Alabama Football used to be a Thanksgiving Staple: All Things CW

At various times in its history, Alabama played rivals like Tennessee, Mississippi State, Georgia and Vanderbilt on Thanksgiving Day.

The All Things CW notes column by Christopher Walsh will appear in five parts this week, one each day as the Alabama Crimson Tide prepares to host Auburn for the Iron Bowl.

This is ...

Take 4

Throwback Thanksgiving? Sure, why not?

If you spend a lot of time on the Internet, chances are you're too young to remember, but Alabama football used to play games on Thanksgiving. It's not like they went together like dressing and gravy (or if you prefer cranberries and sweet potato casserole), but the Crimson Tide used to traditionally play on the holiday. 

Nowadays, of course, the annual Iron Bowl rivalry game between Alabama and Auburn is played the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Consequently, it shouldn't surprise anyone that the last time the Crimson Tide played on the holiday was against the Tigers. 

It was in 1992, Nov. 26 to be exact, and undefeated Alabama had moved up to No. 2 in the polls. The Crimson Tide had already wrapped up the first SEC Western Division title, and looking to keep his team in its same routine Gene Stallings shuffled things up during the previous bye week by giving players Monday-Wednesday off, and started practicing for the game on Thursday. 

Regardless, Auburn coach Pat Dye stole all the headlines by announcing his resignation less that 24 hours before the game.

The move helped motivate Auburn, but it eventually didn't matter. The Tigers held the Crimson Tide scoreless through the first half, however never cracked Alabama's prolific defense en route to the 17-0 loss.  

Auburn crossed midfield only four times, and never got closer to the end zone than the 30-yard line while Alabama notched the only shutout, the only one Dye ever endured.

"Ten to nothing isn't a very big deal unless you've got a defense like Alabama's got, and then it's monumental," Dye said. "Alabama may have the best defense I've seen in our conference."

The Crimson Tide yielded just 20 rushing yards and 139 total yards, sacked Stan White five times, and even opened the scoring with a touchdown. Early in the third quarter, Antonio Langham jumped the route and took off 61 yards for the interception return.  

"I looked up and all I saw in front of me was green," Langham said. 

Of course, Alabama went on to win the national championship. 

Overall, Alabama has had stints when it played Tennessee, Mississippi State, Georgia and Vanderbilt on the holiday. The first game on Thanksgiving, though, goes back to 1893-4, the Crimson Tide's second and third seasons playing the then-new sport. It faced Auburn on the holiday back-to-back years in neutral territory, Montgomery, losing the first 40-16, and winning the rematch a year later, 18-0. 

Most of the Crimson Tide's Thanksgiving games were between 1900-38, and usually at Legion Field in Birmingham. In fact, the first game at what was then called Municipal Stadium, was played on Thanksgiving in 1927, a 20-6 loss to Georgia.  

At the tail end of that time period, Alabama and Vanderbilt played every year, with some home-and-home Thanksgiving games between 1931 and 1938. 

Alabama has played at least two other times on the holiday, but only one of those was against Auburn at Legion Field:

• On Nov. 26, 1964, the No. 2 Crimson Tide was down 7-6 when Ray Odgen opened the second half with a momentum-changing 107-yard kick return for a touchdown. Joe Namath and Ray Perkins connected for a 23-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, which ended up being the difference in the 21-14 victory. 

• On Nov. 22, 1973, No. 2 Alabama stayed undefeated with a 21-7 victory at LSU. Gary Rutledge was involved in two second-quarter touchdowns, on a 19-yard run and a 43-yard pass to George Pugh. Wayne Wheeler had the other score on a 77-yard touchdown reception.  

Crimson Tide Thanksgiving Games 

• 1893 Auburn at Montgomery, L 40-16
• 1894 Auburn at Montgomery, W 18-0
• 1900 Clemson at Birmingham, L 35-0
• 1901 Tennessee at Birmingham, T 6-6
• 1902 Georgia Tech at Birmingham, W 26-0
• 1903 Tennessee at Birmingham, W 24-0
• 1904 Tennessee at Birmingham, L 5-0
• 1905 Tennessee at Birmingham, W 29-0
• 1906 Tennessee at Birmingham, W 51-0
• 1907 Tennessee at Birmingham, W 5-0
• 1908 Tennessee at Birmingham, W 4-0
• 1909 LSU at Birmingham, L 12-6
• 1910 Washington & Lee at Birmingham, W 9-0
• 1911 Davidson at Birmingham, W 16-6
• 1912 Tennessee at Birmingham, W 7-0
• 1913 Mississippi State at Birmingham, L 7-0
• 1914 Mississippi State at Birmingham, L 9-0
• 1915 Ole Miss at Birmingham, W 53-0
• 1916 Georgia at Birmingham, L 3-0
• 1917 Camp Gordon at Birmingham, L 19-6
• 1919 Mississippi State at Birmingham, W 14-6
• 1920 Mississippi State at Birmingham, W 24-7
• 1921 Mississippi State at Birmingham, T 7-7
• 1924 Georgia at Birmingham, W 33-0
• 1925 Georgia at Birmingham, W 27-0 
• 1926 Georgia at Birmingham, W 33-6
• 1927 Georgia at Birmingham, L 20-6
• 1928 Georgia at Birmingham, W 19-0
• 1929 Georgia at Birmingham, L 12-0
• 1930 Georgia at Birmingham, W 13-0
• 1931 Vanderbilt at Nashville, W 14-6
• 1932 Vanderbilt at Birmingham, W 20-0
• 1935 Vanderbilt at Nashville, L 14-6
• 1936 Vanderbilt at Birmingham W 14-6
• 1937 Vanderbilt at Nashville, W 9-7
• 1938 Vanderbilt at Birmingham, W 7-0
• 1964 Auburn at Birmingham, W 21-14
• 1973 LSU at Baton Rouge, W 21-7
• 1992 Auburn at Birmingham, W 17-0  

See Also:

Take 1: Biggest Rivalry Really Not Up for Debate, Alabama-Auburn

Take 2: Should Bryce Young be up for the Heisman Trophy?

Take 3: College Sports, They Are A-Changin'

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