B ama ") ▁represented ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Alabama ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁NCAA ▁University ▁Division ▁football ▁season . ▁It ▁was ▁the ▁C rim son ▁T ide ' s ▁ 7 8 th ▁overall ▁season ▁and ▁ 3 9 th ▁season ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁S out he astern ▁Conference ▁( SE C ). ▁The ▁team ▁was ▁led ▁by ▁head ▁coach ▁Bear ▁Bry ant , ▁in ▁his ▁ 1 5 th ▁year , ▁and ▁played ▁their ▁home ▁games ▁at ▁Den ny ▁Stadium ▁in ▁T us cal o osa ▁and ▁Leg ion ▁Field ▁in ▁B irmingham , ▁Alabama . ▁They ▁finished ▁the ▁season ▁with ▁ten ▁wins ▁and ▁two ▁losses ▁( 1 0 – 2 ▁overall , ▁ 7 – 1 ▁in ▁the ▁SE C ), ▁as ▁SE C ▁champions ▁and ▁with ▁a ▁loss ▁to ▁Texas ▁in ▁the ▁Cot ton ▁Bowl ▁Classic . ▁ ▁Alabama ▁opened ▁the ▁season ▁with ▁a ▁non - con ference ▁victory ▁over ▁Duke . ▁They ▁then ▁shut ▁out ▁Kentucky ▁in ▁their ▁conference ▁op ener , ▁and ▁then ▁easily ▁won ▁their ▁next ▁three ▁games , ▁over ▁V ander b ilt , ▁Georgia ▁and ▁Florida . ▁In ▁a ▁top - ten ▁match - up ▁against ▁rival ▁Tennessee , ▁they ▁scored ▁a ▁pair ▁of ▁fourth - qu arter ▁touch down s ▁en ▁route ▁to ▁a ▁ 1 7 – 1 0 ▁victory . ▁Next , ▁the ▁C rim son ▁T ide ▁defeated ▁ ▁and ▁Mississippi ▁State ▁to ▁set ▁up ▁a ▁top - ten ▁match - up ▁against ▁L SU . ▁