The team was led by head coach Frank Thomas, in his tenth year, and played their home games at Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama.
The Crimson Tide opened the 1940 season with three consecutive, non-conference victories over Spring Hill, Mercer and Howard.
The Crimson Tide then rebounded with four consecutive conference victories over Kentucky, Tulane, Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt.
[1] [2] To open the 1940 season, Alabama defeated Spring Hill College 26–0 at Murphy High School Stadium in Mobile.
[3] The victory was Alabama's final game played against the Badgers and improved their all-time record against Spring Hill to 3–0.
[3][4][6] In their first home game of the season, Alabama shutout the Mercer Bears 20–0 on an unseasonably warm afternoon that saw temperatures in excess of 90 degrees.
[8] At Denny Stadium, Alabama defeated Howard (now Samford University) 31–0 for their third consecutive shutout to open the season.
[4][14] After a scoreless first, Alabama started their first scoring drive of the game after Joe Domnanovich recovered a Kentucky fumble to give the Crimson Tide possession at the Wildcats' ten-yard line.
[4][16] After a scoreless first, Alabama took a 6–0 halftime lead when Paul Spencer scored a touchdown on a short run after Holt Rast recovered a fumbled punt at the Tulane three-yard line.
[16] Tulane did start a comeback in the fourth quarter with a touchdown, but was stopped late in the game when Ed Hickerson intercepted a Harry Hays pass at the Alabama eight-yard line to seal the Crimson Tide win.
[4][18] Tech scored first on a nine-yard J. W. Bosch touchdown pass to R. L. Ison; however, C. P. Goree missed the extra point that would later prove to be the final margin of loss.
[4][21] The Commodores took a 14–0 halftime lead with touchdowns scored in the first on a 39-yard Charlton Davis pass to Binks Bushmiaer and in the second on a six-yard George Marlin run.
Alabama's final touchdowns were scored on a pair of Nelson passes, first to Holt Rast and the second to Russ Craft for the win.
[23] In the final game of the season, Alabama was shutout 13–0 against the Mississippi State Maroons on homecoming at Denny Stadium.