It was the Crimson Tide's 36th overall and 8th season as a member of the Southern Conference (SoCon).
The team was led by head coach Wallace Wade, in his seventh year, and played their home games at Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, at Legion Field in Birmingham and at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama.
The Crimson Tide opened the season with a 55–0 victory over Mississippi College.
They followed the win with consecutive victories over Ole Miss and Chattanooga before they traveled to Knoxville for their first road game of the season.
A blocked punt set-up Tennessee's touchdown and Alabama turned the ball over on downs twice inside the Volunteer ten-yard line.