▁former ▁team ▁L SU , ▁the ▁C rim son ▁T ide ▁lost ▁to ▁the ▁event ual ▁national ▁champions ▁in ▁what ▁was ▁dub bed ▁" the ▁S aban ▁Bowl ". ▁They ▁followed ▁that ▁with ▁a ▁loss ▁at ▁Mississippi ▁State ▁and ▁against ▁Louisiana – Mon roe ▁in ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁bigger ▁ups ets ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁season . ▁After ▁their ▁sixth ▁consecutive ▁loss ▁to ▁A ub urn ▁in ▁the ▁Iron ▁Bowl , ▁Alabama ▁closed ▁the ▁season ▁with ▁a ▁victory ▁over ▁Colorado ▁in ▁the ▁Independ ence ▁Bowl ▁and ▁finished ▁the ▁season ▁with ▁a ▁winning ▁record ▁at ▁ 7 - 6 ▁in ▁S aban ' s ▁first ▁season . ▁▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁season ▁ ▁Looking ▁to ▁improve ▁on ▁their ▁ 7 – 6 ▁record ▁from ▁the ▁previous ▁season , ▁Alabama ▁signed ▁the ▁top ▁rec ruit ing ▁class ▁as ▁determined ▁by ▁a ▁wide ▁variety ▁of ▁select ors . ▁The ▁class ▁featured ▁many ▁players ▁who ▁were ▁later ▁draft ed ▁into ▁the ▁NFL ▁and ▁formed ▁the ▁foundation ▁for ▁their ▁championship ▁run ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁through ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁Play ers ▁from ▁the ▁class ▁included ▁future ▁first ▁round ▁draft ▁pick s ▁Mar cell ▁D are us , ▁Jul io ▁Jones , ▁Mark ▁Bar ron , ▁D ont ' a ▁H ight ower , ▁and ▁Mark ▁In gram . ▁The ▁C rim son ▁T ide ▁then ▁completed ▁spring ▁practice ▁with ▁another ▁large ▁A - Day ▁crowd ▁before ▁the ▁season ▁started ▁later ▁in ▁the ▁fall . ▁ ▁The ▁C rim son