ton ▁Bowl , ▁after ▁which ▁Bear ▁Bry ant ▁carried ▁him ▁off ▁the ▁field ▁to ▁celebr ate ▁the ▁victory ▁of ▁his ▁former ▁player . ▁In ▁his ▁first ▁season , ▁the ▁T ide ▁lost ▁their ▁first ▁three ▁games , ▁but ▁reb ounded ▁to ▁finish ▁off ▁the ▁season ▁with ▁a ▁ 7 – 5 ▁record ▁which ▁included ▁a ▁ber th ▁in ▁the ▁F i esta ▁Bowl . ▁Alabama ▁lost ▁to ▁Louis ville ▁ 3 4 – 7 . ▁The ▁following ▁season ▁proved ▁to ▁be ▁much ▁more ▁successful . ▁Alabama ▁finished ▁with ▁an ▁ 1 1 – 1 ▁record , ▁losing ▁to ▁SE C ▁Champion ▁Florida ▁G ators ▁ 3 5 – 0 , ▁but ▁defe ating ▁riv als ▁Tennessee ▁and ▁A ub urn . ▁Alabama ▁finished ▁the ▁regular ▁season ▁with ▁nine ▁consecutive ▁vict ories ▁and ▁defeated ▁def ending ▁national ▁champion ▁Colorado ▁ 3 0 – 2 5 ▁in ▁the ▁Block b uster ▁Bowl . ▁ ▁In ▁just ▁his ▁third ▁season ▁as ▁head ▁coach , ▁Alabama ▁was ▁un be aten ▁in ▁the ▁regular ▁season , ▁and ▁recorded ▁three ▁shut out ▁vict ories ▁en ▁route ▁to ▁the ▁inaug ural ▁SE C ▁Championship ▁Game . ▁Alabama ▁avoided ▁an ▁ups et ▁with ▁a ▁late ▁inter ception ▁by ▁Antonio ▁Lang ham , ▁who ▁returned ▁it ▁for ▁a ▁touch down ▁to ▁secure ▁a ▁ 2 8 – 2 1 ▁victory ▁over ▁the ▁Florida ▁G ators . ▁With ▁the ▁victory ▁and ▁SE C ▁Championship , ▁Alabama ▁was ▁invited ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁Sug ar ▁Bowl ▁to ▁face ▁the ▁un be