2009 Crimson Tide – one of college football’s all-time greatest teams
By Shane from Centerpoint
Throughout the course of college football history fans have witnessed some truly amazing performances on the gridiron. They’ve seen dominant teams produce amazing results on the road to the national championship. In fact, several of those champions left permanent impressions on the country, each making a solid case to be considered among the best to ever take the field. In my opinion the accomplishments of the 2009 Alabama football program might overshadow them all.
Yes, I’m sure that opposing fans will spend days compiling data and making inane arguments against my last statement. They might even be able to muster a couple of equal comparisons, but after reading this column I think you’ll understand why it’s probably pointless to try.
The accomplishments of the 2009 Crimson Tide football team were simply astounding by any standards.
The following list of facts should serve as solid proof and leave little doubt that this 2009 Crimson Tide unit should be considered one of the nation’s all time best:
In beating LSU and then Florida and Texas back-to-back, Alabama beat the three previous BCS championship schools (Texas 2005, Florida 2006, LSU 2007 and Florida 2008).
After becoming the first Alabama team to beat Texas (who was also undefeated), the Crimson Tide became only the second BCS champion to have a 14-0 final record.
In the BCS title game against Texas they beat college football’s winningest quarterback in Colt McCoy; and just two weeks before that the Tide harassed Florida’s Tim Tebow – perhaps the best college football player ever – into submission. Shutting those two down consecutively was an awesome achievement by the Alabama defense.
On their way to that rare 14-0 season, the Crimson Tide beat: The Big 12 champion, the BCS Sugar Bowl winner, the Cotton Bowl winner, the Outback Bowl winner, the Chick-Fil-A winner, and the Liberty Bowl victor.
If that’s not convincing enough, four of their opponents had coaches who’ve won national titles.
Alabama also beat elite teams from the SEC, ACC, and the Big 12 this year, while also going undefeated in 24 regular season outings during the last two.
During those undefeated regular seasons the Tide ran-off 16 straight regular season conference wins (8 on the road) in a league billed as the nation’s toughest.
Other indicators point to Alabama’s greatness as well:
This 2009 Bama squad had the most All-Americans (6) ever assembled in one year on a team.
Alabama pulled off the ultra-rare feat of producing a Heisman trophy winner the same year they took the national crown.
And finally, you can’t overlook the fact that Alabama’s head coach, Nick Saban is the only coach in the AP era to win the national championship at two schools.
Throw all that in with the way Alabama absolutely dominated most opponents this past Fall – many without breaking a sweat (kudos to Auburn for Bama’s toughest game), and it’s pretty clear that the 2009 Crimson Tide football team should be considered one of the greatest of all time.
Shane writes a weekly column for the Call News and the Capstone Report.
I don’t give a flying fuck at a rolling donut what any rival fans say. For once the entire content of a Shane artical is dead on correct. And fuck Texas and USC opinions. This team was better than the 2005 Texas/USC teams. The D that shut down Florida and Texas and the two best QB’s in history was better. And the O that scored 36 and 37 points respectively against the #1 and #3 defenses and did it against the #3 D with McElroy having broken ribs and unable to throw or run, was also better when it needed to be. Couple the iron will to refuse to lose with the superstar talent of 6 AA’s and the Heisman winner and aside from accomplishing more than any previous NC, they could be the greatest NC of all time. And you can’t say any more than “could be” about any other team either, since it’s impossible to prove. RTR!
great articele….one correction – Beat Outback winner* *au had no bidness in the outback that bowl was paid for.
Let me start by saying that I think Alabama’s season was impressive. However, I think the statement “In the BCS title game against Texas they beat college football’s winningest quarterback in Colt McCoy” might need to be reconsidered. I think any reasonable person would agree that Bama did not beat Colt McCoy, considering he was injured during the first drive of the game (which incidentally he was doing very easily). Otherwise, it is hard to argue with your other points.
Ummm, AUTiger…so who injured him?
THEY BEAT COLT MCCOY WITH A 5TH PLAY TKO
X E
Took Colt out and the Starting Center….
That’s Pipe Hitting – Kick Ass Football….
They beat the greatest college football player ever-Tim Tebow.
Hey AUtigger, Rama jama yella hammer, we just beat the hell outta you.
In football the gladiator sport for today the point is to take out the other teams greatest weapon. Or duh… maybe you don’t get that. Look for it whenCMN comes to T-town. Bama will try to take him out to. How you tiggers can be so lame with your arguments is beyond rationality.
If Colt wasn’t the winningest QB, who was? Certaintly not from the barn.
I don’t even feel sorry for you louses.
I look forward to Cheezdick’s fall.He’s gonna need a lot of Viagra to keep it up. What is his win-loss record 13-24, right? Bad luck with that.
You guys are so stupid you let Tubbie go. What dumbasses you are. Watch him put together a team at T-Tech that will beat Cheezdicks record. I can’t wait to see your pathetic fans crying, “Oh no, Oh no, Oh no! Jerks! Cow shit has more to offer than the barn. It maybe the only good thing that comes out of your college.
COLT 1 CARRY FOR 0 YDS AND 2 FOR 2 PASSING FOR 9 YDS VS BAMA ….YUP ASTOUNDING STATS
au has their open date before the last game of the season – nuff said.
Tiger I understand your point, but maintaining your health is part of the game. McElroy had two broken ribs but englneered a NC anyway. What would we have done to them if he had played like he did against Florida? And our D was on its heels the first two Texas possessions because of the two special teams turnovers. I’m sure Nicky’s stupid punter pass from our 25 had something to do with knowing McElroy was hurt. Believe me, the best, most sophisticated, most versitile D in the country would have rapidly adusted to what McCoy was doing. And he wouldn’t have lasted much longer anyway against our blitzes and running a lot like he does. He was already beat half to death by Suh and Nebraska’s D. I think we would have beat them worse with McCoy because Saban wouldn’t have gone conservative the whole 3 quarter. And remember the Heisman winner came in hurt and didn’t play for nearly 25 minutes. No dude, we stomped Texas with or without McCoy.
My gosh fellas, I didn’t say anything bad about your football program. In fact, if you read my post it is pretty complimentary… no need to get your panties in a wad.
Regarding Colt: players are injured all the time. That doesn’t necessarily speak to the strength of the other school or suggest that school “beat” said player. I don’t think anyone would argue that UK was a better team than UF and they “beat” Tebow because there hit on him resulted in a concussion. Similarly, I don’t think you can say that UA “beat” McCoy.
By the way, Wildman, nice post… you’re a real class act.
Yep, you’re right AU Tigger. Just like we didn’t beat Abarn; time merely ran out on yall.
Colt McCoy was beaten. And furthermore, McCoy would not have been in on defense while Richardson went up the middle for 50 yards and a score, nor would McCoy have been the left tackle that was a matador as Anders won he game with a sack. We beat Texas. We would’ve beaten them if McCoy played every snap.
We are the champions. We are the greatest program in college football history. Enjoy 2nd place in the state.
It was the most accomplished team ever (All Americans, Heisman, 14 wins, NC, Butkis award etc…). It was a truly great football team. Was it as good as Miami 2001 or Nebraska 1995 probably not, then again it did not have to play those teams to win the NC.
2009 Bama. They were a fair team.
But the greatest team to ever play in the State of Alabama played in Auburn.
Let me set the mood.
The year was 2004. Bush the Younger was president. Obama Bin Laden had not yet been elected president.
There…. on the most beautiful plains, in the loveliest village, was a young upstart team of rag tag underdogs, Named the Auburn Tigers.
Now yall Bammers try to keep up…..
A young and very manly Coach Tommy Tuberville was the coach. And it was a glorious season. Cadillac Williams and Ronnie Brown rushed for 17,000+ yards. Jason Campbell threw for 600 yards a game. And 47 members of that team went in the first round draft to the NFL.
After the greatest, most epic and most heroic season (think: Rudy, Remember the Titans, Brian’s Song, And every Jean-Claude Van Damn movie ever made rolled into one.) Sadly, the BCS decided that Auburn was just too good to play in the National Championship game and felt sorry for USC and Oklahoma. That was the year that Auburn won the penultimate honor of Farmer’s Market National Champions Trophy and the Golf Digest National Championship. And honorable mention for the Nobel Peace prize.
Top that Bammurs. 2 National Championships in the same season!!!
Cadillac Williams refused the Heisman and the Oscar for Best Actor due to the famines in africa and world hunger. The nation mourned. But we understood. And eventually we recognized that Cadillac’s unselfishness probably saved millions of lives.
It was a simpler more innocent time. When only Bammer was on probation for cheating the 187th time. Ah … those were the days.
As far as Heisman Trophys?
They havent got it right since Bo Jackson won the Heisman.
Remember Bo Bammers?
22,000 yards rushing, 693 TDS. Averaged 95 yards a carry (or 312 if you played that stupid ass video game were he ran up and down the field 16 times before finally scoring).
3.7 40 yard dash.
Ring a bell?
How about the time that bo threw a 105 yard pass and caught it for the TD? Bad memories for a Bammerneck arent they?
Coaches?
Nick Saban can hug my left hut Bammers.
Think: Patrick Fain Dye.
Thats right. Pat Dye.
Sure Sabear has like 1 and 1/2 national Championships. But Pat Dye dominated the footabll world. He beat Yall bammers so much you had to plot and scheme to get rid of him.
Pat Dye is a Giant among men, and he has a 17 inch penis.
(Admit is Bammerturds, your collective jaws just dropped and a sickening thunderous thud was heard all over east Alabama!)
Yall might make fun of Pat Due’s pants but if you was his pants what the hell would you do? I’d run like a Kennedy during an election season!!!!!
So in closing.
2004 Auburn was the best football team EVER!
2 national Champiohips and Nobel Peace prize (almost) in the same year.
Cadillac 17,000 yards. Too good for the Heisman.
Bo Jackson …. the last real heisman winner. 3.7 40 yard dash.
Pat Dye bammer cryptonite, 17 inch schlong.
Pat Dye’s Pants, justified in laying down on the job.
And remember Bammers. Yall suck and you cheat.
Cow college fan you have been around IndyVol to much!! You need to be in the mental insitution in Tuscaloosa ASAP!! RTR
Its called “irony” bamadon. Hes one of yours.
I wont argue that the 09 bama season was one of the best. A heisman winner. Undefeated. 6 All Americans. An SEC championship ( most impressive of the list to me) , anda National Cahmpionship over a Texas team that was probably equal to an average SEC team.
Be proud. Your team did really well.
2004 AU COULD NOT HANG WITH THE BIG BOYS – KIND OF LIKE HAWAII ….AU WENT 0-2 VS USC AND IN 03 GOT SMASHED 23-0 BASICALLY THE SAME TEAM AS O4….AU BARELY GOT BY A WEAK ACC BIG EAST SCHOOL IN ITS BOWL GAME AND PLAYED A WEAK FULMER TN TEAM IN THE CHAMP GAME…LSU COMING OFF THE NC WAS NOT ON ITS GAME AND ZOOK ON WAY OUT AT FL…JASON CAMPELL HAS BEEN EXPOSED AS PRO – EVERYBODY TRYING TO GET RID OF HIM AND EVERYBODY FREAKED WHEN HE WAS TAKEN IN THE FIRST ROUND TO BEGIN WITH – CAMPBELL A COACH KILLA AND BABA WOULD HAVE HAD 4 INTS VS THAT BRAIN DEAD LOSER
AUTigerFan,
I agree you had nothing bad to say in your first post and I respect that and won’t blast you to the moon the way some of the posters here are doing.
I will disagree about McCoy however. He hardly impressed me on the opening drive. His “injury drive” resulted in four plays. His passing game was hardly effective considering, for two hardly impressive passes, he only threw for 8 total yards. The running game, surprisingly, during that drive got them down field (their RB taking off for 16 yards on one play).
Maybe the outcome would’ve been differently had he not been injured, but in the opening drive, he was hardly a significant factor in UT’s drive, as it was their running game, surprisingly enough.
And AU Tiger fan,
Pat Dye was 6-6 overall against Alabama when he retired (and he was a proven cheater).
The best team in the state of Alabama… we’ll never know, but just remember, the ’09 Alabama team did struggle with an 8-5 AU team for the most part, but don’t forget, your 2004 team struggled even worse with a Mike Shula led, NCAA and injury beleaguered Alabama team (and you were losing at the half). In addition to having seven offensive starters out injured in that game, the player that stands out the most was our 3RD STRING QUARTERBACK! So if the ’04 squad was the best, what would you have done had you played our ’09 squad when you could hardly do anything with our ’04 squad? But we’ll never know… it’s all speculation at this point.
I know you’re flaming up the board in retaliation, but it’s actually worthy topics worth discussing.
A couple things: (1) I am not the same person as AUTigerFan, so please don’t confuse his post with mine. (2) For some reason it seems that nobody read my post, but feel compelled to flame it. If you go back and READ it, you will see that I didn’t say anything to suggest that Bama would have lost the game had Colt not been injured. I simply said that it isn’t correct to say you beat him. Again, I am NOT saying Bama didn’t beat UT, rather that Bama did not beat McCoy. It’s a subtle point made to a statement in Shanes column. It was a simple point, but for some reason you guys can’t help but get all worked up.
COW COLLEGE people get ready for a AZZ WHOPPING at BRYANT-DENNY-SABAN Stadium in front of 101,000 fans. It will be the BIGGEST sporting event in the history of ALABAMA !!!
COW COLLEGE people, get ready to be very EMBARRASSED in front of 101,000 people!!
Because ALABAMA is gonna give the COW COLLEGE an AZZ WHOPPING it want ever forget!!!!!!!
Can’t wait to play that 2 year JUNIOR COLLEGE/TECH SCHOOL ALL PRO QB “CAM NEWTON”, since 4 star QB Tarik Rollins decided to leave GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE COUNTY (AUBURN).
13 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS !!!
22 SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS !!!
HEISMAN TROPHY WINNER !!!
ROLL TIDE CRIMSON BROTHERS !!!
Again. Tiger fan is not an AU fan.
I wouldn’t put this team over the 92 uat team, 95 Neb or 04 usc… Barely beat a crappy UT team, and 8-5 (3-5 conf) AU team. They won all their games but ddn’t dominate anyone except maybe UF and bama fans kept saying all season that UF wasn’t any good and over rated. So how can beating them mae UAT great. SORRY can’t have it both ways
I smell some “COW MANURE” up in here!!
13 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS !!!
22 SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS !!!
HEISMAN TROPHY WINNER !!!
ROLL TIDE CRIMSON BROTHERS !!!
we did not beat colt we just beat one of his nerves o ok
REPEAT IS A MUST AND A 10 PEAT OVER AU IS A MUST
ROLL TIDE CRIMSON BROS AND SEXY SISS…26 CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS AND THE GREATEST PROGRAM IN HISTORY …
CAN’T BELIEVE ALL THE AUBIE CRYBABIES …SAYING THIS IS WHY I ROOT AGAINST BAMA…OF COURSE I WANT AUBIES TO ROOT AGAINST US HATE US DESPISEUS …SO WHEN WE KICK AZZ …THE DAGGER GOES IN DEEP AND WIDE
AND I DO NOT TALK SHEET ABOUT AU LIKE I HAVE BEEN ACCUSED UNLESS RESPONDING TO A FLAME…I RARELY HAVE AN ORIGINAL THOUGHT
Where’s the flame????
au tiger – talkin 04 team
One other record that is rarely mentioned. This Bama team whipped 10 bowl teams. 10 of 14 games against bowl teams. That’s never been even close to accomplished before. I’ll guarantee you if the ’05 Texas and USC, ’04 Barners and the mentioned Miami and Nebraska teams, not to mention almost any other past NC, had played 10 bowl teams none of them would have been undefeated much less NC’s! And you can damn well take that to the bank. RTR!
I’m in no way way knocking bama’s 09 season……but let’s put it in perspective. Egg, you brought up ’04 Auburn, so let’s compare.
Auburn beat 5 ranked teams in the final AP and Coaches poll. They were: LSU (16/16), Tennessee TWICE (13/15), UGA (7/6) and VA Tech (10/10). They averaged 32 points a game, and allowed 11.3 on defense.
Alabama beat 4 ranked teams and they were: VA Tech (10/10), Ole Miss (20/21), Florida (3/3) and Texas (2/2). They averaged 32 points on offense, and allowed 11.7 on defense.
If Shane wants to consider the 2009 Alabama team as one of the best ever (and it probably is), he should be thankful for the end of the year popularity contest that distinguishes the “better” from the “best.” Cause it’s hard to tell between the two on THE FIELD.
1995 Nebraska beat 4 teams ranked in the AP final top ten (three on the road and one at neutral site). They won every game by at least 14 points, won all but one game by at least 23 points. They were behind twice all season and never trailed in the second half. They ended the season by beating #2 Florida by 38 points. Florida was undefeated going into that game with its closest contest being against #4 FSU (11 point win) #22 Auburn (11 point win) and #25 LSU (18 point win). Florida had laso defeated # 3 Tennessee by 25 points. All the rankings used were Final AP numbers. I am an Alabama fan, however, Nebraska 1995 was quite simply the most dominate football team I have ever seen.
That Husker team was something else. They physically dominated whatever team they played.
Probably the best in my opinion.
the au team was like a hawaii….got beat 23-0 by usc in 03 – they did not belong and escaped being exposed playing a weak tn in ch g … bama on probation,,,fl a sinking zook ship ,,,lsu – unmotivated after championship…it was just a fluke season….jason campbell a reach first round pick and as predicted a coach killah
What about the other three first round picks ? Duh…….Ronnie Brown ???? Caddy ???? Rogers ??? To compare the 03 Auburn team to the 04 one is like comparing the 07 Bama team to the 08 one.
03 and 04 same players and 23 – 0 as well …au not in the big boy league….ok had not played usc ….so ok could be a loser …au was a convicted loser
one fluke wonder …au has a couple of good players but the team as a whole is always a disappointment – probabaly cursed.
And bama got beat by Utah in ’08. Dude, what’s your point?
all this au 04 revival talk is bs
No, hammah, you’re bs. And it was a bammer who brought up ’04 Auburn. Sorry the facts get in the way of the rtr circle jerk.
NOPE A BARN VERMIN BROUGHT IT UP AL.COM
07 bama lost to freekin LAMO with pretty much the same players that ran the SEC and a regular season record. Look at the roster.
Definantly not the same team.
04 USC and 05 USC, not the same team, with pretty much the same players.
It doesnt apply when its Bama though , does it you tard.
07 to 08 the weeds got weeded out at bama …au same team…barn vermin ….roy upchurch better than bo jackson
YO! The 2004 Auburn Tigers…great team. I’ll agree. Were they in the same league with the ’04 Oklahoma team that was STOMPED by USC? I will refer to a statement (not verbatum) by an SEC referee that worked the BCS Championship Game between USC & Oklahoma. He was asked if the ’04 AU defense was as good as the ’04 OU defense. Of course he was reluctant to talk about it, but he did say that maybe AU was quicker on the corners. That was all he would say. During the course of every college football season, I record several games and keep several for my own personal enjoyment. Dissecting teams’ strengths & weaknesses is a hobby of mine. I’m not a coach, but if I had it to do over I probably would chosen that as a profession because I love the strategy. Some Aubies won’t like what I’m gonna say but I’ll say it anyway. USC would have BEAT Auburn if they would have played each other for the Championship. I don’t think that it would have been as LOPSIDED as the USC-Oklahoma matchup was (52-17 I think, I’ll have to check the tape). USC was like a well-oiled MACHINE that night. Be that as it may, its really INSIGNIFICANT. As for our 2009 Alabama Crimson Tide, its HARD for me to say that this was our BEST TEAM EVER. As for the best team to win a National Championship in this decade, its definately one of the best three. In my opinion I consider the best 3 National Championship squads in this order: #1-2004 USC, #2-2006 Florida, #3-2009 Alabama. Just an opinion but that’s the way I see it.
YO! Just to clarify, I consider those mentioned above as best of the decade.