Turning of the Tide | Part 2: The Statement; How beating Clemson, Georgia launched Alabama’s dynasty

AL.com presents "Turning of the Tide", a three-part look back at the Alabama Crimson Tide's pivotal 2008 football season, and the role that particular team played in changing the face of Alabama football, and all of college football, as we know it today.
In part 2 of the series, we take a look at how the Crimson Tide's wins over (then ranked) No. 9 Clemson and No. 3 Georgia catapulted Alabama back into national relevancy.

[@kurtusdoss5965]

Nick saban is one of the greatest college coaches of all time if not the best college football coach of all time.

[@colkilgore100]

As a lifelong Irish fan, I remember Ara Parseghian, Dan Devine and Lou Holtz, all National Championsip winners, with Ara snagging 2. But I gotta agree with you Kurtus, Saban is a man possessed. Winning is the ultimate, the only goal worthy of dedicated men. And Nick knows that one pays a heavy price to achieve, but he instills into his players that it is worth it. Boys go to Bama as freshmen but leave as men when they complete their senior year.

[@hughbrame4193]

Saban & Bear Bryant both bama coaches

[@DragonMoth34]

As of now, in 2021, Saban is the undisputed BEST college football coach of ALL time. He has surpassed the great Bear, with 7 total National Championships. Finna be 8 in 2022! ROLL DAMN TIDE

[@nathanhclemmons]

The greatest college football coach of all time.

[@jasonsmith5226]

The #1 greatest now...& I'm not an Alabama fan.

[@lilg4565]

Yea I remembered that game I loved it I knew we were going to be something to contend with that year. I hear all these Facebook bullies talking they are tired of Bama but guess what were not going nowhere. We set the standards they live by then.

[@ronaldboyle5619]

Didn't Bowden resign that year and Dabo took over and hasn't looked back since?

[@mikethompson8881]

Man I LOVE Mr. Eli Gold! RTR🇺🇸☝

[@austinlilley2000]

I love Coach Saban so much. If I took my athletic career seriously I would've played for him

[@codybischoff5998]

Austin Lilley sure buddy

[@phillyfan3942]

Sure

[@piercemccauley7079]

Yeah sure bud

[@paidinfull5950]

I was 14 when saban came but it was a huge deal in my small town in Alabama. That was our topic in class for weeks lol, I remember the turn around it was amazing. And a few years ago I realized just how great this era is and that I needed to pay attention to the history being made. ROLL TIDE!

[@mas5867]

No, you need to drill down. Every one of Saban's NCs has a caveat. None can you say are totally satisfying. 1 of many, many examples. Google how well the country liked the AL/ND NC. Few believed ND should have been there. But the defunct BCS allowed another Saban fortune.

[@paidinfull5950]

@@mas5867 what? Lol

[@barryrobinson8085]

I'm a Bama fan from Texas!

[@CBR250RMAN]

No matter red, black or white, Georgia will lose the fight SEC CHAMPS BAMA RTR

[@willlamb7606]

if we are in white we can win

[@erickgalicia8473]

I remember watching this game. Being a Nole in Atlanta I told all my UGA friends. “Champs don’t need gimmicks to win” they all said I was jealous because FSU wasn’t FSU anymore and it was “their time” I replied. “ you’ve already been beat and it might not even be close” I was so satisfied to be right. I was at the 07 game in JAX between FSU and Bama. Two programs and fan bases that have mutual respect for each other. UGA not in the same league as those two programs

[@mas5867]

@@erickgalicia8473 yeah, I agree. Both of Dabo's NCs don't have any caveats. All of Saban's do including the onside kick to steal a possession from Clem when they were both going back and forth in the 45-40 game.

[@thegood9]

I will contend til the day I die that the Colorado win in the Independence bowl the year before was REALLY where Alabama arrived. You could see the change in mentality, and the players that didn't buy in didn't play. The ones that bought in, played hard, played tough, for four quarters, and they won that game...in the 40's cold, btw!..through a sheer dominance of power for the first time. We KNEW that was the "real" beginning of Saban Football here at Alabama.

[@mas5867]

You look the f/oo.l Colorado! Finished with 7 losses. Look at their losses to whom and how much. The CO win was a benchmark of nothing, other than it was not a loss.

[@thegood9]

@@mas5867 nope. You're missing the point. It had nothing to do with the opponent. It was when Saban's players made a statement. During that bowl season a nucleus of players stood up and took leadership of that team and worked from there to implement what Saban wanted to do. They started to see the vision. Yes, you look the F.00. L!

[@mas5867]

@@thegood9 Support your gibberish with something besides your emotions. Real football fans demand it. How many 100s of first 1st year coaches had bad seasons, won their bowl and had great seasons the next year. I have 1. Gene Chizik.

[@thegood9]

@@mas5867 whatever you want to say.

[@c.juneau410]

AS MUCH AS I WANT TO BEAT BAMA. AS A LSU FAN, NICK SABAN GOT LSU WHERE THEY ARE NOW! BEST COACH IN HISTORY BY FAR! I RESPECT COACH SABAN, BUT MAN.. I REALLY WANT TO BEAT THEM!!! #MUCHRESPECT

[@levilively8643]

You play football for Alabama?

[@alwayslookinround]

Hey I love this series of videos you guys have put together. Awesose job! I hope yall plan to releas these as a whole on dvd or blu ray. Thanks

[@Deryan-tv2tt]

I want y’all to understand, I physically cannot want till part 3. I just found the page and I can’t explain how pumped I am watching part 1&2 back to back. Keep on, keeping on.

[@brianshaughnessy4020]

As a New England Patriots fan, I’ve always rooted for Alabama under Saban because of his connection to Bill Belichick and the similarities in how they run their programs. Two football geniuses who are all about substance over style and who value high-character players.

[@alexshirley6096]

Odd twist of irony he got tommy Bowden fired for dabo so 2 dynasties were born

[@David-jf3uf]

Go watch the video about Tim Tebow’s decision of Alabama vs Florida. That recruiting pick has implications on mike Shulas tenure which in turn affects this beautiful moment in Alabama history.

[@RT22-pb2pp]

Clemson is not a dynasty

[@rt2255]

Dabo had 2 good yrs no dynasty, there is one dynasty and it is bama,15 yrs. No one else is even close

[@robertferguson7804]

When is part 3 being released?

[@bigpapa82]

It just got released

[@walterjohnson5552]

these are amazing videos.....should be a DVD....and yes, when is Part 3 coming out?

[@cm1133]

In the summer of 2008, my team hired a new sales rep who was a Clem(p)son graduate. She ran her mouth all summer how Clem(p)son was going to drub BAMA in the first game of the season. I called her at the end of the game and made her eat crow!

[@jeremiahtalkssports1832]

Where is part 3? This has been dope so far. Roll Tide

[@dontarguewithfools]

One name. Ronaldo McClain. North Alabama Goat

[@pharaohbhang1172]

And you don't even get that one name correct. Wow.

[@JMARTIN1947]

Holy crap, this is an excellent, inspirational video. Of course, all things Bama are awesome.

[@t-gotitanup9386]

As a Gator fan when Alabama came back to their glory days in 2008, I was like this team is a National Championship team both 08 and 09 I was scared to face Alabama and we got our W in 08 but that 09 team I was like we have no chance especially how we were struggling and they were suffocating teams with their defense and run heavy attack I knew we were going to lose to Alabama if we saw em again in the SEC Championship boy I was right we lost 32-13

[@jorear74]

I will always remember Doug Flutie's comment at halftime. Bama showed up for a fist fight and Clemson showed up for a school dance (something like that).

[@bradmiller9121]

"something like that" but you "will always remember" that quote. I'm guessing you went to 'Bama because those two statements contradict each other.

[@adamwyker4800]

Brad Miller - great pedantic pwnage bro... He didn’t quote the man and so he isn’t saying he remembers verbatim what was said but rather the general sentiment. It’s the fist fight vs school dance characterization that he remembers. The comment has adequate specificity necessary to convey the aforementioned general sentiment so nice whiff douche bag.

[@mas5867]

@@bradmiller9121 Fing P!

[@MetallicAAlabamA]

Here is what a CFB powerhouse looks like Wallace Wade era 1925 10-0 (7-0) NC 1926 9-0-1 (8-0) NC 1930 10-0 (7-0) NC Frank Thomas era 1934 10-0 (7-0) NC 1941 9-2 (6-1) *Claimed NC* 1945 10-0 (7-0) *UN Claimed NC* Bear Bryant era 1961 11-0 (7-0) NC 1964 10-1 (8-0) NC 1965 9-1-1 (6-1-1) NC 1966 11-0 (6-0) *UN Claimed NC* 1971 11-1 (7-0)*UN Claimed NC* 1973 11-1 (8-0) *Claimed NC* 1975 11-1 (7-0) *UN Claimed NC* 1977 11-1 (7-0) *UN Claimed NC* 1978 11-1 (6-0) NC 1979 12-0 (6-0) NC Gene Stallings era 1992 13-0 (8-0) NC Nick Saban era 2009 14-0 (8-0) NC 2011 12-1 (7-1) NC 2012 13-1 (7-1) NC 2015 14-1 (7-1) NC 2017 14-1 (7-1) NC 2018 12-0 (8-0) ??? These are all straight up National Titles, Claimed National Titles, and UN Claimed National Titles. Thats 22 outright, claimed, and unclaimed national titles. So if anyone wants to argue that Bama dosent have the amount of national titles that they have, then throw this in their face and tell them "Ok, well there is a few national titles that Bama dosent claim when they could." And just imagine if Bryant would have had his teams voted #1 in (66,71,75,77) Bryant would have 10 National Titles, and Saban has 5 at Bama, and he came very close to have won titles in (08,13,14,16) That's 8 National Titles between those two coaches that either should have won, or came very very close to doing so. If you don't believe Alabama is CFB royalty, and is the BEST college football program to ever be assembled? Then all I have to say to those haters is "Roll Tide! "

[@JMARTIN1947]

Joshua, my father played four years of football at USC for Howard Jones and was on the 1932 USC National Championship Team. Late in his life, I got him to reminisce about the leather-helmet era and asked him to reflect on playing Notre Dame. He waived off that question and said that, as a college player, he heard more buzz and respect about Alabama.

[@MetallicAAlabamA]

@@JMARTIN1947 Oh wow! Thanks for sharing that with me. During the 60s, and 70s Bear Bryant , and USC's John McKay had a close realtionship with each other, and Bama has played a few bowls against the Trojans (34' Rose Bowl, also the 85' Aloha Bowl)and I think imo the greatest move they made was having USC to come to Brimingham, Al during all this hate and racial tension to play Bryant' s Crimson Tide team and beat Alabama on the back of Cunningham. I have no doubt in my mind that was Bryant and McKay's way of desegregating the University of Alabama. I know Bama had some African Americans that played , but to have that game happened, the time it was played, and with the hostility that was going on at that time? It is the most important game to ever occur in the game of CFB's history. I am a firm believer that when CFB's blue bloods are doing great, then the world of CFB does great. Teams like USC, Notre Dame, Michigan, Ohio St, Oklahoma, Miami, Florida, Florida St, Nebraska, and Texas. When these teams win, the world of college football wins. Because when you hate a school, or hate what they are accomplishing, guess what? You watch, and you watch to see em get beat, if they don't lose? Well, your left in awe of what they are doing to the rest of the nation. The USC Trojans of the early and mid 2000s was great to watch, The Irish of the late 80s, and early 90s were great to watch, the Miami teams of the 80s, early 90s, and early 2000s, were great to watch, Ohio St, Nebraska and Michigan in the mid 90s, Florida, and Florida St battling it out during the 90s, and 2000s. It was awesome! But Alabama has set themselves apart from every other team with this dynasty right now. Bama has left no question in anyone's mind to which program is the king of CFB. And its ok to hate em, and despise em. It's ok to wish they would lose. But you have to appreciate what they are doing, and respect it also. USC, and Bama has a very good history between each other.

[@Sam-dn2ck]

@@MetallicAAlabamA could this be factor in that that the state of Alabama don have a nfl team..it make sense the state has the support for the university in that case

[@MetallicAAlabamA]

@@Sam-dn2ck No, because the state actually had a pro football franchise at one time (Birmingham Stallions of the USFL) and the league actually done really well. If I'm not mistaken Donald Trump was one of the factors it went under. (Not 100 percent on that, but I believe so) No Alabama has been doing this since the 1920s.

[@seandevine4959]

Ironically both Alabama and Southern Cal have losing records against Notre Dame, and if Notre Dame used Alabama's math, they would be claiming 24 National Championships.

[@patrickg8582]

Keep em coming

[@JK-gu3tl]

That Clemson game led to Bowden's termination and Dabo was promoted as a result.

[@ßøi-e8v]

Imagine if the score of the sec championship is the same as the 08 game lol

[@MetallicAAlabamA]

I thought the 2015 game @Georgia was even better. Georgia was ranked #8 and just like 08, and like last year's Natty, they talked smack all week, they were going to end our run, beat us and they were going to destroy Bama's dynasty. But Bama goes into a rain soaked Samford Stadium and Derrick Henry ran for 200+ yds in rout to a 38-10 win. Georgia's only TD was a 78 yd gallop by Chubb in the 4th quarter, lol!

[@SammyAmps]

So 4 Auburn fans didn't like this video...smh

[@warrenkuhn925]

I'm a Arkansas native . I wish we had a coach half as good as Nick Saban .

[@waynewilliams5802]

No show Moreno was a joke, bama who got crushed by Gators dropped no show like a bad habit. Except Herschel Walker Georgia is a joke

[@Gunstrikes]

reuploaded???? or am I tripping

[@acvieluf]

yeah, i watched this this morning, and now here it is, saying 20 minutes old. I wonder what needed to be changed?

[@Gunstrikes]

acvieluf yeah so did i 😂😂😂 didn’t see nothing wrong with it

[@AlabamaCrimsonTideonALcom]

@@acvieluf I'll never tellllllll ;)

[@MsBamafanatic]

Where is Part 3?

[@jeremy7625]

Well, bama is the past now…. Go dawgs!

[@alwayslookinround]

I don't know who gave this a thumbs down. But I bet your lonely! Lord God cause your the only one! Lol!

[@MetallicAAlabamA]

Well it's 4 lonely ppl now, and probrably will be more. No it's salty, upset fans of teams like LSU ,Georgia, Clemson, Auburn, Michigan, Ohio St. Mostly it's likely more LSU fans, because they are under the belief that the SEC is firmly giving them the shaft in order to help Alabama, don't ask me why, cause I'm puzzled myself. And fans of Ohio St ,Michigan, and Oklahoma they all think Alabama hasn't played anyone, until they play them, and if they beat us, they boast that they are the best, but when we beat them it's "Well the refs cheated." Or "We wasn't 100 percent" lol! They are all just salty fanbases who are upset that Alabama is ruling CFB. Roll Tide!

[@duke3023]

All of you Alabama fans are inbred😂😂

[@alwayslookinround]

@@duke3023 Why do you say that ? Why you gotta be ugly ?

[@MetallicAAlabamA]

@@duke3023 The ones who call people inbred, are indeed inbred themselves. It's proven, because the inbred DNA is so etched inside them that they call everyone inbred. I bet you have 1 eye that looks down and the other stays closed? Where is a picture of you. So everyone can see u are

[@1OFGODSOWN]

DAWGS WIN and Bama still makes the playoffs and plays the DAWGS again for the National Championship and loses again to the DAWGS. You saw it here 1st.

[@BAMA-2019]

You better hope your right after making a statement like that cause if YOUR NOT...aint enough crow in BAMA to fill the hole that just come out of...HEARD IT HEAR FIRST

[@quentinrussell7881]

Uh nope

[@ahough3500]

well that didn't go as planned did it.... lol

[@phillyfan3942]

Na

[@steveng.c.8524]

Relentless fits here!😂

[@mole7673]

Felix’s was where TJ Yeldon got a bag of cash. Nice sponsorship move.

[@adamwyker4800]

mole7673 - you do realize that the NFL factory/pipeline that Bama has created is a little more alluring than some petty cash bullshit. I imagine whatever butthurt envious program you follow is trying to shorten the chasm between itself and the crimson clad kings of CFB by using these dirty tricks. I’m just explaining to you why Bama doesn’t have to do it. Take your time, think about it, reach out if you need further education, and tell your team to practice harder.

[@braydentompkins1536]

Felix’s slaps tho, some of the best fresh seafood you can get

[@christyharris2599]

ROLL TIDE🏈🏈🏈🏈

[@jerichopride2756]

Nick Saban is the best coach of all time period.

[@coyotebird]

5:15 , I remember this so vividly

[@renavegapvi5ion303]

If any questions on why the ELEPHANT as a maskot 3:25 there's your answer ☺

[@thundorkat]

What?..

[@pdoylemi]

Saban is great, ans MSU was foolish to let him go - maybe. But he wanted to go pro - he would have left soon no matter what. And if MSU were to offer him twice what Bama pays, I think he would leave, Tom Izzo and Mark Dantonio would not. We know that because they have both turned down big offers.

[@mas5867]

What. He was bad at MSU. Finished with 5, 6, 5, 6, 2 losses. was 0-3 in bowls.

[@shehansenanayaka3046]

This defeat to gators changed Alabama to one of the feared units of college football 🏈❤. Bama ❤ fan from Sri Lanka ❤

[@aminabranda4488]

The hapless woman behaviorally intend because wednesday morphologically trick mid a damaged toy. hurried, whispering toad

[@RT22-pb2pp]

2008 was so long ago, man what a ride it has been. I saw end of bears career, never thought we could be that good again much less better. To all my tide brothers and sisters enjoy and eat this up. You are watching history. It will end but you can tell your grand kids you saw a run like no other in history.

[@MrRondonmon]

LOL, every time I see Scarbinsky I think oof Jigsaw, from the Saw movies...🤣

[@aminabranda4488]

The staking walk predominantly yell because wealth aetiologically reign like a gaudy pakistan. striped, wandering mallet

[@uofa82]

All Bama needed was a REAL leader! We got one! RTR!🐘🏈😊🏆👏❤️‼️

[@Da-Boo33]

Rolltide

[@davidjones5269]

Roll Tide from Sylacauga Alabama

[@matttretter3865]

When we roll in your not going to want to play us!!

[@mish8083]

“doesn’t mean a hill of beans” 😂😂

[@jonathanburrow8846]

Tb to when Ingram wasn’t washed

[@rja9784]

Thunder and lightning 😂😂😂

[@sheilacyork]

How did Alabama start out 2008 ranked 24th?

[@adamwyker4800]

Sheila York - part of it was the 7-6 Shula sterilization from the year before and nobody coulda known how elite that 2008 class (the “Julio” class) was going to be in the end.

[@mas5867]

@@adamwyker4800 LOL. Clown. So when a coach walks in, immediately all his players start playing. Shula would have recruited most of the player that were freshman in 2007. So, in 2008, the freshman would have been Saban's. Most of the others, by far, were Shula's.

[@wildestcowboy2668]

Bear Bryant built Alabama. Stood on sidelines puffing a non filtered Chesterfield.

[@mikeflo6459]

When you hold a team to 0 yards rushing that have 2 running backs that are competing for the Heisman. That is defense at its finest. It’s like the sec started in that same year.

[@thegodfatherofthesec1748]

I was at this Game !

[@roadrules3671]

Roll Turds

[@cashiusclay_]

Aight!!!

[@nathanhclemmons]

Goat

[@loganbeaumont2490]

This is why the LSU loss shouldn't get us out of the playoff

[@bryantc2899]

A bad year for Alabama is a citrus bowl appearance.

[@Cajunman1977-k3f]

We need to get back to this kind of football.

[@santoscalamaco3160]

The greats hoaxs ever this is the best you guys are good

[@nathanhclemmons]

🐐

[@ninurtathricemajestic7179]

44-16 we made them quit

[@thundorkat]

You played? You're 2-3 versus alabama since 2008. Lsu made that ass quit in 2019 😂. Catch up.

[@mas5867]

@@thundorkat Bama lost to LSU in 19 too. Actually Tua was directly responsible for the loss. Pts off of Tua, 14.

[@hasanx4637]

totally glossing over the early struggles. like a loss to a Div. II team.

[@aeromedical6776]

Yeah-that loss to Louisiana Monroe really set the program back decades, huh?

[@mas5867]

Yeah Saban, it was one game over a sorry team that lost 5 more and finished UNRANKED. This game meant SH*T by midway through the season. LOL. Fast forward to the 1st game of 2012. Al crushes #8 MI. Here we go again. MI finished with 5 losses and a #24 ranking. Neither win helped define greatness. He has so many of those.

[@mikeowens3283]

Bama wont make the championship and will not win their conference

[@H.O.34Dr3am]

Alabama is a great football program, definitely royalty. But the greatest college football team of all time is still the 1995 Nebraska Cornhuskers.

[@frankjr2932]

Uh no Nebraska is not the best college football team of all time 2009 or this year's Alabama crimson tide team is the best college football team of all time

[@ianthorpe1925]

01 Miami is better than both of those teams.

[@ianthorpe1925]

@@frankjr2932 You want to amend that comment? Lol *By the way- I HATE Clemson.

[@frankjr2932]

@@ianthorpe1925 yes I amend it i got ahead of myself this years team sucked it would have to be 2009 CRIMSON TIDE for sure

[@frankjr2932]

@@ianthorpe1925 i definitely amend that comment about this year's CRIMSON TIDE team so the best college football team of all time would have to be the team that dabo played for 1992-1993 CRIMSON TIDE national championship team that put a beat down on the Miami hurricanes 34-13 LOL I like Clemson no hating from me even though they beat my team Miami is not or never will be on BAMA'S level as far as what Miami has done in the past present or future BY THE WAY I HATE MIAMI

[@tomblount5635]

What a difference in 2008 and 2022 playing with "anxiety"!!! WTH???