Alabama navigated brutal non-conference schedule on way to championship in ’78

Alabama in recent years has made a concerted effort to beef up its non-conference schedule, setting home-and-home matchups with the likes of (pre-SEC) Texas, Florida State, Wisconsin, Ohio State and Notre Dame.

But even these contemporary schedules have nothing on 1978, when the Crimson Tide might have played the toughest non-conference slate in program history. Alabama faced Nebraska, Missouri, USC, Washington and Virginia Tech in the regular season that year, then faced top-ranked Penn State in the Sugar Bowl. Three of those opponents were ranked in the Top 10, with another at No. 11. Alabama went 5-1 in those non-conference games and 6-0 in the SEC, resulting in a fifth (of six) national championships for coach Paul “Bear” Bryant.Alabama — which had finished 11-1 and No. 2 in the rankings behind Notre Dame the previous year — began the 1978 season atop both the Associated Press and coaches polls. Nevertheless, Bryant noted in August that his team “has the greatest challenge we’ve had in the 21 years that I have been here.”

“In the old days the players came back fat and sloppy and the coaches had to work them into shape to play two or three setup games before a tough one,” he said. “That can’t happen this year. Everybody we play had rather beat us than anybody on their schedule.”

The gauntlet began with a visit to Birmingham by 10th-ranked Nebraska, which had dealt the Crimson Tide its lone loss of 1977, a 31-24 decision in Lincoln. Alabama won with relative ease this time, 20-3, forcing four turnovers and getting touchdowns from quarterback Jeff Rutledge and halfbacks Tony Nathan and Major Ogilvie.

Then came a trip to No. 11 Missouri, which had shocked Alabama 20-7 in Birmingham to begin the 1975 season (also the Crimson Tide’s only loss that year) and had beaten Notre Dame 3-0 in South Bend the previous week. In the 1978 meeting, Alabama trailed by three in the second quarter before reeling off 21 straight points to win 38-20.

Alabama’s lone stumble of 1978 came a week later on Sept. 24, when No. 7 USC came to Birmingham and claimed a 24-14 victory. Star tailback Charles White — who would win the Heisman a year later — rushed for 199 yards for the Trojans, leading Bryant to remark “I don’t recall playing against a back here that ran any better.”

The loss dropped Alabama all the way to No. 7 in both polls, and left the Crimson Tide with no margin for error the rest of the way. After opening SEC play with a 51-28 victory over Vanderbilt in Tuscaloosa, Alabama then flew across the country to face reigning Rose Bowl champion Washington in Seattle on Oct. 7.

The Huskies were not quite as strong following the departure of star quarterback Warren Moon, but still put up a fight in a 20-17 Alabama victory. Backup quarterback Steadman Shealy led a pair of second-half scoring drives, and Rutledge put the game away with a 36-yard touchdown pass to tight end Rick Neal.

Alabama then stepped back into conference play and ran past Florida 23-12 and Tennessee 30-17 before finishing off its non-conference schedule with a 35-0 rout of Virginia Tech. The Hokies were on their way to a 4-7 finish under first-year coach Bill Dooley (brother of Vince).

The Crimson Tide had crept back up to No. 3 in the AP poll by that time, behind only unbeaten Oklahoma and Penn State. USC lost 20-7 at Arizona State on Oct. 14, causing it to drop out of the top 5.

Alabama finished the regular season with three straight decisive SEC wins in Birmingham, 35-14 over Mississippi State, 31-10 over LSU and 34-16 over Auburn. The Crimson Tide was 10-1, and bound for the Sugar Bowl as SEC champion.

Oklahoma lost at Nebraska in mid-November, which moved Penn State up to No. 1. The Nittany Lions seriously considered facing the Sooners in the Orange Bowl, but coach Joe Paterno instead chose to face Alabama in a 1 vs. 2 matchup in New Orleans after previously second-ranked Nebraska lost to Missouri in its regular-season finale.

USC was of course locked into the Rose Bowl against fifth-ranked Michigan, which was 10-1. The Trojans won 17-16 when White scored what is now known as the “Phantom Touchdown” in the fourth quarter, despite replays clearly showing that he fumbled the ball before crossing the goal line (there was no instant replay review in college football at the time).

The controversial nature of USC’s win meant Alabama could take home the national championship if it beat No. 1 Penn State on New Year’s night. And it did so in classic fashion, using the famed “Goal Line Stand” in the fourth quarter to win 14-7.

When the polls came out on Jan. 3, there was a split national championship. Alabama was ranked No. 1 by the AP, USC No. 1 by the coaches.

“I thought we should be national champions,” Bryant said. “When No. 2 beats No. 1, then No. 2 ought to move up.

“Naturally, I am thrilled for our players and coaches. … They worked awfully hard and overcame a great deal of adversity this year, not to mention the most difficult schedule we have ever had.”