The 2006 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by Mike Shula in his fourth and final year as head coach during the regular season and Joe Kines as interim head coach for their bowl game, the Crimson Tide compiled an overall record of 6–7 with a mark of 2–6 in conference play, tying for fourth place SEC's Western Division. Alabama was invited to the Independence Bowl, where the Crimson Tide lost to Oklahoma State. The team played home games at Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Despite a strong 5–2 start, Alabama finished the regular season by losing four of the final five games. The Crimson Tide closed the regular season at 6–6 with a defeat for a fifth-straight year to rival Auburn. Following the loss, Shula was fired and defensive coordinator Joe Kines was appointed interim head coach for the bowl game.
In 2009, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) levied sanctions against Alabama, forcing the Crimson Tide to vacate all of their wins from the season.
Schedule The Sagarin computer ratings calculated Alabama's strength of schedule to be the 55th most difficult out of the 241 Division I teams. The Cosgrove Computer Rankings calculated it as the 65th most difficult out of the 119 Division I FBS teams in its rankings. It featured four pre-season AP Top 25 teams, four of which made bowl games in 2005.
In accordance with conference rules, Alabama faced all five Western Division opponents: Arkansas, Auburn, LSU, Mississippi State, and Ole Miss. They also faced three Eastern Division opponents: official SEC rival Tennessee, Florida, and Vanderbilt. Alabama did not play SEC opponents Georgia, Kentucky and South Carolina. Alabama also played four non-conference games. The non-conference schedule included games against Hawaii of the Western Athletic Conference, Duke of the Atlantic Coast Conference and both Louisiana–Monroe and Florida International of the Sun Belt Conference. For the 2006 Independence Bowl, Alabama played Oklahoma State of the Big 12 Conference.
Before the season Alabama finished their 2005 campaign at with a 13–10 win over Texas Tech in the 2006 Cotton Bowl Classic for a final record of 10–2. Several years later, in June 2009, the NCAA Committee on Infractions sanctioned Alabama for "major violations" of NCAA policies as a result of athletes who received improper benefits in 16 of 19 NCAA sports, including football. As part of the penalties imposed, the football program was forced to vacate all ten victories from the 2005 season making the official 2005 record 0–2.
The 2006 season also marked the first played in Bryant–Denny Stadium after the completion of the north endzone expansion. The $47 million expansion increased its overall capacity to 92,138 (then the 5th largest on-campus stadium), added several new luxury boxes and saw the completion of the Walk of Champions off University Boulevard. The Walk of Champions, at the time, featured statues of the four national championship Alabama head coaches: Wallace Wade, Frank Thomas, Bear Bryant and Gene Stallings. At that time a fifth space was left vacant for a future statue, and on April 16, 2011, the University unveiled a statue of Nick Saban for winning the 2009 national championship at that location.
Returning starters Alabama had 13 returning starters from the previous season, including eight on offense, four on defense and one on special teams.2006 Alabama Football Media Guide, p. 58 The most notable departures from the previous year were Brodie Croyle and J. B. Closner on offense; Mark Anderson, Rudy Griffin, Freddie Roach, DeMeco Ryans, Anthony Madison, Roman Harper and Charlie Peprah on defense; and Jeremy Schatz, Matt Miller and Drew Lane on special teams.
Offense Player Class Position Keith Brown Junior Wide receiver D. J. Hall Junior Wide receiver Chris Capps Junior Offensive tackle B.J. Stabler Sophomore Offensive guard Kyle Tatum Senior Offensive tackle Nick Walker Sophomore Tight end Le'Ron McClain Senior Fullback Kenneth Darby Senior Running back
Defense Player Class Position Jeremy Clark Senior Defensive tackle Wallace Gilberry Junior Defensive end Juwan Simpson Senior Linebacker Ramzee Robinson Senior Cornerback
Special teams Player Class Position Jamie Christensen Junior Placekicker
Game summaries Hawaii
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Alabama opened the 2006 season by defeating the Hawaiʻi Warriors 25–17 in their first all-time visit to Bryant–Denny Stadium. Hawaii got on the board first when Dan Kelly connected on a 42-yard field goal to give the Warriors a 3–0 lead. Alabama tied it up at 3–3 on a 31-yard Leigh Tiffin field goal later in the first quarter. The Crimson Tide then took a 10–3 lead of the evening when Tim Castille scored on a three-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter. Alabama then extended their lead to 15–3 at halftime after the Hawaii punter Kurt Milne knocked the ball out of the endzone because of a bad snap for a safety and Tiffin connected on a 23-yard field goal.
The Crimson Tide scored on their opening drive of the third quarter when John Parker Wilson threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Keith Brown. Hawaii then cut the Alabama lead to 22–10 later that quarter when Colt Brennan threw a 16-yard touchdown strike to Reagan Maui'a. In the fourth quarter, a 27-yard Tiffin field goal extended the Alabama lead to 25–10. The Warriors responded Brennen connected with Ryan Grice-Mullen for a 31-yard touchdown reception to make the score 25–17. After holding the Tide on their next offensive series, Hawaii managed to drive 49 yards in 2:40 to get in position to potentially tie the game and send it into overtime. Alabama secured the 25–17 victory on the final play of the game when Lionel Mitchell intercepted a Brennen pass in the endzone for a touchback as time expired. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against the Warriors to 1–1 (2–1 without NCAA vacations).
Vanderbilt
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A week after defeating Hawaii, the Crimson Tide opened conference play against the Vanderbilt Commodores and defeated them 13–10. Alabama scored first on a 37-yard Leigh Tiffin field goal with just under a minute remaining in the first quarter. Vanderbilt responded with ten second quarter points to take a 10–3 halftime lead after Bryant Hahnfeldt first connected on a 42-yard field goal and Chris Nickson threw a six-yard touchdown pass to Earl Bennett.
The Crimson Tide tied the game on their first drive of the third quarter when John Parker Wilson hit D. J. Hall for a 31-yard touchdown reception. Tiffin then scored the game-winning field goal from 47 yards out to give Alabama the 13–10 victory. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against the Commodores to 57–19–4 (60–18–4 without NCAA vacations and forfeits).
Louisiana–Monroe
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The Crimson Tide extended their overall record to 3–0 after they defeated the Louisiana–Monroe Warhawks 41–7 in the first all-time meeting between the programs. Alabama opened the scoring midway through the first quarter when Le'Ron McClain caught a 17-yard touchdown pass from John Parker Wilson. The Crimson Tide extended their lead to 10–0 after Leigh Tiffin connected on a 34-yard field goal early in the second quarter. The Warhawks then responded with their only points of the game after Kinsmon Lancaster cut the Alabama lead to 10–7 with his two-yard touchdown run. Tim Castille then scored on a three-yard run to give the Tide a 17–7 halftime lead.
In the third, Tiffin connected on a 25-yard field goal and John Parker Wilson threw a 43-yard touchdown strike to D. J. Hall to extend the Alabama lead to 27–7 entering the fourth quarter. In the fourth, Roy Upchurch scored two touchdowns on separate one-yard runs to make the final score 41–7.
Arkansas
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After opening the season with three consecutive home games, the Crimson Tide traveled to Fayetteville and lost to the Arkansas Razorbacks 24–23 in double overtime. Arkansas took an early 3–0 lead in the first quarter after Jeremy Davis connected with a 24-yard field goal. Alabama took a 7–3 lead in the second quarter when John Parker Wilson threw a 78-yard touchdown pass to D. J. Hall to cap a four-play, 99-yard drive. Leigh Tiffin would also convert a 46-yard field goal as time expired in the second quarter to give the Crimson Tide a 10–3 halftime lead.
The Razorbacks then took a 17–10 lead with a pair of third-quarter touchdowns. The first came on a three-yard Darren McFadden run, with Davis missing the extra point. The second came on a defensive touchdown when Randy Kelly recovered a Wilson fumble and returned it 39-yards for a touchdown. Mitch Mustain then successfully threw a two-point conversion pass to McFadden and Arkansas was up 17–10. Alabama tied the game early in the fourth quarter when Keith Brown caught a 14-yard Wilson touchdown pass, which as it turned out sent the game into overtime.
In the overtime period, Arkansas was on offense first, and on their initial series, a Mustain pass was intercepted by Lionel Mitchell. On Alabama's first offensive series, Tiffin missed a 37-yard field goal to send the game into a second overtime period. In the second overtime, Alabama was on offense first and scored on a one-yard Nick Walker touchdown run. However, Tiffin missed the extra point and the Crimson Tide was up by only six points. Arkansas responded with an 11-yard Mustain touchdown pass to Ben Cleveland and the Davis extra point gave the Razorbacks the 24–23 victory. The loss brought Alabama's all-time record against the Razorbacks to 7–8 (10–7 without NCAA vacations and forfeits).
Florida
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A week after a disappointing, double overtime loss to Arkansas, the Crimson Tide lost their second game in a row on the road to the Florida Gators 28–13 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Alabama struck first with a defensive touchdown late in the first quarter when Prince Hall returned a Chris Leak fumble 50 yards for a 7–0 Crimson Tide lead. Alabama then extended their lead to 10–0 early in the second quarter on a 21-yard Jamie Christensen field goal before Florida took over. The Gators closed the score to 10–7 late in the quarter when Tim Tebow scored from two-yards out.
Florida then took their first lead of the game late in the third quarter when Leak connected with Andre Caldwell for a 16-yard touchdown reception. After a second Christensen field goal closed the gap to 14–13, the Gators closed with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to secure the victory. With just under 7:00 remaining in the game, Leak threw his second touchdown pass of the day on a 21-yard Dallas Baker reception. On the ensuing Alabama drive, Reggie Nelson intercepted a John Parker Wilson pass and returned it 70-yards for a defensive touchdown and a 28–13 Florida victory. The loss brought Alabama's all-time record against the Gators to 20–13 (21–13 without the NCAA vacation of the 2005 victory).
Duke
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After a pair of consecutive conference losses on the road, Alabama returned to Tuscaloosa and defeated the Duke Blue Devils 30–14. The Crimson Tide took a 3–0 lead after Jamie Christensen connected on a 37-yard field goal on Alabama's first drive of the game. Early in the second quarter Duke took a 7–3 lead after Thaddeus Lewis threw a nine-yard touchdown pass to Eron Riley. The teams then traded touchdowns with Alabama scoring on a four-yard D. J. Hall touchdown reception from John Parker Wilson, and with Duke scoring on a five-yard Lewis run to give the Blue Devils a 14–10 halftime lead.