2009 Alabama Crimson Tide football team

2009 Alabama Crimson Tide football
Consensus national champion
SEC champion
SEC Western Division champion
SEC Championship Game,
W 32–13 vs. Florida
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
DivisionWestern Division
Ranking
CoachesNo. 1
APNo. 1
Record14–0 (8–0 SEC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorJim McElwain (2nd season)
Offensive schemeMultiple
Defensive coordinatorKirby Smart (2nd season)
Base defense3–4
MVPs
Captains
Home stadiumBryant–Denny Stadium
2009 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Eastern Division
No. 3 Florida x%   8 0     13 1  
Georgia   4 4     8 5  
Tennessee   4 4     7 6  
Kentucky   3 5     7 6  
South Carolina   3 5     7 6  
Vanderbilt   0 8     2 10  
Western Division
No. 1 Alabama x$#   8 0     14 0  
No. 17 LSU   5 3     9 4  
No. 20 Ole Miss   4 4     9 4  
Arkansas   3 5     8 5  
Auburn   3 5     8 5  
Mississippi State   3 5     5 7  
Championship: Alabama 32, Florida 13
  • # – BCS National Champion
  • $ – BCS representative as conference champion
  • % – BCS at-large representative
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2009 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by third-year head coach Nick Saban, the Crimson Tide compiled an overall record of 14–0 with a mark of 8–0 in conference play, winning the SEC's Western Division title. Alabama advanced to the SEC Championship Game, defeating the defending national champion, Florida, to win the SEC title. The Crimson Tide then beat Texas in the BCS National Championship Game, winning their first national title since 1992.

Alabama closed the regular season with a 12–0 record including four wins against top 25-ranked teams. The Crimson Tide met Florida for the SEC Championship in a rematch of the 2008 contest. Alabama was victorious by a final score of 32–13. The following day, final Bowl Championship Series (BCS) standings were unveiled. No. 1 ranked Alabama would meet No. 2 ranked Texas for the BCS National Championship. In the BCS National Championship Game, the Crimson Tide defeated the Longhorns 37–21 to capture their first national championship since 1992. Alabama won its third SEC championship since the inception of the SEC Championship Game in 1992 and 22nd SEC title overall. The victory over Texas gave the Crimson Tide their 13th national championship, their eighth wire service title since the AP poll began in 1936, and their ninth perfect season since 1925. The season included victories over the three previous programs to win a national championship: Florida, LSU, and Texas.

The season marked the first time an Alabama player won the Heisman Trophy with Mark Ingram II winning the award over Stanford running back Toby Gerhart. Other award winners included Rolando McClain, who won the Butkus Award and the Jack Lambert Award, and defensive coordinator Kirby Smart, who won the Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant coach. Six Crimson Tide players were named to various All-America Teams with Terrence Cody, Mike Johnson, and Javier Arenas being consensus selections and Ingram and McClain each being unanimous selections.