1938 Alabama Crimson Tide football team The 1938 Alabama Crimson Tide football team ( variously " Alabama " , " UA " or " Bama " ) represented the University of Alabama in the 1938 college football season . It was the Crimson Tide ' s 45th overall and 6th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference ( SEC ) . The team was led by head coach Frank Thomas , in his eighth year , and played their home games at Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and Legion Field in Birmingham , Alabama . They finished the season with a record of seven wins , one loss and one tie ( 7 – 1 – 1 overall , 4 – 1 – 1 in the SEC ) . The Crimson Tide opened the season with a 19 – 7 victory in an intersectional contest against USC at Los Angeles . They then followed up the win with consecutive shutouts , home victories over non - conference opponents and on homecoming . However , Alabama then was shut out 13 – 0 by Tennessee , their first loss against the Volunteers since 1932 . The Crimson Tide then rebounded with victories against , and Tulane . After a 14 – 14 tie against , Alabama defeated Vanderbilt in their season finale . With a final record of 7 – 1 – 1 , Alabama was ranked No . 13 in the final AP Poll of the season . Additionally , after the season the Associated Press recognized Alabama as having the best record ( 40 – 4 – 3 ) and highest winning percentage ( . 909 ) of any major college team for the five - year period between 1934 and 1938 . Statistically , the defense was one of the most dominant in school history and still holds numerous defense records . Schedule . On December 5 , 1937 , Frank Thomas announced the 1938 schedule . The intersectional game against USC was announced in August 1937 and was the first between the two football powers . The remaining schedule included road games at and with the remaining three games split evenly between Denny Stadium and Legion Field . Game notes . USC . In August 1937 , university officials announced Alabama would open the 1938 season in Los Angeles against the University of Southern California ( USC ) . Looking for " revenge " after their January loss in the Rose Bowl , their first loss on the West Coast , the Crimson Tide defeated the Trojans 19 – 7 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum . After a scoreless first quarter , Alabama scored two touchdowns in the second quarter to take a 13 – 0 halftime lead . The scores came on a pair of Herschel Mosley touchdown passes , the first on a seven - yard pass to Billy Slemons and the second on an 18 - yard pass to Gene Blackwell . The Trojans responded after the first Alabama touchdown with their deepest drive into Crimson Tide territory of the game . On the drive , Robert Peoples connected with Grenny Lansdell for a 36 - yard gain to the Alabama 22 . However the Alabama defense held , and USC failed to score after they turned the ball over on downs at the Alabama 13 - yard line . After they held their 13 – 0 lead through the third quarter , Hal Hughes intercepted an Oliver Day pass and returned it 25 - yards for an Alabama touchdown to make the score 19 – 0 after Vic Bradford missed his second extra point of the game . Later in the fourth , the Trojans scored their only points of the game . The one - yard Day touchdown run was set up after Al Krueger recovered Charley Boswell fumble d punt at the Alabama one - yard line . The victory was their first all - time against USC . Over 6 , 000 fans greeted the team at the Alabama Great Southern Railroad station in downtown Tuscaloosa upon their arrival the following Tuesday to celebrate their victory . Howard . A week after their intersectional victory over USC to open the season , Alabama hosted Howard ( now Samford University ) in their home opener . In the game , the Crimson Tide outgained the Bulldogs in rushing yards 354 to 8 in their 34 – 0 shutout at Denny Stadium . Alabama scored their first touchdown on a 15 - yard Billy Slemons run to take a 7 – 0 first quarter lead . In the second quarter touchdowns were scored by , George Zivich on a 43 - yard run and by Alvin Davis on a 56 - yard run to extend the Alabama lead to 20 – 0 at halftime . The Crimson Tide then closed the game with a pair of second half touchdowns for the 34 – 0 victory . Davis scored in the third on a two - yard run and Charlie Holm scored in the fourth on a three - yard run . Davis starred for Alabama in the game with his 153 yards rushing on 15 attempts with a pair of touchdowns . The victory improved Alabama ' s all - time record against Howard to 16 – 0 – 1 . NC State . In their third and final non - conference game of the season , Alabama hosted North Carolina State University ( NC State ) in their annual homecoming contest . In the game , the Crimson Tide ' s two second touchdowns were enough in their defeat of the Wolfpack in their 14 – 0 shutout at Denny Stadium . After they were held without a first down in the opening quarter , Alabama scored the only points of the game with their two second quarter touchdowns . The first was on a 28 - yard Herschel Mosley pass to Erin Warren and the second on a seven - yard Mosley touchdown run . The Alabama defense dominated the Wolfpack offense and allowed negative rushing yardage ( minus four ) and zero yards passing . On offense , Mosley starred for the Crimson Tide with his 123 rushing yards on 15 attempts and one passing and rushing touchdown . The victory was their first all - time against NC State . Tennessee . In Birmingham , Alabama was upset by rival Tennessee 13 – 0 at Legion Field . Leonard Coffman scored both of the Volunteers ' touchdowns on one - yard runs in the first and third quarters . George Cafego also starred for Tennessee with his 120 rushing yards on 17 attempts that included separate runs of 48 and 33 yards . The loss was Alabama ' s first against Tennessee since the 1932 season , and brought Alabama ' s all - time record against Tennessee to 13 – 6 – 2 . Sewanee . A week after their loss to Tennessee , Alabama defeated the Tigers 32 – 0 at Denny Stadium . After a scoreless first quarter , Alabama took a 7 – 0 lead in the second after Vic Bradford scored on a one - yard quarterback sneak . Later in the quarter , a 51 - yard Alvin Davis touchdown run was called back due to a holding penalty , and he Crimson Tide led 7 – 0 at the half . After Dallas Wicke scored on a one - yard run in the third , Alabama scored 19 fourth quarter points for the 32 – 0 win . In the fourth , Charley Boswell had a pair of rushing touchdowns and thew a third to Erin Warren in the win . The victory improved Alabama ' s all - time record against Sewanee to 17 – 10 – 3 , in what was their last all - time meeting as Sewanee withdrew from SEC following the 1940 season and de - emphasized athletics . Kentucky . As Alabama entered their contest against Kentucky , they entered the rankings at No . 18 in the weekly AP Poll . In the game , the Crimson Tide defeated the Wildcats 26 – 6 on homecoming at McLean Stadium . Alabama opened the game with a pair of touchdowns to take a 14 – 0 lead in the first quarter . Charlie Holm scored first on a one - yard run and Vic Bradford scored the second on a 31 - yard touchdown reception from Herschel Mosley . Kentucky responded in the second with their only points on a 71 - yard Dave Zoeller touchdown run to cut the Alabama lead to 14 – 6 at the half . The Crimson Tide then scored on a pair of Mosley touchdown passes in the second half . The first came on a six - yard pass to Bradford in the third and the second on a nine - yard pass to Erin Warren in the fourth . The victory improved Alabama ' s all - time record against Kentucky 17 – 1 . Tulane . After their victory over Kentucky , the Crimson Tide moved up three positions to the No . 15 spot in the weekly poll . In the game , the Crimson Tide defeated the Tulane Green Wave 3 – 0 after Vic Bradford converted a game - winning , 17 - yard field goal late in the fourth quarter . The victory improved Alabama ' s all - time record against Tulane to 12 – 3 – 1 . Georgia Tech . After their close victory over Tulane , the Crimson Tide dropped one position to the No . 16 spot in the weekly poll . In their game against Georgia Tech Alabama fell behind 14 – 0 after the first quarter , but a pair of second half touchdowns gave the Crimson Tide a 14 – 14 tie against the Yellow Jackets at Grant Field . Georgia Tech took an early 14 – 0 lead after W . C . Gibson threw a 16 - yard touchdown pass to George Smith and W . H . Ector scored on a two - yard run . Still down 14 – 0 as they entered the third quarter , Alabama scored their first points of the game on a three - yard Alvin Davis touchdown run to cap a 57 - yard drive . The Crimson Tide then tied the game in the fourth when they executed a hook and lateral play , with Davis crossing the endzone line for a 66 - yard touchdown . Alabama was then in position to attempt a game - winning field goal from the Jackets ' 15 ; however , time expired before they could get a play off which resulted in the 14 – 14 tie . The tie brought Alabama ' s all - time record against Georgia Tech to 11 – 10 – 3 . Vanderbilt . In their season finale against the Vanderbilt Commodores , Alabama won 7 – 0 at Legion Field on Thanksgiving Day . The only scoring drive began in the third and ended early in the fourth with a two - yard Vic Bradford touchdown run . Bradford ' s extra point was then blocked , but George Zivich recovered it and took it in for the point to give Alabama the 7 – 0 lead . The victory improved Alabama ' s all - time record against Vanderbilt to 11 – 9 . After the season . After all of the regular season games were completed , the final AP Poll was released in early December . In the final poll , Alabama held the No . 13 position . Alabama was also recognized by the Associated Press for having the best record ( 40 – 4 – 3 ) and highest winning percentage ( . 909 ) of any major , college team for the five - year period between 1934 and 1938 . Statistically , the 1938 defense was one of the best in school history . The 1938 squad still holds numerous defensive records that include : NFL Draft . Several players that were varsity lettermen from the 1938 squad were drafted into the National Football League ( NFL ) between the 1939 and 1941 drafts . These players included the following : References . General Specific