 2 0 8 4 0
Ole Miss 4 2 0 8 3 1
Tennessee 3 3 0 7 5 0
Mississippi State 2 4 0 6 5 0
Kentucky 2 4 0 5 5 1
Florida 2 4 0 6 5 0
Vanderbilt 0 6 0 1 10 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1986 Alabama Crimson Tide football team (variously "Alabama", "UA", "Bama" or "The Tide") represented the University of Alabama in the 1986 NCAA Division I-A football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 94th overall and 53rd season as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The team was led by head coach Ray Perkins, in his fourth year, and played their home games at both Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. They finished the season with a record of ten wins and three losses (10–3 overall, 4–2 in the SEC) and with a victory in the Sun Bowl over Washington.

After opening the season with a victory over Ohio State in the Kickoff Classic, the Crimson Tide won their first seven games and eventually rise to as high as No. 2 in the rankings but lost to eventual national champion Penn State[1] and lost out on an SEC championship after losses to LSU[2] and Auburn.[3] Highlights of the season included their first ever victory over Notre Dame and a 56–28 victory over Tennessee that snapped a four-game losing streak to the Vols.[4]

After the season, Ray Perkins resigned on December 31, to become head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League.[5]

  1. ^ Looney, Douglas S. (November 3, 1986). "A midseason run for respect". Sports Illustrated. SI.com. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
  2. ^ 1986 Game Recaps, Game No. 10
  3. ^ 1986 Game Recaps, Game No. 12
  4. ^ Maisel, Ivan (October 27, 1986). "Vol-in tears". Sports Illustrated. SI.com. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
  5. ^ Wheat, Jack (December 31, 1986). "Perkins takes Tampa Bay coaching job". The Tuscaloosa News. Google News. p. 1. Retrieved February 21, 2012.