The 2017 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama during the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. This season marked the Crimson Tide's 123rd overall season, its 84th as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and its 26th within the SEC Western Division. They played their home games at Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and were led by eleventh-year head coach Nick Saban.
Alabama ended the season as national champions by winning their second College Football Playoff national championship. This was their 17th claimed national title in school history and fifth under head coach Nick Saban.
Alabama, coming off a national title game loss to Clemson in 2016, began the year ranked first in the AP Poll. The team opened the year with a victory over then-No. 3 Florida State in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game, which was the highest ranked season-opening match-up in the history of the AP Poll. Alabama won their first 11 games convincingly, but fell on the road to rival Auburn in the regular season finale, and since the two teams were tied atop the SEC West Division at 7–1, Auburn advanced to the 2017 SEC Championship Game on the head-to-head tiebreaker. Alabama fell to number six in the rankings leading up to conference championship weekend. In the final College Football Playoff rankings of the year, 11–1 Alabama rose to number four after sitting idle, ahead of 12–1 Wisconsin, 11–2 Big Ten Conference champion Ohio State and 12–0 American Athletic Conference champion UCF. This earned Alabama a place in the national semi-final to be played at the Sugar Bowl against first-seeded Clemson, the third consecutive playoff meeting between the two schools. Alabama won by a score of 24–6 and advanced to the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship against SEC champion Georgia. The Crimson Tide pulled off an overtime victory to win the game 26–23 and the national title.
Alabama's offense was led by sophomore quarterback Jalen Hurts, who finished with 2,081 passing yards, 17 passing touchdowns and just one interception. He added 855 rushing yards and 8 rushing touchdowns on the ground. Freshman quarterback Tua Tagovailoa served as the backup and was named game MVP of the national championship game after Hurts was benched at halftime. Running back Damien Harris led the rushing attack with exactly 1,000 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on the year. Wide receiver Calvin Ridley and offensive tackle Jonah Williams were named first-team All-SEC. The Crimson Tide defense, which led the country in scoring and yards allowed, was led by consensus first-team All-American and Chuck Bednarik Award-winning safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. He was joined on the All-SEC team by defensive tackles Daron Payne and Raekwon Davis, linebacker Rashaan Evans, and safety Ronnie Harrison.
Offseason Departures The Crimson Tide lost twenty-three senior football players to graduation, another four players to the NFL Draft, and four more players from the 2016 team due to various other reasons.
Offseason departures Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Notes Jonathan Allen #93 DE 6'3 291 Senior Leesburg, VA Graduated Ryan Anderson #22 LB 6'2 253 RS Senior Daphne, AL Graduated O. J. Howard #88 TE 6'6 251 Senior Prattville, AL Graduated Truett Harris #86 TE 6'3 235 Senior Brentwood, TN Graduated Brandon Moore #17 OL 6'0 248 Senior Cincinnati, OH Graduated Will Davis #62 OL 6'5 315 Senior Letohatchee, AL Graduated Tim Williams #56 LB 6'4 252 Senior Baton Rouge, LA Graduated Jake Long #51 OL 5'9 228 Senior Vestavia Hills, AL Graduated Derrick Garnett #46 LB 6'1 240 Senior Tuscaloosa, AL Graduated Bo Grant #45 DB 6'2 195 Senior Valley, AL Graduated Blaine Anderson #41 DB 5'10 187 Senior Charlotte, NC Graduated Nate Staskelunas #34 DB 6'3 207 Senior Greenville, NC Graduated Gehrig Dieter #19 WR 6'3 207 GS Senior South Bend, IN Graduated Reuben Foster #10 LB 6'1 240 Senior Auburn, AL Graduated Eddie Jackson #4 DB 6'0 194 Senior Lauderdale Lakes, FL Graduated Blake Barnett #8 QB 6'5 211 RS Freshman Corona, CA Transferred to Arizona State Cole Mazza #55 LS 6'2 235 Senior Bakersfield, CA Graduated Dakota Ball #44 DL 6'3 268 RS Senior Lindale, GA Graduated Alphonse Taylor #50 OL 6'5 307 RS Senior Mobile, AL Graduated Dalvin Tomlinson #54 DL 6'3 305 RS Senior McDonough, GA Graduated Korren Kirven #78 OL 6'4 311 RS Senior Lynchburg, VA Graduated Brandon Greene #89 TE 6'5 295 RS Senior Ellenwood, GA Graduated Adam Griffith #99 PK 5'10 191 RS Senior Calhoun, GA Graduated ArDarius Stewart #13 WR 6'1 204 RS Junior Fultondale, AL Declared for the 2017 NFL draft Marlon Humphrey #26 DB 6'1 196 RS Sophomore Hoover, AL Declared for the 2017 NFL draft Cooper Bateman #18 QB 6'3 220 RS Junior Murray, UT Transferred to Utah David Cornwell #12 QB 6'5 228 RS Sophomore Norman, OK Transferred to Nevada Derrick Gore #27 RB 5'11 210 RS Sophomore Syracuse, NY Transferred to Louisiana-Monroe Cam Robinson #74 OL 6'6 310 Junior Monroe, LA Declared for the 2017 NFL draft Josh Palet #11 QB 6'5 215 Senior Chula Vista, CA Graduated
Preseason
2017 recruiting class Alabama signed 29 recruits in its 2017 recruiting class. The class was highlighted by 19 players from the "ESPN 300". Alabama signed the No. 1 recruiting class according to Rivals.com, Scout.com, 247Sports.com, and ESPN.
Returning starters Alabama returned six starters on offense, six on defense, and one on special teams from the 2016 team.
Offense Player Class Position Jalen Hurts Sophomore Quarterback Damien Harris Junior Running back Calvin Ridley Junior Wide receiver Ross Pierschbacher R-Junior Guard Bradley Bozeman R-Senior Center Jonah Williams Sophomore Tackle
Defense Player Class Position Tony Brown Senior Cornerback Anthony Averett R-Senior Cornerback Minkah Fitzpatrick Junior Safety Shaun Dion Hamilton Senior Linebacker Ronnie Harrison Junior Safety Daron Payne Junior Defensive tackle
Special teams Player Class Position J. K. Scott Senior Punter
Spring game
Alabama's annual A-Day spring game was held on April 22, 2017. Kicker J. K. Scott kicked a field goal as time expired to win the game for the Jalen Hurts-led Crimson team over the Tua Tagovailoa-led White team.
Schedule
Game summaries
vs. Florida State
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The Tide opened the season in the brand new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia against No. 3-ranked Florida State. Alabama came into the game with the mantra "Don't waste a failure", a reference to the disappointing loss to Clemson in the previous season's 2017 CFP National Championship game. Although having a competitive first half, the game was considered by some to fall short of preseason expectations. Furthermore, Florida State would post a disappointing 7–6 record on the year, due in part to a season ending injury to starting QB Deondre Francois in the fourth quarter, failing to deliver on much of the game's promised impact. The game for Alabama would also prove somewhat of a pyrrhic victory as linebackers Terrell Lewis and Christian Miller would be out with significant injuries, a theme that would continue to haunt the Alabama defense for the entirety of the regular season.
The first half was characterized largely as a defensive struggle for both teams. After a turnover on downs stop by the Alabama defense on fourth and 2, the offense would march down the field for a 36-yard Andy Pappanastos field goal (ALA 3 FSU 0) late in the first quarter. FSU would respond with a drive of their own culminating in a 3-yard pass to Auden Tate (ALA 3 FSU 7) which was matched by a 53-yard bomb from Alabama's Jalen Hurts to Calvin Ridley for a touchdown on Alabama's next drive (ALA 10 FSU 3). Both teams would hold the other's offense to minimal production for the rest of the half including a blocked FG attempt by FSU from Alabama's Minkah Fitzpatrick.
Florida State would open the second half with a promising drive that stalled at midfield after an Alabama sack. After a few possession exchanges, Alabama would find itself in prime position to score after a punt attempt by Florida State was blocked and recovered by Alabama deep in FSU territory. This would culminate in an Andy Pappanastos FG for 25 yards (ALA 13 FSU 7). On the ensuing kick return, Alabama's Dylan Moses would force a fumble recovered by Alabama, and on the first play of Alabama's drive, Damien Harris would score on a rushing touchdown from 11 yards out. Alabama would come away with a successful two-point conversion attempt after the touchdown to go up by two touchdowns (ALA 21 FSU 7). For the rest of the game, the Alabama defense would dominate FSU including picking off two passes by Deondre Francois. Alabama would kick one more field goal late in the game from 33 yards out (ALA 24 FSU 7) to seal the Alabama victory. The Alabama defense held the Seminoles to 40 yards rushing. Bama quarterback Jalen Hurts completed 10 of 17 passes for 96 yards and one touchdown while Damien Harris ran for 73 yards and a touchdown.
Statistics StatisticFlorida StateAlabamaTotal yards250269Passing yards21096Rushing yards40173Penalties4–305–30Turnovers30Time of Possession27:1332:47
Fresno State
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The Tide welcomed Fresno State to Bryant-Denny Stadium for their first home game of the season in what would be a predictable blowout of the talented Bulldogs, a team that would go on to play in the Mountain West Championship Game.
Alabama would start the game on offense to begin the first quarter. On the second play of Alabama's opening drive, QB Jalen Hurts would run for a 55-yard touchdown. Alabama would also score a touchdown on their next possession in a 23-yard Jalen Hurts pass to Hale Hentges, and again on the drive after that in a 4-yard Bo Scarbrough run as time expired on the first quarter. During this time, Fresno State would put together a respectable 70-yard drive for a field goal. (ALA 21 FRESNO 3). In the second quarter, Alabama would see a Damien Harris touchdown run from five yards out late in the second quarter while Fresno State would stall on their last possession of the half (ALA 28 FRESNO 3).
In the second half, Alabama would put together a drive which culminated in an Andy Pappanastos FG from 24 yards out in the third quarter before pulling starting QB Jalen Hurts for the backup QB and future CFP National Championship game offensive MVP Tua Tagovailoa. (ALA 31 FRESNO 3). In the fourth quarter, Tua would engineer a field goal and touchdown drive in a 16-yard pass to Henry Ruggs III for Alabama while Fresno State would find the endzone after a 63-yard punt return and 26-yard touchdown pass from QB Chason Virgil to Derrion Grim. (ALA 41 FRESNO 10). The Alabama defense held the Bulldogs to 58 yards rushing while the Tide amassed 305 yards on the ground.
Statistics StatisticFresno StateAlabamaTotal yards 274 497Passing yards 216 192Rushing yards 58 305Penalties 1–6 4–30Turnovers 1 0Time of Possession 29:18 30:42
Colorado State
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Alabama welcomed the (2–1) Colorado State Rams for the second home game of the season who were led by third year head coach Mike Bobo. Although Alabama would win convincingly, this game was marked by several momentum shifts which benefited Colorado State against the Alabama defense (lacking several key starters due to injury) early in the game and at the end of the game during garbage time. Offensively, Alabama would post a strong 487 yards, including passing and rushing touchdowns from Alabama QB Jalen Hurts. Colorado State would go on to post a winning 7–6 Record on the year and finish second in their division within the Mountain West Conference.