Bear Bryant’s Genius Decision 50 Years Ago Shaped College Football Today

If you’re a college football enthusiast, like I am, then this is the most beautiful time of the year (fingers firmly crossed!). It’s when the clash of helmets and shoulder pads gives you a jolt better than doubling up on morning coffee. It’s when rooting for your favorite school becomes an opportunity to witness, in unison, a significant moment that will be remembered forever. This decade is easily linked to the University of Alabama and head coach Nick Saban. The Tide has won four National Championships in the past 10 seasons—five in the past 11. 

And I don’t believe it would have happened if the Tide hadn’t first made a groundbreaking decision a half-century ago. It was 50 years ago this week that two legendary college football programs played a game in Birmingham that many argue completely altered the course of college football. 

The year was 1970 and while the radio played hit songs like “Let It Be,” by The Beatles, the college football world would soon see the state of Alabama sing a new tune. Coach John McKay and the University of Southern California were invited by iconic Alabama coach Paul “Bear” Bryant to see which team was better. Despite the fact that Jackie Robinson had broken the color barrier in baseball 23 years earlier, there wasn’t a single Black player on the varsity roster at Alabama in 1970. Then that one game took place, and the reaction turned the Tide for good.

I had the opportunity to write a book about the USC vs. Alabama matchup —researching and tracking down notable figures to truly celebrate the significance of that big night. Both teams entered that season loaded with young talent, but Southern Cal had long before made the decision to embrace integration and allow Black players to contribute to the on-field success of the team. Bryant wanted to do the same, but politics and pressure had prevented such a move. The genius of Bear Bryant was in deciding to play USC—which at the time had 18 Black players on the team, including the team’s starting quarterback, a rarity in the sport. That meant the Alabama faithful would be given a first-hand view of how integration could look on the football field.

To say the Tide was overmatched would be an understatement. USC beat Bama 42-21 and all 6 touchdowns by the Trojans were scored by Black players. The breakout star of the game was a backup fullback named Sam “Bam” Cunningham who made his college football debut by rushing 12 times for 135 yards and 2 touchdowns. USC’s victory—paired with Cunningham’s dominant performance, was the feather in the cap that Coach Bryant needed to convince the fan base and higher-ups that the University should actively recruit and play Black players on the football team. 

Sports is often a vehicle for change, and this game revved the engines and added fresh tires for the advancement of college football at Alabama. By 1979, the team had gone from zero Black players to 18 Black players on the roster. They’d also won three national championships, posting a win-loss record of 107-13 in that 10-year window. In 1971, junior college transfer defensive lineman Johnny Mitchell became Alabama’s first Black player to see playing time. That same year, another Black player, running back Wilbur Jackson would join him on the field. In fact, Jackson was in the stands watching the game as a freshman. Then by 1973, Mitchell would be invited back by Bryant to become Alabama’s first Black assistant coach. Mitchell is currently an assistant coach to Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The backstory of the game makes this even more compelling. Bryant had put it on the schedule only a few months prior after a quick meeting with McKay in the Los Angeles airport. He recognized the opportunity to make a statement about the need to integrate his team. He knew his decision would not be a popular one for many in Alabama, but enlightening them to what could be achieved in a fully integrated world could only come from someone with his clout and stature. Bryant’s genius was in recognizing the significance of the moment and taking advantage of it.

In celebrating the 50-year anniversary of the game that turned the Tide, I decided to dedicate a podcast episode to asking three players who were there the night of USC’s win what they thought of the game’s significance. The Corporate Competitor podcast will air on Friday and then my colleagues at ESPN intend to celebrate the story as well during their College GameDay broadcast on Saturday.

Why do sports matter? Why is it not just a game? That’s why! Because sports figures like Bear Bryant knew they could make a difference. It’s why today’s athletes are able to exercise their voice to address social issues and concerns. You could argue that Coach Bryant just wanted to win more football games, but no matter his reasoning, his decision reshaped history.

So as we enter into unprecedented times in college football with a season of limited fans in the stadiums and entire conferences opting out until 2021, I’m reminded that college football has been through unprecedented times in the past, and emerged better because of it.