Alabama Rose Bowl Legacy: Following their triumphant 27-24 victory over the University of Georgia in the SEC Championship game on Saturday, the Alabama Crimson Tide received the news on Sunday that they are set to face Michigan in the Rose Bowl for the College Football Playoff semifinal.
Alabama and the Rose Bowl share a rich history, woven into the fabric of the Crimson Tide’s fight song. The prospect of playing in “The Granddaddy of Them All” is truly a special occasion.
Remember the Rose Bowl well win then
The title “The Granddaddy of Them All” was bestowed upon the Rose Bowl as it marked the inception of college football bowl games. During the initial phases of college football’s ascent in popularity, it frequently functioned as the unofficial national championship game in the 1920s and 1930s.
The exclusion of teams from the South from the Rose Bowl for the initial two decades marked a significant aspect. However, the 1926 Rose Bowl, in which Coach Wallace Wade’s undefeated Alabama team triumphed over Washington with a 20-19 victory, was a game-changer.
This win not only secured Alabama’s first national championship but also catapulted southern schools into the spotlight of college football. It served as a declaration that southern institutions, including Georgia Tech, Tulane, SMU, Tennessee, and Duke, were formidable contenders in the college football landscape. This breakthrough opened the doors for subsequent invitations to these schools in the years to come.
ALSO READ: Kaidon Salter Undefeated No. 20 Liberty Secures: C-USA Championship
The following season, returned to the Rose Bowl, securing a 7-7 tie against Stanford and earning another share of the national championship. Impressively, the Tide made four more appearances in the Rose Bowl until the game’s format limited participants to the Big 10 champion vs. the PAC-8 (later the PAC-10) champion from 1947 to 2001. Alabama remained the last non-PAC-10 or Big 10 school to play in the Rose Bowl until 2002.
The notable Rose Bowl appearances for Alabama include:
- 1931 Alabama 24, Washington State 0
- 1935 Alabama 29, Stanford 13
- 1938 Cal 13, Alabama 0
- 1946 Alabama 34, USC 14
The success of Alabama in the 1920s Rose Bowl games served as the inspiration for the Crimson Tide’s fight song, “Yea, Alabama!” Penned in 1926 after their inaugural Rose Bowl appearance, the song includes the iconic line, “Remember the Rose Bowl, we’ll win then…” Despite the game later limiting participants to the PAC-10 and Big 10, the line in the song persisted, a reminder to Bama faithful of the origin of the Crimson Tide’s storied football history.
A return to the Rose Bowl
While not the traditional Rose Bowl, Alabama made a triumphant return to Pasadena for the 2009 National Championship Game against Texas, securing their first of six national championships under Nick Saban with a 37-21 victory over the Longhorns.
The Crimson Tide would revisit the Rose Bowl in 2021, though due to COVID-19 restrictions, the game against Notre Dame was relocated to Arlington, Texas. Despite the change in location, Alabama emerged victorious with a 31-14 win over the Fighting Irish, capping off an undefeated season and adding another national title to their impressive record.
The 2024 Rose Bowl
Alabama’s triumph in the SEC Championship game on Saturday has earned them a spot in the 2024 Rose Bowl, where they will face top-ranked Michigan in the College Football Playoff semifinal. The game is scheduled for New Year’s Day at 2 PM PT (4 PM Central Time).
This matchup will mark the sixth meeting between the Crimson Tide and Wolverines, with the series dating back to 1988. Notably, it follows their postseason clash in the 2019 Citrus Bowl, where Alabama emerged victorious with a 35-16 win, bringing their all-time series lead to 3-2.
The winner of the semifinal between Alabama and Michigan will face the victor of the matchup between the No. 2 Washington Huskies and the No. 3 Texas Longhorns in the CFP Semifinal Game at the Allstate Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on Jan. 1.
The 2024 CFP National Championship Game is set for Monday, Jan. 8 at NRG Stadium in Houston.
Tickets for the Rose Bowl are currently available for purchase through platforms such as Ticketmaster, Vivid Seats, StubHub, and Seat Geek.
Our Reader’s Queries
Has Alabama ever won the Rose Bowl?
Alabama’s Crimson Tide holds an impressive 5-1-1 record all-time in the Rose Bowl. The majority of their seven appearances in the historic game occurred prior to 1946.
What is the Rose Bowl famous for?
The Rose Bowl is famous for being a college football stadium, particularly for hosting the yearly Rose Bowl Game. It has been the home stadium for the UCLA Bruins football team since 1982. The stadium has also hosted five Super Bowl games, making it the third most popular venue for the event.
Is the Rose Bowl game the oldest game in college football history?
Dubbed as “The Granddaddy of Them All,” the Rose Bowl Game stands as the oldest bowl game, sparking countless college football legacies since its inception in 1902.
Who won the 1970 Rose Bowl?
The 1970 Rose Bowl marked the 56th time the college football bowl game was held at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. On January 1, the USC Trojans, who were the champions of the Pacific-8 Conference, emerged victorious with a 10-3 win over the Michigan Wolverines, champions of the Big Ten Conference.