Roll Tide - Crimson Tide!!
Alabama's athletic teams are known as the Crimson Tide. The school fields varsity teams in the NCAA's Division I and is a member of the Southeastern Conference (Western Division), while club sports compete in their respective leagues. The school's athletic teams compete at the highest level, often contending for conference and NCAA titles. A thletic facilities on campus include the 92,138-seat Bryant-Denny Stadium, named after legendary football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant and former UA President George Denny, and the 14,619-seat Coleman Coliseum.


Alabama maintains athletic rivalries with Auburn University and the University of Tennessee. The rivalry with Auburn is especially heated as it encompasses all sports. The annual Alabama-Auburn football game is nicknamed the Iron Bowl.

The University of Alabama football program is the most nationally-known of all Alabama's intercollegiate athletics programs. Started in 1892, it is one of the oldest and most tradition-rich football programs in the country. The team has won 21 SEC titles and 12 national championships in major polls (including 6 awarded by the Associated Press and 5 by the Coaches Poll).[

The Crimson Tide's current home venue, Bryant-Denny Stadium, opened in 1929 with a capacity of around 12,000. The stadium has since grown to an official capacity of 92,138 via several additions, the latest being an upper deck in the north end zone (completed August 2006). This addition includes a premium club level, an official stadium entrance, and a promenade that is prominently featured in pre-game activities. Bryant-Denny Stadium's all-time attendance record is 92,138, set on September 2, 2006 vs. the University of Hawaii. The Tide has also played many rivalry games, among others, at Legion Field in Birmingham.

Nearly synonymous with Alabama football is legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant whose record at The University of Alabama was 232-46-9. He led the Crimson Tide to a national title in 1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, and 1979, which is tied with Notre Dame's legendary coach Knute Rockne. Additionally, the 1966 team was the only one in the country to finish undefeated and untied, but poll voters denied the 12-0 Alabama team the three-peat as Michigan State and Notre Dame tied each other 10-10 in what was considered the "Game of the Century" and subsequently split the national championship.

On January 3, 2007, Alabama hired former Miami Dolphins coach Nick Saban for a reportedly 7 year, $32 million dollars, making him (briefly) the highest paid college football coach. Saban is also the former coach of LSU, where he had a 48-16 record, winning two SEC titles and one National Championship.

On April 21, 2007, Alabama set the National record of attendance to a spring scrimmage (A-Day) game with 92,138 seats filled, all standing room allocated for. The Tuscaloosa Fire Marshall refused entrance to 20,000 late comers in the second quarter due to maximum capacity laws.