Straight from the arse's mouth.

"We were really horsewhipped. We had a lousy defense. We did not expect anyone to run down the field on us like they did, like they were playing a barber college. They toyed with us like children....They beat us every way known to man. They out-everythinged us. We were really fortunate. The Tigers deserved to beat us by more points than they did. Of course, it was like any other college football game. The difference was in the preparation and the coaching and there was a lot of difference today."

Bryant had been singing a different tune before the game. He had told reporters that that was his best defensive team ever at Bama. "We've got quite a football team now..you'd better believe it," he said.

The 25 point loss to Mizzou was Bryant's worst defeat at that time in his 11 year career at Alabama. The loss also ended Alabama's nine-year streak of finishing in the AP Top Ten. Instead, it was Mizzou that climbed in the rankings, finishing ninth in the AP poll.

In 1975, Mizzou took on the even tougher task of facing Bear Bryant's Crimson Tide at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. Bama was ranked #2 in the nation to start the year. The Crimson Tide was 43-1 in its last 44 regular season games. Wrote the Washington Post, "Bear Bryant thinks he may have the best team of his illustrious career."

Mizzou promptly raced to a 20-0 halftime lead and held on for a 20-7 victory at Alabama.

"All in all, it was a good ol' country beating," Bryant said. "I think we were fortunate not to be beaten worse."