The 2020 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. This was the Crimson Tide's 126th overall season, 87th as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and 29th within the SEC Western Division. They played their home games at Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and were led by 14th-year head coach Nick Saban (with second-year offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian serving as acting coach for Game 8, against Auburn, due to COVID-19 protocols).
They finished the season undefeated with a record of 13–0 (10–0 in the SEC) and as national champions. Looking to build on the successes of the 2019 campaign, Alabama entered the 2020 season as the favorite to win the Western Division and meet the Florida Gators in the 2020 SEC Championship Game. Alabama closed the regular season with a 11–0 record including five wins against Top 25-ranked teams—and met the Gators for the SEC Championship in a rematch of the 2016 contest. Alabama was victorious by a final score of 52–46 to capture their 9th SEC championship title. The following day, final College Football Playoff (CFP) standings were unveiled. No. 1 ranked Alabama would meet No. 4 ranked Notre Dame for the Rose Bowl game in a rematch of the 2013 contest, defeated the Fighting Irish 31–14 to meet No. 3 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes for the College Football Playoff National Championship Game in a rematch of their 2015 contest. In the College Football Playoff National Championship, the Crimson Tide defeated the Buckeyes, 52–24, to capture their third CFP National Championship title in seven years. The victory over Ohio State gave Alabama their 18th national championship in football (their 13th wire service title since the AP Poll began in 1936) and their tenth perfect season since 1925.
The season marked the first time a wide receiver at Alabama won the Heisman Trophy, as DeVonta Smith won the award over several finalists including Clemson Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence. In addition to the Heisman, Smith won numerous other awards, including the Maxwell Award and the Biletnikoff Award. Other award winners included quarterback Mac Jones (Davey O’Brien Award and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award), running back Najee Harris (Doak Walker Award), Alex Leatherwood (Outland Trophy), Landon Dickerson (Rimington Trophy), the offensive line (Joe Moore Award), and offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian (Broyles Award). Six players were named to various All-America Teams with Patrick Surtain II, DeVonta Smith, Alex Leatherwood, Landon Dickerson, and Najee Harris as unanimous selections and Mac Jones as a consensus selection.
The team finished the 2020 season with a final ranking of No. 1 in both the AP and Coaches' Polls.
Because of their dominance of their all SEC schedule with multiple ranked opponents, and the fact that they finished with three Heisman Trophy candidates, several pundits have called the team the greatest in college football history with ESPN citing them as the greatest team of the playoff era.
Offseason
Position key HalfBackHBCenterCCornerbackCBDefensive backDBDefensive endDEDefensive linemanDLDefensive tackleDTEndEFullbackFBPlace KickerPKGuardGHalfbackHBKickerKKickoff returnerKROffensive tackleOTOffensive linemanOLLinebackerLBLong snapperLSSplit endSEPunterPPunt returnerPRQuarterbackQBRunning backRBSafetySTight endTEWide receiverWR
Offseason departures Six Alabama players with remaining eligibility declared early for the 2020 NFL draft. In addition, 14 seniors from the 2019 team graduated. 2020 Alabama offseason departures Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Notes Jerry Jeudy 4 WR 6'1 192 Junior Deerfield Beach, FL Declared for NFL Draft Terrell Lewis 24 LB 6'5 252 RS Junior Washington D.C. Declared for NFL Draft Xavier McKinney 15 DB 6'1 200 Junior Roswell, GA Declared for NFL Draft Henry Ruggs 11 WR 6'0 190 Junior Montgomery, AL Declared for NFL Draft Tua Tagovailoa 13 QB 6'1 218 Junior Ewa Beach, HI Declared for NFL Draft Jedrick Wills 74 OL 6'5 320 Junior Lexington, KY Declared for NFL Draft Shyheim Carter 5 DB 6'0 191 Senior Kentwood, LA Graduated Raekwon Davis 99 DL 6'7 312 Senior Meridian, MS Graduated Trevon Diggs 7 DB 6'2 207 Senior Gaithersburg, MD Graduated Anfernee Jennings 33 LB 6'3 259 RS Senior Dadeville, AL Graduated Jared Mayden 21 DB 6'0 205 Senior Sachse, TX Graduated Tevita Musika 91 DL 6'1 338 Senior Milpitas, CA Graduated Matt Womack 77 OL 6'7 325 RS Senior Hernando, MS Graduated
Recruiting
Transfers Outgoing Name No. Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown New school Jerome Ford #27 RB 5'11 212 RS Sophomore Seffner, Florida Cincinnati Scott Lashley #76 OL 6'7 307 RS Senior West Point, Mississippi Mississippi State Mac Hereford #36 WR 6'2 215 Graduate Senior Birmingham, Alabama Vanderbilt Taulia Tagovailoa #5 QB 6’0 208 Freshman Alabaster, Alabama Maryland Tyrell Shavers #14 WR 6’6 200 Junior Lewisville, Texas Mississippi State Giles Amos #14 TE 6’4 242 Junior Perry, Georgia Arkansas State
Incoming Name No. Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Prev. school Carl Tucker 86 TE 6'2 248 2019 Concord, North Carolina North Carolina Charlie Scott 85 P 6’1 195 2019 Greenwood Village, Colorado Air Force
2020 NFL draft
NFL Combine
Team players drafted into the NFL 1 5 Tua Tagovailoa QB Miami Dolphins 1 10 Jedrick Wills OT Cleveland Browns 1 12 Henry Ruggs WR Las Vegas Raiders 1 15 Jerry Jeudy WR Denver Broncos 2 36 Xavier McKinney S New York Giants 2 51 Trevon Diggs CB Dallas Cowboys 2 56 Raekwon Davis DT Miami Dolphins 3 84 Terrell Lewis LB Los Angeles Rams 3 87 Anfernee Jennings OLB New England Patriots
Returning starters
Offense Player Class Position Mac Jones RS Junior Quarterback DeVonta Smith Senior Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle Junior Wide receiver Najee Harris Senior Running back Miller Forristall RS Senior Tight end Landon Dickerson RS Senior Offensive line Alex Leatherwood Senior Offensive line Evan Neal Sophomore Offensive line Deonte Brown RS Senior Offensive line Reference:
Defense Player Class Position D. J. Dale Sophomore Defensive lineman LaBryan Ray RS Junior Defensive lineman Christian Harris Sophomore Linebacker Shane Lee Sophomore Linebacker Dylan Moses Senior Linebacker Patrick Surtain II Junior Defensive backReference:
Special teams Player Class Position Joseph Bulovas RS Junior Placekicker Jaylen Waddle Junior Kick returnerReference:
Preseason
Award watch lists Listed in the order that they were released
Lott TrophyDylan MosesLBSr.Dodd TrophyNick SabanHC --Bednarik AwardDylan MosesLBSr.Patrick Surtain IICBJr.Davey O'Brien AwardMac JonesQBRS Jr. Doak Walker AwardNajee HarrisRBSr.Biletnikoff AwardDeVonta SmithWRSr.Jaylen WaddleWRJr.John Mackey AwardCarl Tucker TEGSButkus AwardShane LeeLBSo.Dylan MosesLBSr.Jim Thorpe Award Patrick Surtain IIDBJr.Outland TrophyLandon DickersonOLRS Sr.Alex LeatherwoodOLSr.Deonte BrownOLRS Sr.LaBryan RayDLRS Jr.Bronko Nagurski TrophyPatrick Surtain IIDBJr.LaBryan RayDLRS Jr.Dylan MosesLBSr.Paul Hornung AwardJaylen WaddleWRJr.Wuerffel TrophyMiller ForristallTERS Sr.Maxwell AwardJaylen WaddleWRJr.DeVonta SmithWRSr.Najee HarrisRBSr.Johnny Unitas Golden Arm AwardMac JonesQBRS Jr.
SEC Media Days In the preseason media poll, Alabama was predicted to win the West Division and the Conference Championship Game.
Preseason All-SEC teams The Crimson Tide placed 11 players (at 13 positions) on the 2020 Preseason SEC Team as selected by SEC coaches and 13 players (at 15 positions) on the 2020 Preseason SEC Team as selected by SEC media.
Offense
1st team
Najee Harris – RB (Coaches, Media)
DeVonta Smith – WR (Coaches, Media)
Jaylen Waddle – WR (Coaches, Media)
Alex Leatherwood – OL (Coaches, Media)
Landon Dickerson – OL (Coaches, Media)
2nd team
Deonte Brown - OL (Coaches, Media)
3rd team
Mac Jones - QB (Media)
Evan Neal - OL (Coaches, Media)
Landon Dickerson - C (Coaches, Media)
Defense
1st team
LaBryan Ray - DL (Coaches, Media)
Dylan Moses – LB (Coaches, Media)
Patrick Surtain II - DB (Coaches, Media)
3rd team
D. J. Dale - DL (Media)
Josh Jobe - DB (Coaches)
Specialists
1st team
Jaylen Waddle – RS (Coaches, Media)
Jaylen Waddle - AP (Media)
Personnel
Coaching staff Nick Saban Head coach 14th Steve Sarkisian Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach 2nd Charles Huff Associate head coach/Running backs coach 2nd Jeff Banks Special teams coordinator/Tight end coach 3rd Pete Golding Defensive coordinator/Inside linebackers coach 3rd Charles Kelly Associate Defensive coordinator/Safeties coach 2nd Karl Scott Cornerbacks coach 3rd Kyle Flood Offensive line coach 2nd Holmon Wiggins Wide receivers coach2nd Sal Sunseri Outside linebackers coach 2nd Freddie Roach Defensive line coach 1st David Ballou Strength and conditioning 1stReference:2020 Alabama Crimson Tide Football Media Guide, p. 2
Graduate assistants Tino Sunseri Andy Kwon Max Bullough Jake Long Analysts
Dean Altobelli Major Applewhite Javier Arenas Bert Biffani Rob Ezell Johnathan Galante Butch Jones Shiloh Keo A. J. Milwee Alex Mortensen Nick Perry Patrick Reilly Gordon Steele Mike Stoops Charlie Strong
Roster 2020 Alabama Crimson Tide FootballQuarterback 7 – Braxton Barker – sophomore (6'1, 202) 9 – Bryce Young – freshman (6'0, 190) 10 – Mac Jones – junior (6'2, 205) 12 – Logan Burnett – senior (6'2, 200) 15 – Paul Tyson – freshman (6'4, 220) 16 – Jayden George – sophomore (6'3, 192) 19 – Stone Hollenbach – sophomore (6'3, 208)
Running back 2 – Keilan Robinson – sophomore (5'9, 184) 4 – Brian Robinson Jr. – senior (6'1, 226) 21 – Jase McClellan – freshman (5'11, 200) 22 – Najee Harris – senior (6'3, 230) 23 – Roydell Williams – freshman (5'10, 207) 26 – Trey Sanders – freshman (6'0, 214) 27 – Kyle Edwards – freshman (6'0, 210) 35 – Connor Bishop – freshman (6'1, 195)
Wide receiver 3 – Xavier Williams – sophomore (6'1, 195) 5 – Javon Baker – freshman (6'1, 183) 6 – DeVonta Smith – senior (6'1, 175) 8 – John Metchie III – sophomore (6'0, 195) 11 – Traeshon Holden – freshman (6'3, 196) 14 – Thaiu Jones-Bell – freshman (6'0, 190) 17 – Jaylen Waddle – junior (5'10, 182) 18 – Slade Bolden – sophomore (5'11, 191) 25 – Jonathan Bennett – freshman (5'8, 178) 31 – Shatarius Williams – freshman (6'3, 187) 32 – C.J. Williams – freshman (5'10, 159) 36 – Bret Bolin – junior (6'0, 176) 42 – Sam Reed – sophomore (6'1, 165) 84 – Joshua Lanier – senior (5'11, 160) 85 – Drew Kobayashi – senior (6'2, 200) 89 – Grant Krieger – sophomore (6'2, 192)
Placekicker 16 – Will Reichard – sophomore (6'1, 180) 82 – Chase Allen – freshman (6'2, 188) 93 – Tripp Slyman – sophomore (6'1, 180) 97 – Joseph Bulovas – junior (6'0, 203)
Punter 12 – Skyler DeLong – junior (6'4, 188) 85 – Charlie Scott – senior (6'1, 195) 95 – Jack Martin – sophomore (6'0, 206) 98 – Sam Johnson – freshman (6'3, 215) 99 – Ty Perine – sophomore (6'1, 190) (PK) Tight end 19 – Jahleel Billingsley– sophomore (6'4, 228) 46 – Melvin Billingsley – junior (6'3, 230) 60 – Kendall Randolph – junior (6'4, 296) (OL+) 80 – Michael Parker – sophomore (6'6, 216) 81 – Cameron Latu– sophomore (6'5", 247) 82 – Richard Hunt – freshman (6'7, 235) 86 – Carl Tucker – senior (6'2, 248) 87 – Miller Forristall – senior (6'5, 242) 88 – Major Tennison – junior (6'5, 248)
Offensive lineman 51 – Tanner Bowles – freshman (6'5, 280) 55 – Emil Ekiyor Jr. – sophomore (6'3, 327) 56 – Seth McLaughlin – freshman (6'4, 278) 57 – Javion Cohen – freshman (6'5, 296) 62 – Jackson Roby – junior (6'5", 285) 65 – Deonte Brown – senior (6'4, 338) 66 – Brandon Cade – freshman (6'2, 264) 67 – Donovan Hardin – freshman (6'3, 285) 68 – Alajujuan Sparks Jr. – freshman (6'4, 385) 69 – Landon Dickerson – senior (6'3, 325) 70 – Alex Leatherwood – senior (6'6, 310) 71 – Darrian Dalcourt – sophomore (6'3, 299) 72 – Pierce Quick – freshman (6'5, 291) 73 – Evan Neal – sophomore (6'7, 360) 74 – Damien George – freshman (6'7, 345)