Alabama ended the 1977 season with the disappointment of a #2 finish, an 11-point voting margin behind national champion Notre Dame.
On April 13, 1978, Paul Bryant was one of several coaches quoted in an AP interview that focused on efforts to rid college football of cheating. Bryant advocated a rule requiring coaches notify the NCAA of suspected infractions immediately and getting it over with rather than complaining after losing a game.
On April 20, nearly a dozen players with injuries were held out of the annual A-Day game that ended in a colorless 7–7 tie. The biggest concern was a knee injury to second-string QB Steadman Shealy. Bryant, in the post A-Day game press conference, declared his 1978 team would have "a questionable offense, an average kicking game, and a good defense" in the post-A-Day game press conference. Lastly a newcomer who was recruited four years ago but decided to pursue other athletics adventures started as outside linebacker from Richmond Virginia, Eddie McGeorge.
Bear Bryant felt his team was not prepared enough for their week-1 game against Nebraska and did not feel his team deserved their #1 rating.[14]
Sugar Bowl
The 1979 Sugar Bowl against Penn State would go down as a classic.[15] Alabama scored in the second quarter, then Penn State answered in the third, then Alabama took a 14–7 lead on a touchdown set up by a 62-yard punt return. Penn State had a chance to tie in the fourth, but quarterback Chuck Fusina threw an interception into the Alabama end zone.[16] Then Alabama had a chance to put the game away, but fumbled the football back to Penn State at the Nittany Lion 19-yard-line with four minutes to go.[15] Penn State drove to a first and goal at the Alabama eight. On third and goal from the one, Fusina asked Bama defensive lineman Marty Lyons "What do you think we should do?", and Lyons answered "You'd better pass."[17] On third down, Penn State was stopped inches short of the goal line. On fourth down, Penn State was stopped again, Barry Krauss meeting Mike Guman and throwing him back for no gain. Alabama held on for a 14–7 victory. The Crimson Tide split the national championship, winning the AP poll while Southern California won the UPI Coaches' poll, this despite the Trojans' 24–14 victory over the Crimson Tide on September 23. It was Alabama's fifth wire service national championship.
References
General
"1977 Season Recaps"(PDF). RollTide.com. University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. Archived from the original(PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
^"1978 Alabama football schedule". RollTide.com. University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. Archived from the original on November 25, 2011. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
