▁losing ▁to ▁the ▁Michigan ▁Wol ver ines ▁in ▁over time . ▁With ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁success , ▁Alabama ▁began ▁their ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁season ▁as ▁high ▁as ▁No . ▁ 3 ▁in ▁some ▁pol ls . ▁The ▁expect ations ▁went ▁un ful filled ▁as ▁the ▁T ide ▁sl ump ed ▁to ▁a ▁ 3 – 8 ▁record ▁and ▁news ▁broke ▁about ▁an ▁affair ▁Du B ose ▁was ▁having ▁with ▁his ▁secretary . ▁Following ▁the ▁season , ▁Du B ose ▁was ▁fired ▁replaced ▁by ▁an ▁up - and - coming ▁coach ▁from ▁T C U , ▁Dennis ▁Fran ch ione . ▁ ▁Dennis ▁Fran ch ione ▁era ▁( 2 0 0 1 – 2 0 0 2 ) ▁ ▁Dennis ▁Fran ch ione ▁became ▁the ▁head ▁coach ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Alabama ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁and ▁led ▁the ▁team , ▁which ▁had ▁posted ▁a ▁ 3 – 8 ▁record ▁the ▁prior ▁season , ▁to ▁a ▁ 7 – 5 ▁record ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁and ▁a ▁ 1 0 – 3 ▁record ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 . ▁The ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁team ▁won ▁the ▁Independ ence ▁Bowl , ▁which ▁became ▁Alabama ' s ▁first ▁bow l ▁win ▁after ▁five ▁seasons . ▁The ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁team ▁finished ▁with ▁a ▁ 6 – 2 ▁conference ▁record , ▁placing ▁first ▁in ▁the ▁West ▁Division ▁of ▁the ▁S out he astern ▁Conference . ▁However , ▁due ▁to ▁NCAA ▁san ctions ▁resulting