Started By
Message

Nick Saban's Tenure in Review: Season #14 - 2020 Alabama Crimson Tide

Posted on 5/15/24 at 2:58 am
Posted by RollTide1987
Augusta, GA
Member since Nov 2009
66513 posts
Posted on 5/15/24 at 2:58 am
The 2020 college football season was a historic one for many reasons, the greatest of which being the Covid-19 "Wuhan Flu" pandemic that absolutely destroyed international sports starting that spring. College football was allowed to play ball that fall but with a brand new look none of us were used to.

Alabama took full advantage of the unusual circumstances and gave Nick Saban his sixth and final national championship as the head coach of the Crimson Tide as well as his second and final undefeated season.

2020 Alabama Crimson Tide

Overall Record: 13 wins, 0 losses
SEC Record: 10 wins, 0 losses (1st in SEC West)
AP Poll Finish: #1
Coaches Poll Finish: #1

Offensive Coordinator: Steve Sarkisian
Defensive Coordinator: Pete Golding/Charles Kelly
Permanent Captains: Landon Dickerson, Mac Jones, Alex Leatherwood, and DeVonta Smith
Consensus 1st Team All-Americans: Mac Jones (QB), Najee Harris (RB), DeVonta Smith (WR), Landon Dickerson (C), Alex Leatherwood (T), and Patrick Surtain II (CB)
1st Team All-SEC: Mac Jones (QB), Najee Harris (RB), DeVonta Smith (WR), Landon Dickerson (C), Deonte Brown (G), Alex Leatherwood (T), Christian Barmore (DT), Dylan Moses (LB), and Patrick Surtain II (CB)
Heisman Trophy: DeVonta Smith (WINNER); Mac Jones (FINALIST - #3); Najee Harris (CANDIDATE - #5)

Total Offense: 541.6 YPG (#4)
Total Defense: 352.2 YPG (#32)
Average Talent Ranking on Roster: 3.25 (Per Rivals)

Schedule

@ Missouri (W) 38-19
vs. #13 Texas A&M (W) 52-24
@ Ole Miss (W) 63-48
vs. #3 Georgia (W) 41-24
@ Tennessee (W) 48-17
vs. Mississippi State (W) 41-0
vs. Kentucky (W) 63-3
vs. #22 Auburn (W) 42-13
@ LSU (W) 55-17
@ Arkansas (W) 52-3
vs. #7 Florida (W) 52-46 [SEC Championship Game]
vs. #4 Notre Dame (W) 31-14 [2021 Rose Bowl - Arlington, TX]
vs. #3 Ohio State (W) 52-24 [2021 CFP National Championship Game]

Leading Passer
Mac Jones
311-402 77.4 Pct 4,500 Yds 41 TDs 4 INTs

Leading Rusher
Najee Harris
251 Att 1,466 Yds 5.8 Avg 26 TDs

Leading Receiver
DeVonta Smith
117 Rec 1,856 Yds 15.9 Avg 23 TDs
Posted by Diego Ricardo
Alabama
Member since Dec 2020
6709 posts
Posted on 5/15/24 at 7:43 am to
What if you had an offense so good that even Pete Golding could not undermine your title hopes?


The 2020 Alabama Crimson Tide.
Posted by Marktastic86
Pismo Beach, CA
Member since Dec 2020
14518 posts
Posted on 5/15/24 at 10:04 am to
quote:

What if you had an offense so good that even Pete Golding could not undermine your title hopes?

In no game was it more evident than the SEC championship vs Florida. Mullen made Golding look like a high school coordinator like so many others, but thankfully that Bama offense could not be stopped. I think Najee had something like 5 TD's in that game, or was it even more?

And anyone who wants to complain about the covid restrictions or teams being shorthanded, just look to Bama dismantling #3 UGA without a "full home crowd."

2020 Alabama was destined to win the title that year no matter what.
Posted by cdur86
Member since Jan 2014
1140 posts
Posted on 5/15/24 at 10:26 am to
quote:

In no game was it more evident than the SEC championship vs Florida. Mullen made Golding look like a high school coordinator like so many others, but thankfully that Bama offense could not be stopped. I think Najee had something like 5 TD's in that game, or was it even more?


I would point to the Ole Miss game early in the season. It was embarrassing watching that shitshow
Posted by Marktastic86
Pismo Beach, CA
Member since Dec 2020
14518 posts
Posted on 5/15/24 at 11:23 am to
quote:

I would point to the Ole Miss game early in the season. It was embarrassing watching that shitshow

Yes, that was a complete embarrassment as well, but most decent coordinators can have their guys playing their best football by the end of the year. Bama defense looked largely the same from start to finish.
Posted by CrimsonCrusade
Member since Jan 2014
5331 posts
Posted on 5/15/24 at 11:28 pm to
quote:


I would point to the Ole Miss game early in the season. It was embarrassing watching that shitshow


It was statistically the worst defensive performance in Alabama history to that point, but Golding one upped it with the 2022 Tennessee game.

Also I think Mac Jones wins the Heisman this year if Waddle doesn't get injured. Watching those highlights, it's clear that he has all the tools to be a success in the NFL. Patriots really screwed him over. Hopefully he can get a fresh start.
This post was edited on 5/15/24 at 11:36 pm
Posted by Globetrotter747
Member since Sep 2017
4615 posts
Posted on 5/16/24 at 5:53 am to
Best team in Bama history?
Posted by DeBoersTheMan
Member since Jan 2024
1031 posts
Posted on 5/18/24 at 10:45 pm to
quote:

Best team in Bama history?



yep
Posted by Sandkhan
Hells and Wilderness, Northeast MS
Member since Jun 2009
5810 posts
Posted on 5/18/24 at 11:06 pm to
quote:

Best team in history


Fixed it for you
Posted by Chad4Bama
Member since Sep 2020
6509 posts
Posted on 5/19/24 at 11:20 pm to
quote:

Patriots really screwed him over. Hopefully he can get a fresh start.


Hopefully he gets a shot to start again. Mac can be a really good NFL QB...Belichick absolutely fricked him over.
This post was edited on 5/19/24 at 11:21 pm
Posted by Alfie Solomons
Alabama
Member since Aug 2020
1115 posts
Posted on 5/23/24 at 12:16 pm to
Hey man,

Thank you. I appreciate all the time you put into all these Tenure in Review posts. I have throughly enjoyed watching all these game highlights over again. It’s been a wonderful trip down memory lane, and I’m grateful to you for doing it.

This 2020 team was so unreal. I can’t even imagine what it would have been like if Waddle had stayed healthy.
Posted by CamAquatic
Member since Jan 2023
56 posts
Posted on 5/23/24 at 7:18 pm to
Man this OL was amazing. This 2020 squad and the 2012 unit are two of the best you can see in CFB.
Posted by DeBoersTheMan
Member since Jan 2024
1031 posts
Posted on 5/23/24 at 9:19 pm to
Have rewatched each one of these games.... the defense was absolutely vicious. Thank you for putting this together, I love it.
first pageprev pagePage 1 of 1Next pagelast page
refresh

Back to top
logoFollow SECRant for SEC Football News
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook to get the latest updates on SEC Football and Recruiting.

FacebookTwitter