Football vs. Washington Postgames Notes
12/31/2016 8:07:00 PM | Football
FOR THE RECORD: Saturday's game against Washington was Alabama's 1,246th college football game. That figure takes into account games both forfeited and vacated per NCAA rulings. Without accounting for those stipulations, the game was actually Alabama's 1,268th football game. With the victory over the Huskies, the Tide's actual on-field record in all games is 907-317-44 (.733), including a mark of 86-10 (.896) this decade. With the win over the fourth-ranked Huskies, Alabama has defeated 16 consecutive ranked opponents dating back to a loss to Ole Miss in September of 2015. Alabama's all-time record against ranked opponents is 154-124-7 (.553). Alabama is 125-75-3 (.623) as a ranked team playing a ranked opponent. The victory improved Alabama's record against Washington to 5-0-0 (1.000) all-time, including 3-0 in bowl games.
GAME CAPTAINS: Alabama's captains for today's game vs. Washington were defensive end Jonathan Allen, linebacker Reuben Foster, safety Eddie Jackson and offensive tackle Cam Robinson.
106-6 UNDER SABAN WHEN LEADING AT THE HALF: Under head coach Nick Saban, the Crimson Tide is 106-6 (.946) when leading at the half. Alabama led Washington, 17-7, at the half today and has held the lead at the break in 23 of its last 29 games dating back to the start of the 2015 season, including 12 of 14 games this season. Alabama is 84-2 (.977) under Nick Saban when leading by 10 points or more at halftime.
STREAKING: Alabama owns the longest current winning streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision, having won 26 consecutive games dating back to last season (a loss on Sept. 19, 2015, vs. Ole Miss). The 26-game streak is the third-longest in Alabama and SEC history (28 games twice: 1991-93 & 1978-80) and is the longest under the direction of head coach Nick Saban (previous long: 19 games in 2009-10). During this stretch, the Crimson Tide has won 12 games at Bryant-Denny Stadium, eight-straight road matchups and six consecutive neutral-site contests while going 17-0 against teams from the Southeastern Conference. Alabama has outscored its opponents by 651 points (968-317; 37.2-12.2), an average of 25 points per game, during the streak.
TIDE REACHES 14 WINS: With the win over Washington, Alabama has reached the 14-win mark for the third time in school history (2009, 2015 and 2016) with all three achieved under the direction of head coach Nick Saban. Alabama has now won 13 or more games in a season five times, the most by any school in college football history. The three 14-win seasons is also the most in the history of the college game.
ALABAMA AS THE NATION'S NO. 1: Alabama has played 73 games as the nation's top-ranked team since the inception of the Associated Press poll in 1936. In those games, the Crimson Tide boasts a 63-10 (.863) record. Those numbers get even more impressive when you look at the 10 seasons under the direction of head coach Nick Saban (2007-present). Since the ninth game of the 2008 season (115 games), Alabama has played 49 games while being ranked No. 1, posting a 44-5 (.898) record during that span.
16 STRAIGHT VS. RANKED TEAMS: With the win over No. 4 Washington, Alabama has won 16 straight games vs. ranked opponents, tying Southern California (16 in a row from 2002-05) for the longest such streak. Alabama's streak began at Georgia (Oct. 3) last season with a 38-10 win over the No. 8 Bulldogs in Athens. In those 16 games, the Tide is 8-0 against top-10 teams and 4-0 vs. the top five (LSU, Michigan State, Clemson and Washington). The Tide's last loss to a top-25 team was Sept. 19, 2015, against Ole Miss (37-43).
BEATING THE BEST: With the win over Washington, the Crimson Tide is 48-12 (.800) against the Associated Press Top 25, including a 25-6 (.806) mark against AP top-10 teams since the start of 2008. This season, the Tide has faced nine teams ranked in the AP poll, defeating then-No. 20 USC, 52-6, then-No. 19 Ole Miss, 48-43, then-No. 16 Arkansas, 49-30, then-No. 9 Tennessee, 49-10, then-No. 6 Texas A&M, 33-14, then-No. 15 LSU, 10-0, then-No. 16 Auburn, 30-12, then-No. 15 Florida, 54-16, and today No. 4 Washington, 24-7, by an average score of 38.7-15.3. Alabama is scheduled for one more matchup against a team currently in the top 25 (in the CFP National Championship Game). Alabama finished 8-1 in 2015 against the AP Top 25 after going 5-2 in 2014, 3-2 in 2013 and 5-1 in 2012. The Tide held a 4-1 mark vs. top-25 teams in 2011 and went 5-3 in 2010.
SABAN'S 49th GAME AS AP No. 1 AT ALABAMA: The College Football Playoff Semifinal was Nick Saban's 49th career game coaching Alabama as the Associated Press No. 1 team, the most games coached as No. 1 at one school. At 44-5 (.898), Saban has won more games coaching a No. 1 team at one school than any other coach in college football history. Woody Hayes (Ohio State) and Bobby Bowden (Florida State) are tied for second with 40 wins each. Bowden was 40-5 as No. 1 and Hayes went 40-4-1. Saban accomplished the feat in his 10th season at Alabama while Bowden spent 34 seasons at FSU and Hayes was at OSU for 28. The Crimson Tide has been ranked No. 1 in 35.8 percent of their 137 games under Saban. Florida State was No. 1 in 10.8 percent of Bowden's 417 games and Ohio State was No. 1 in 16.7 percent of the 276 games coached by Hayes.
SABAN VS. AP TOP 25: Alabama's win over Washington gives head coach Nick Saban 72 career wins vs. Associated Press Top 25 teams, good for third all-time. Former Penn State head coach Joe Paterno leads the list with 86, four victories ahead of Florida State's Bobby Bowden (82). Alabama's Paul "Bear" Bryant is fourth at 66. Recently retired Duke, Florida and South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier is fifth at 64. Saban's winning percentage against AP ranked teams (72-37, .661) tops Bryant (.592), Bowden (.557), Spurrier (.529) and Paterno (.512).
TIDE SENIORS COLLECT RECORD 51st WIN: Saturday's College Football Playoff at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl vs. Washington was the 56th for members of Alabama's senior class. The group boasts a four-year record of 51-5 (.911) and one national championship. The 51 wins breaks the NCAA record of 50 wins held by the senior classes of Alabama (2015), Ohio State (2015) and Boise State (2011).
DOME SWEET DOME: With the win over Washington in the Georgia Dome, the Crimson Tide is 24-7-1 (.766) in domed stadiums, including a 15-2 mark since 2009 and 16-4 in Nick Saban's tenure. The Tide opened the 2016 season with a 52-6 win over USC at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, posted a 54-16 win over Florida in the SEC Championship Game in the Georgia Dome on Dec. 3, then the win over Washington on Saturday in the Georgia Dome. Alabama had four appearances in domed stadiums in 2015, including the season opener against Wisconsin and the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic against Michigan State – both at AT&T Stadium. Alabama also defeated Florida at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta to claim the program's 25th SEC title, and defeated Clemson at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., to win the school's 16th national championship.
NEUTRAL SITES: With the win over Washington, Alabama is now 83-48-4 (.629) in neutral site contests. The list includes all Alabama-Auburn games not played on campus, including Legion Field from 1948-88. The Crimson Tide opened the 2016 season with a 52-6 win over USC at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, defeated Florida, 54-16, in the SEC Championship Game at the Georgia Dome on Dec. 3, then followed up with Saturday's win over Washington at the Georgia Dome. Alabama played four neutral-site games last season, opening the year with a 35-17 win over Wisconsin in the AdvoCare Classic in Arlington. In the postseason, UA claimed its 25th SEC championship with its 29-15 win over Florida in Atlanta, and followed that with a 38-0 win over Michigan State in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium. Alabama capped the season with a 45-40 win over Clemson in the CFP Championship Game at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Crimson Tide is 16-4 in neutral site games during head coach Nick Saban's tenure at Alabama.
Defensive Notes
TIDE LEADS NATION IN DEFENSIVE TOUCHDOWNS: Ryan Anderson's 26-yard interception return for a touchdown today was Alabama's FBS-best 11th defensive touchdowns this season. The interception and touchdown are both career firsts for Anderson and the sixth for Alabama in 2016.
ALABAMA EXTENDS SEASON RECORD FOR INTERCEPTION RETURNS FOR TOUCHDOWNS: Alabama extended its school single-season record for interception returns for touchdowns to six with Ryan Anderson's second-quarter return. The previous record was four by the 2015 and 1995 teams.
WILLIAMS MOVES UP CAREER SACK LIST: With his half-sack against Washington today, senior linebacker Tim Williams moved into sole possession of seventh place on the Alabama career sack list. Williams now has 21 sacks for his career and nine in 2016. Wallace Gilberry (2004-07) is in sixth with 21.5. Derrick Thomas is the Tide career leader with 52.0.
AVERETT AND EVANS EQUAL CAREER HIGHS IN TACKLES: Junior defensive back Anthony Averett and junior linebacker Rashaan Evans equaled their career highs in tackles with eight and seven stops, respectively. Averett previously recorded eight tackles in the Tide's 2016 season opener vs. Southern California. Evans equaled his previous high of seven set at Arkansas on Oct. 8.
Offensive Notes
SCORING STREAK CONTINUES: Alabama's school-record consecutive games scoring streak was extended to 212 games today with Bo Scarbrough's 18-yard first quarter touchdown run. Alabama was last held off the scoreboard in a 9-0 loss to Auburn on Nov. 18, 2000.
SCARBROUGH'S CAREER NIGHT: Sophomore running back Bo Scarbrough turned in a career performance to earn Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Offensive MVP honors today. Scarbrough rushed for a career-high – and Alabama bowl record – 180 yards. The yardage total breaks the previous Tide bowl record of 166 yards set by Sherman Williams against Ohio State in the 1995 Citrus Bowl. Scarbrough's 19 carries is also a new career high and his two touchdowns equals his previous career high set vs. Florida in the 2016 SEC Championship Game on Dec. 3 at the Georgia Dome. The two scores also ties for the second-most in Tide bowl history. Scarbrough's 68-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter is also an Alabama bowl record. The previous long was 67 yards by Dixie Howell against Stanford in the 1935 Rose Bowl.
HARRIS OVER 1,000 YARDS RUSHING IN 2016: Sophomore Damien Harris became the 16th Alabama running back to reach the 1,000-yard mark in a single season. Harris now has 1,013 yards on the season after rushing for 30 yards on nine carries against Washington today. Overall, Tide backs have reached the 1,000-yard plateau 21 times in Alabama history. Harris is the seventh back to achieve the feat under head coach Nick Saban.
Special Teams Notes
NON-OFFENSIVE TDs IN THE SABAN ERA: Ryan Anderson's 26-yard interception return for a touchdown is the 59th non-offensive touchdown of the Nick Saban era and the 15th for the Crimson Tide this season, extending the Crimson Tide's single-season record. The 15 non-offensive touchdowns leads the Football Bowl Subdivision and are the most by an FBS team in the last 20 years. The Tide has now scored an FBS-best 123 points off turnovers this season.
GRIFFITH NOW SECOND ON ALL-TIME SCORING LIST: With his six points today (1 FG, 3 PATs), senior placekicker Adam Griffith has scored 122 points in 2016 (20 field goals and 62 PATs) to give him 350 career points (56 FGs, 182 PATs), good for second place on the Alabama career scoring list. Griffith also ranks second on Alabama's all-time kicking points scored list. Leigh Tiffin (2006-09) is Alabama's all-time scoring and kicking points scored leader with 385 points (83 field goals, 136 PATs).
GRIFFITH AMONG CAREER PAT & FIELD GOAL LEADERS: With his three extra points, senior placekicker Adam Griffith has 62 this season to extend his Alabama career school record to 182. Griffith's 56 career field goals (on 81 attempts) is fifth on Alabama's career list. Van Tiffin (1983-86) is fourth at 59. Leigh Tiffin (2006-09) is the career leader with 83 field goals.
SCOTT SETS SEASON HIGH IN PUNTING ATTEMPTS: Junior JK Scott's eight punt attempts today vs. Washington is a season high and the second-highest total of his career. Scott's previous season best was six vs. Chattanooga on Nov. 19. His career high is nine, set at LSU in 2014. All told, Scott averaged 45.9 yards per punt on his eight attempts and landed three inside the 20-yard line with a long of 55 yards.
