The team was led by head coach Bear Bryant, in his 19th year, and played their home games at Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama.
[4][5][6] Ole Miss scored their first points early in the game when George Stuart intercepted a Jeff Rutledge pass that was tipped by Gary Turner and returned it 24-yards for a 7–0 lead.
The Rebels held their lead through the third quarter when Alabama tied the game 7–7 on a three-yard Calvin Culliver touchdown run.
[4][5] Ole Miss then responded early in the fourth with what was a 34-yard, game-winning field goal from Carl Langley that made the final score 10–7.
[6][9][10][12] The Crimson Tide had a slow start to the game offensively, and trailed 3–0 at the end of the first quarter behind a 40-yard John Dunlop field goal for SMU.
However, they responded with four touchdowns in the second quarter en route to a 28–3 halftime lead after backup quarterback Jack O'Rear took over for Jeff Rutledge after the Crimson Tide offense had three turnovers on their first three possessions.
[15] In their first Bryant–Denny game of the season, the Crimson Tide scored 21 first quarter points en route to a 42–14 victory over the Commodores at Tuscaloosa.
However, the Commodores responded with their longest offensive play of the game when Hampton connected with James Cox on a 43-yard touchdown pass and made the score 35–14.
[13][14] Alabama then made the final score 42–14 with a nine-yard Peter Cavan touchdown reception from Rutledge in the fourth quarter.
[19] Playing against the Bulldogs for the first time since their 1973 season, Georgia shut out the Crimson Tide, 21–0, and with the victory prevented Alabama from capturing its sixth consecutive SEC title.
[17][18] The shutout was the first suffered by the Crimson Tide since a 24–0 loss against Tennessee in 1970, and was also the first for Alabama since the installation of the wishbone offense starting with their 1971 season.
[21] After their loss to Georgia, Alabama dropped out of the AP Poll prior to their game against Southern Miss for the first time since their 1970 season.
[24] Before one of the smaller crowds to attend a Crimson Tide game at Legion Field in many decades, Alabama defeated the Golden Eagles 24–8.
[6][22][23] The Crimson Tide took a 14–0 first quarter lead behind touchdown runs of 26 and six-yards by Peter Cavan and John David Crow Jr.
Southern Miss then responded with their only points on a four-yard Charles Clancy touchdown pass to John Pitts that made the final score 24–8.
Louisville responded late in the quarter with their only points of the game on a 46-yard Pedro Posadas field goal that made the halftime score 14–3.
[30][31] The Crimson Tide then concluded their scoring in the third on a 14-yard Jack O'Rear touchdown run and a 27-yard Bucky Berrey field goal.
Alabama responded with a pair of touchdowns on runs of seven-yards by Pete Cavan and nine-yards by Jeff Rutledge en route to a 14–3 halftime lead.
Alabama points were scored in the third on a 38-yard Bucky Berrey field goal and in the fourth on a 30-yard Jeff Rutledge touchdown pass to Ozzie Newsome.
[6][46][47] After a scoreless first, Alabama took a 14–0 lead into halftime after second quarter touchdowns were scored on runs of one-yard by Rick Watson and 14-yard by Tony Nathan.
[49] Playing before the then-largest crowd to ever attend the Liberty Bowl, Alabama stunned the once-beaten UCLA Bruins 36–6 at Memphis in the first all-time meeting between the schools.
[50][51][52] Alabama took a 17–0 first quarter lead on a 37-yard Bucky Berrey field goal, a 44-yard Barry Krauss interception return and a two-yard Johnny Davis touchdown run.
[50][51] After a pair of Berrey field goals extended the Crimson Tide lead to 30–0, UCLA scored their only points in a 61-yard Jim Brown run in the fourth.