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Nick Saban's Tenure in Review: Season #6 - 2012 Alabama Crimson Tide
Posted on 4/12/24 at 4:04 pm
Posted on 4/12/24 at 4:04 pm
They say the hardest part about winning a championship is doing it twice. Prior to the 2012 college football season, the last team to win back-to-back national championships had been those legendary Nebraska teams of 1994 and 1995. Prior to that, you had to go all the way back to 1978 and 1979 to win Alabama last won back-to-back national titles. While the Tide had lost a few key weapons from that legendary 2011 squad, enough pieces were coming back to make a serious run at the national title.
What came next was without question one of the most dominant teams of the Nick Saban Era, featuring the nation's best defense and one of the most efficient offenses in all of college football. The Tide opened up the season with a 41-14 win over #8 Michigan in Arlington, Texas and failed to look back after that. And while the Tide did fall to a Johnny Manziel-led Texas A&M squad in Tuscaloosa, fate would once again smile on Alabama as the right teams lost at the right times to catapult Bama back into the national championship picture. When it was all said and done, the Crimson Tide captured its second consecutive national championship (and third in four years) with a dominating 42-14 win over #1 Notre Dame in the 2013 BCS National Championship Game.
2012 Alabama Crimson Tide
Overall Record: 13 wins, 1 loss
SEC Record: 7 wins, 1 loss (1st in SEC West)
AP Poll Finish: #1
Coaches Poll Finish: #1
Offensive Coordinator: Doug Nussmeier
Defensive Coordinator: Kirby Smart
Permanent Captains: Barrett Jones, Damion Square, and Chance Warmack
Consensus 1st Team All-Americans: Barrett Jones (C), Chance Warmack (G), C.J. Mosley (LB), and Dee Milliner (CB)
1st Team All-SEC: Eddie Lacy (RB), Barrett Jones (C), Chance Warmack (G), D.J. Fluker (T), C.J. Mosley (LB), and Dee Milliner (CB)
Total Offense: 445.5 YPG (#31)
Total Defense: 250.0 YPG (#1)
Average Talent Ranking on Roster: #2 (Per Rivals)
Schedule
vs. #8 Michigan (W) 41-14 [Arlington, TX]
vs. Western Kentucky (W) 35-0
@ #21 Arkansas (W) 52-0
vs. Florida Atlantic (W) 40-7
vs. Ole Miss (W) 33-14
@ Missouri (W) 42-10
@ Tennessee (W) 44-13
vs. #13 Mississippi State (W) 38-7 [Homecoming]
@ #5 LSU (W) 21-17
vs. #15 Texas A&M (L) 24-29
vs. Western Carolina (W) 49-0
vs. Auburn (W) 49-0 [Senior Day]
vs. #3 Georgia (W) 32-28 [SEC Championship Game]
vs. #1 Notre Dame (W) 42-14
[b]Leading Passer
A.J. McCarron
211-314 67.2 Pct 2,933 Yds 30 TDs 3 INTs
Leading Rusher
Eddie Lacy
204 Att 1,322 Yds 6.5 Avg 17 TDs
Leading Receiver
Amari Cooper
59 Rec 1,000 Yds 16.9 Avg 11 TDs
What came next was without question one of the most dominant teams of the Nick Saban Era, featuring the nation's best defense and one of the most efficient offenses in all of college football. The Tide opened up the season with a 41-14 win over #8 Michigan in Arlington, Texas and failed to look back after that. And while the Tide did fall to a Johnny Manziel-led Texas A&M squad in Tuscaloosa, fate would once again smile on Alabama as the right teams lost at the right times to catapult Bama back into the national championship picture. When it was all said and done, the Crimson Tide captured its second consecutive national championship (and third in four years) with a dominating 42-14 win over #1 Notre Dame in the 2013 BCS National Championship Game.
2012 Alabama Crimson Tide
Overall Record: 13 wins, 1 loss
SEC Record: 7 wins, 1 loss (1st in SEC West)
AP Poll Finish: #1
Coaches Poll Finish: #1
Offensive Coordinator: Doug Nussmeier
Defensive Coordinator: Kirby Smart
Permanent Captains: Barrett Jones, Damion Square, and Chance Warmack
Consensus 1st Team All-Americans: Barrett Jones (C), Chance Warmack (G), C.J. Mosley (LB), and Dee Milliner (CB)
1st Team All-SEC: Eddie Lacy (RB), Barrett Jones (C), Chance Warmack (G), D.J. Fluker (T), C.J. Mosley (LB), and Dee Milliner (CB)
Total Offense: 445.5 YPG (#31)
Total Defense: 250.0 YPG (#1)
Average Talent Ranking on Roster: #2 (Per Rivals)
Schedule
vs. #8 Michigan (W) 41-14 [Arlington, TX]
vs. Western Kentucky (W) 35-0
@ #21 Arkansas (W) 52-0
vs. Florida Atlantic (W) 40-7
vs. Ole Miss (W) 33-14
@ Missouri (W) 42-10
@ Tennessee (W) 44-13
vs. #13 Mississippi State (W) 38-7 [Homecoming]
@ #5 LSU (W) 21-17
vs. #15 Texas A&M (L) 24-29
vs. Western Carolina (W) 49-0
vs. Auburn (W) 49-0 [Senior Day]
vs. #3 Georgia (W) 32-28 [SEC Championship Game]
vs. #1 Notre Dame (W) 42-14
[b]Leading Passer
A.J. McCarron
211-314 67.2 Pct 2,933 Yds 30 TDs 3 INTs
Leading Rusher
Eddie Lacy
204 Att 1,322 Yds 6.5 Avg 17 TDs
Leading Receiver
Amari Cooper
59 Rec 1,000 Yds 16.9 Avg 11 TDs
4
Posted on 4/12/24 at 10:00 pm to RollTide1987
Might be favorite Saban team. Crushing Michigan in the season opener. Annihilating Auburn 42-0 at the HALF. SEC CG was very close but arguably the best SEC CG ever. Beating the hell out of ND to win it all.
They were sloppy at times during the season but when they were firing on all cylinders I think were arguably the best Saban team. That maybe an unpopular opinion idk. But that OL were a bunch of maulers (maybe the best OL under Saban) and that defense was the no.1 in the country.
They were sloppy at times during the season but when they were firing on all cylinders I think were arguably the best Saban team. That maybe an unpopular opinion idk. But that OL were a bunch of maulers (maybe the best OL under Saban) and that defense was the no.1 in the country.
This post was edited on 4/12/24 at 10:05 pm
Posted on 4/13/24 at 12:01 am to 1BamaRTR
quote:
Might be favorite Saban team
I'm with you. So many good moments. Even the loss to A&M because of how the following week played out. I was at a cigar bar in Birmingham with a friend, and they were showing Oregon-Stanford on one TV and Kansas State-Baylor on another. I looked to my buddy and asked, "Seriously? The two teams we need to lose actually about to lose?" only a week later.
That, and the SEC championship against UGA is still probably the best football game I've ever watched at any level. Amazing season.
Posted on 4/13/24 at 1:14 am to Marktastic86
The loss to A&M had a lot to do with being hungover from the huge win Baron Rouge.
I agree though that the 2012 team might have been Saban’s best team. It had a good defense paired with arguably the most balanced offense we’ve had.
I agree though that the 2012 team might have been Saban’s best team. It had a good defense paired with arguably the most balanced offense we’ve had.
Posted on 4/13/24 at 9:18 am to FairhopeTider
2012 SECCG is the best game of football I've attended
Posted on 4/13/24 at 9:32 am to RollTide1987
My favorite season of football, and my last semester at Bama. The LSU and SECC games were the two best games experiences I've ever attended. Only other one that comes close is Rocky Block, maybe the 2018 SECC. Truly a special season for me.
Posted on 4/13/24 at 10:32 am to FairhopeTider
quote:
The loss to A&M had a lot to do with being hungover from the huge win Baron Rouge
Saban said that at a banquet the week before the game.
Posted on 4/13/24 at 9:16 pm to RollTide1987
AJ McCarron Barret Jones tussling up 42-14 late in the National Championship....it was the personification of the Bama Standard. No let up, endlessly seeking perfection under Coach Saban.
Could NOT have been prouder of that team!
Could NOT have been prouder of that team!
Posted on 4/13/24 at 9:21 pm to RollTide1987
Pretty fantastic highlight video of that season. The editing and music are all incredibly well done.
YouTube
YouTube
Posted on 4/22/24 at 3:49 am to Marktastic86
I am still surprised none of those OLineman made a big impact in the NFL.
Posted on 4/22/24 at 8:35 am to SoFla Tideroller
Maybe Barrett Jones would have had he not gotten hurt
It’s really weird honestly but overall Bama really hasn’t had a ton of NFL success at the OL under Saban like they’ve had at pretty much every other position. The best example has been Ryan Kelly. Dickerson looks good. They’re the only 2 pro bowlers. A few other guys have had some decent years here and there
Then you have some guys like Neal and Leatherwood that have looked beyond horrible
It’s really weird honestly but overall Bama really hasn’t had a ton of NFL success at the OL under Saban like they’ve had at pretty much every other position. The best example has been Ryan Kelly. Dickerson looks good. They’re the only 2 pro bowlers. A few other guys have had some decent years here and there
Then you have some guys like Neal and Leatherwood that have looked beyond horrible
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