Alabama players share Rose Bowl memories before…
Alabama football isn’t in the Rose Bowl very much. Sure, the Crimson Tide played in the COVID edition of the game, held in Arlington, Texas, during the pandemic-impacted 2020 College Football Playoff, and Nick Saban won his first national title in Tuscaloosa after the 2009 season in a national title game held in the stadium.
But the regular Rose Bowl? It’s been since 1945.
“I know how iconic the Rose Bowl is,” Alabama outside linebacker Dallas Turner said Tuesday, ahead of Alabama’s College Football Playoff semifinal appearance in the Granddaddy of Them All. “I grew up watching it so it’s a very good opportunity for me and my teammates. Just go out there to Los Angeles and have a good time, have some fun. A lot of people on our team have never even been out west before, it’s a new experience for everybody.”
The 2009 national title game marked the beginning of the Saban dynasty. The Crimson Tide beat Texas 37-21 to claim the BCS championship, led by the likes of Mark Ingram, Julio Jones and Rolando McClain.
The game had an impact on a young Malachi Moore.
“I do remember watching that game,” Alabama’s senior safety said on Tuesday. ” It’s kind of a thing when Mark Ingram scored and kind of put his gloves up like that, I went to practice the next day and every time I scored, I would do the same thing every single time I scored. I definitely remember that, and it’s going to be fun playing there.”
Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe also remembered the game, though he was possibly not a UA fan at the time, growing up in Texas. Even if he hadn’t recalled the contest coming into Alabama, Josh Chapman, current Alabama director of player development and nose tackle on the 2009 team, wouldn’t have let that last long.
“He talks about that game all the time,” Milroe said. ” I’m familiar with the game. I’m familiar with how our Alabama team finished the game with four quarters. That’s something that jumped out about that game. I’m familiar with that game and how hard it was to take Texas down.”
That game wasn’t Milroe’s only lasting memory of the Rose Bowl. He said before Alabama played Texas this season that he had owned a Vince Young jersey as a youngster.
After the 2005 season, Young carved up the Southern Cal defense in the game to lead the Longhorns to the national championship. He ran for the winning touchdown in the waning seconds of that game.
“I grew up watching Vince Young and I’ve definitely seen that highlight,” Milroe said. “Growing up, I saw that highlight a lot. I’ve seen it this week.”
Milroe and the rest of the Crimson Tide will get the chance to make their mark on the Rose Bowl’s illustrious history on Jan. 1. The winner of Alabama’s matchup with Michigan will face either Washington or Texas in the national championship game on Jan. 8 in Houston.