With seventeen returning starters from the previous season, Alabama entered their 2011 campaign ranked as the number two team in the nation and as a favorite to win the Western Division and compete for the SEC championship.

[32] In accordance with conference rules, Alabama faced all five Western Division opponents: Arkansas, Auburn, LSU, Mississippi State, and Ole Miss.

[40] The Crimson Tide opened the 2011 season at home against Nick Saban's alma mater, the Kent State Golden Flashes of the Mid-American Conference.

[43][45] After holding the Golden Flashes to a three-and-out on the opening possession, Trent Richardson scored the Crimson Tide's first touchdown on a one-yard run to give Alabama a 7–0 lead.

Two plays later, Kent State scored their only points of the game when Spencer Keith connected with Justin Thompson for a three-yard touchdown reception to cut the lead to 24–7.

[51] In the third quarter Shelley connected on an 18-yard field goal and Richardson scored his second rushing touchdown of the game midway through the fourth on a 13-yard run to give Alabama a 27–3 lead.

[59][60] After Shelley missed a 42-yard field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter, Richardson scored again with a 71-yard touchdown run on Alabama's next offensive possession to extend their lead to 34–0.

[65] Alabama quarterback A. J. McCarron received the snap as the holder, and proceeded to throw a 37-yard touchdown pass to Michael Williams to give the Crimson Tide a 7–0 lead.

[66] On the ensuing Arkansas possession, the Crimson Tide scored when DeQuan Menzie intercepted a Wilson pass and returned it 25-yards for a touchdown to give Alabama a 17–7 lead at the half.

[66][67] After holding Arkansas scoreless on their first possession of the third quarter, Alabama's Marquis Maze returned a Dylan Breeding punt 83-yards for a touchdown and a 24–7 Crimson Tide lead.

[75] Alabama's Marquis Maze then returned the ensuing kickoff 70-yards to the Florida 29-yard line and the Crimson Tide tied the game at 10–10 seven plays later on a five-yard Trent Richardson touchdown run.

[88][89] On the first play ensuing Rebels possession, Courtney Upshaw forced a Randall Mackey fumble that was recovered by Ed Stinson at the Ole Miss 15-yard line.

[96] On the following Tennessee drive, the Alabama defense stopped quarterback Matt Simms on a fourth-and-one to give the Crimson Tide offense the ball on the Volunteers' 39-yard line.

[105] LSU responded on their following possession by driving to the Alabama two-yard line and kicking a 19-yard Drew Alleman field goal as time expired to tie the game at 3–3 at halftime.

[111] However, the Alabama defense held the Bulldogs to only a field goal attempt which was then missed from 29-yards by Brian Egan to preserve a 7–0 halftime lead for the Crimson Tide.

[109] However, on the ensuing kickoff was returned 68-yards to the Alabama 22-yard line by John Fulton, and four plays later the Bulldogs cut the score to 17–7 after Tyler Russell threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Chris Smith.

[111] The Crimson Tide then closed the game with an eleven-play, 73-yard drive, all on the ground, with Lacy scoring his second touchdown of the night from 32 yards out to give Alabama the 24–7 victory.

[125] On the first play of Alabama's fourth offensive possession, Corey Lemonier forced a McCarron fumble that was recovered for a touchdown by Kenneth Carter to cut the Crimson Tide lead to 14–7 at the end of the first quarter.

[125] A pair of long drives in the second quarter resulted in a five-yard Trent Richardson touchdown reception and a 30-yard Jeremy Shelley field goal to give Alabama a 24–7 halftime lead.

[125] On the third play of the fourth quarter, Auburn's Clint Moseley threw an interception to DeMarcus Milliner that was returned 35-yards for a touchdown and after a successful two-point conversion, Alabama led 35–14.

[133] After his first attempt was blocked by the Tigers' Michael Brockers, Shelley connected on second-quarter field goals of 34 and 41 yards to give the Crimson Tide a 9–0 halftime lead.

[143] *Source: ESPN.com: 2011 NCAA Football Rankings[144] Following the victory against LSU for the national championship, the team arrived at the Tuscaloosa Regional Airport on the afternoon of January 10.

[146] As part of the A-Day celebrations on April 14, the 2011 team captains Trent Richardson, Dont'a Hightower and Mark Barron were honored at the Walk of Fame ceremony at the base of Denny Chimes.

Trent Richardson was named a finalist to win the Heisman Trophy, along with Wisconsin's Montee Ball, Baylor's Robert Griffin III, Stanford's Andrew Luck and LSU's Tyrann Mathieu.

[172] The team as a whole was honored with the Disney's Wide World of Sports Spirit Award as a result of their collective efforts to assist in the rebuilding of Tuscaloosa following the April 27, 2011, tornado.

Mark Barron, Josh Chapman, Marquis Maze, DeQuan Menzie, Courtney Upshaw and William Vlachos were selected to play in the Merrill Lynch Senior Bowl.

[185] On January 18, 2012, Alabama officials announced the hires of both Doug Nussmeier from the Washington Huskies as offensive coordinator and of Lance Thompson from Tennessee as outside linebackers coach.

[188] The invited players were safety Mark Barron, defensive tackle Josh Chapman, wide receivers Darius Hanks and Marquis Maze, linebackers Dont'a Hightower and Courtney Upshaw, cornerbacks Dre Kirkpatrick and DeQuan Menzie, and running back Trent Richardson.

[188] Mark Barron, Dont'a Hightower, Dre Kirkpatrick, Trent Richardson and Courtney Upshaw were each invited to attend the Draft at Radio City Music Hall.

[190] The first round selections were Richardson (3rd Cleveland Browns), Barron (7th Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Kirkpatrick (17th Cincinnati Bengals) and Hightower (25th New England Patriots).