<P> Alabama started the 2015 season with a win against 20th ranked Wisconsin . Alabama would start 2 - 0 but would lose their next game against Ole Miss 43 - 37 . Following the loss the Crimson Tide would go in to win the next twelve games including the 2015 Cotton Bowl Playoff Semifinal 38 - 0 over Michigan State and winning the 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship over undefeated Clemson 45 - 40 to claim Alabama's sixteenth National Championship and Saban's fourth national championship at the Capstone . </P> <P> Alabama entered the 2016 season ranked number #1 in the polls . The reigning national champions began 2016 with a resounding 52 - 6 win over #9 USC in Arlington, Texas, led by true freshman quarterback, Jalen Hurts . In what was the first meeting between the Tide and the Trojans since 1985, Blake Barnett started the game, but was soon replaced by Hurts, who would then go on to be the starting QB for the season . Hurts was the first true freshman QB to start for the Crimson Tide since 1984 . For the first time since 2009, Alabama would go undefeated all the way through the SEC Championship Game . Alabama crushed Florida 54 - 16 to win their third consecutive SEC Title . This made the Tide the first three peat SEC Champion since the Florida Gators won four in a row from 1993 - 1996 . It also marked the first three peat for Alabama since the late 1970s when Alabama won SEC Championships from 1977 - 1979 . The Tide would once again go on to the Playoffs where they would defeat the Washington Huskies 24 - 7 in the Peach Bowl to advance to their second consecutive College Football Playoff National Championship Game in Tampa, Florida . In the first ever national title game rematch, Alabama would fall to Clemson, 35 - 31 . In the closing seconds of the game, Clemson QB Deshaun Watson found Hunter Renfrow for a two - yard touchdown pass to give Clemson the win and their first national championship since 1981 . The loss ended Alabama's 26 game winning streak, the second longest in program history . It marked the first time that Nick Saban had ever lost in a national championship game . </P> <P> Alabama entered the 2017 season ranked number 1 in the polls once again . The season began with the Tide defeating number 3 Florida State 24 - 7 in the Chick Fila Kick off Game at Mercedes - Benz Stadium in Atlanta . Alabama would then go on to win their next 10 games, heading into the Iron Bowl undefeated and still ranked number 1 . However, the regular season was not without its issues . The Tide lost several key defensive players to injury throughout the season . There were some impressive blow outs, but also some very close games against Texas A&M, LSU, and Mississippi State . With the SEC West on the line, the Tide would fall to Auburn, 26 - 14 in a game that saw the worst performance by an Alabama team since the Mike Shula era . However, the season was not over for the Tide by a long shot . Auburn would go on to the SEC Championship Game, where they would face Georgia in a rematch . The Bulldogs would prevail the second time around, crushing the tigers 28 - 7 . This led to the playoff selection committee selecting both Alabama and Georgia for the playoffs . Alabama was selected to face Clemson in the Sugar Bowl Playoff Semifinal . In a rematch of the previous season's College Football Playoff National Championship Game, the Tide would prevail, blowing out Clemson 24 - 6 . Georgia's 54 - 48 overtime win over Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl Playoff semifinal set up an all - SEC National Championship Game where the Tide would win it's 17th national championship by defeating Georgia 26 - 23 in overtime . With Alabama trailing 13 - 0 at halftime, a change was made at quarterback with freshman Tua Tagovailoa replacing a struggling Jalen Hurts . Tagavailoa went 14 of 24 passing for 166 yards and 3 touchdowns, including the game winning touchdown pass to freshman wide receiver, DeVonta Smith in overtime . The 2017 national title was the sixth for head coach Nick Saban, and his fifth at the Capstone . This accomplishment tied coach Saban with iconic Alabama head coach, Paul W. Bryant, who also won six national titles in his storied career . </P> <P> The Iron Bowl is the name given to Alabama's annual game against the in - state Auburn University Tigers . Through the 2017 season, Saban has compiled an overall record of seven wins and four losses (7--4) against the Tigers . After the Crimson Tide lost 17--10 in his first Iron Bowl, Alabama shutout Auburn in the 2008 game 36--0 . Their win in that game ended a six - game losing streak against the Tigers, was the largest margin of victory in the Iron Bowl since the 1962 season and was the first all - time Iron Bowl win for the Crimson Tide at Tuscaloosa . The next year, Auburn took a 14--0 first quarter lead, but Alabama eventually won 26--21 after Greg McElroy threw a four - yard touchdown pass to Roy Upchurch with just under 2: 00 left in the game . The next year, Alabama surrendered a 24 - point lead and lost to the eventual national champions 28--27 in what was the largest comeback in Iron Bowl history . The Crimson Tide rebounded from that loss and did not allow the Tigers' to score an offensive touchdown in either the 2011 or 2012 edition of the Iron Bowl . In 2013, both teams came into the game ranked in the top five and Auburn won, 34--28, in what has since been dubbed "the kick six", after Chris Davis returned a missed Adam Griffith field goal 109 yards for the game - winning score with no time left on the clock . The 2014 Iron Bowl saw the highest - scoring game in history between the two rivals, as Alabama came behind from a 12 - point deficit and defeated Auburn 55--44 . Alabama would defeat Auburn in 2015 by a score of 29 - 13 in Auburn.It was Bama's first trip to Jordan - Hare Stadium since the "kick - six" game . However, the result would be different as Adam Griffith hit 5 field goals, accounting for 15 of Alabama's 29 points.In 2016, Alabama true freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts overcame two first half interceptions with a stellar 2nd half performance as Alabama topped Auburn 30 - 12 in Tuscaloosa . The 2016 win marked the first time that Alabama had defeated Auburn three consecutive years since 1990 - 1992 . Alabama would fall to Auburn in 2017, 26 - 14 in the Tide's only loss of the season . It marked the first time since 1969 that the tigers had defeated the Tide by a margin of more than 10 points . </P>

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