As much as Alabama fans enjoy referring to Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, Ga.) as Bryant-Denny East and Tiger Stadium (Baton Rouge, La.) as Bryant-Denny West, there is another venue where the Crimson Tide has had great success.
AT&T Stadium, better known as Jerry’s World, is the home of the Dallas Cowboys.
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Despite it serving as home for the Big 12 Championship Game and Cotton Bowl Classic, AT&T Stadium will be servicing Nick Saban and Alabama football on Friday for the Rose Bowl.
The matchup is usually played in Pasadena, Calif., however, COVID-19 restrictions forced the location to be moved to Arlington, Texas.
Alabama emerged victorious in its last College Football Playoff semifinal game at AT&T Stadium in 2015. With a fearsome defense, Jacob Coker at quarterback and a Heisman-winning running back (Derrick Henry), the Tide overpowered Michigan State to a 38-0 victory. The Spartans had no chance as Alabama dominated from start to finish, and punched its ticket into the national title game. Before playing Michigan State, the Tide achieved some marquee moments at AT&T Stadium.
It defeated two Big Ten schools and a Pac-12 school in season openers for 2012, 2015 and 2016
Alabama took down Michigan, 41-14, in the Cowboy Classic in 2012 and went to win a BCS National Championship.
Three years later, it faced Wisconsin in 2015 and earned a 35-17 win. Regardless of a loss to Ole Miss that year, the Tide remained on course and made it back to AT&T Stadium to battle the Spartans in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl.
Alabama rode the momentum of the Cotton Bowl win into CFP National Championship Game and got a 45-40 victory over Clemson. To start the 2016 campaign, the Tide handled the USC Trojans by a score of 52-6 and went on to win an SEC title.
The venue has been great to Saban as he is 4-0 and looks to remain perfect.
Notre Dame is the opponent this time and the matchup should be a fun one.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith
