The 1986 Alabama Crimson Tide football team (variously "Alabama", "UA", "Bama" or "The Tide") represented the University of Alabama in the 1986 NCAA Division I-A football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 94th overall and 53rd season as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The team was led by head coach Ray Perkins, in his fourth year, and played their home games at both Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. They finished the season with a record of ten wins and three losses (10–3 overall, 4–2 in the SEC) and with a victory in the Sun Bowl over Washington.

After opening the season with a victory over Ohio State in the Kickoff Classic, the Crimson Tide won their first seven games and eventually rise to as high as No. 2 in the rankings but lost to eventual national champion Penn State^[1] and lost out on an SEC championship after losses to LSU^[2] and Auburn.^[3] Highlights of the season included their first ever victory over Notre Dame and a 56–28 victory over Tennessee that snapped a four-game losing streak to the Vols.^[4]

After the season, Ray Perkins resigned on December 31, to become head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League.^[5]

More information Date, Time ...

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Source
August 27	7:00 p.m.	vs. No. 9 Ohio State*	No. 5	Giants Stadium East Rutherford, NJ (Kickoff Classic)	Raycom	W 16–10	68,296	[6]
September 6	11:30 a.m.	Vanderbilt	No. 5	Bryant–Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, AL	TBS	W 42–10	58,168	[7]
September 13	1:30 p.m.	Southern Miss*	No. 4	Legion Field Birmingham, AL (rivalry)		W 31–17	73,687	[8]
September 20	12:30 p.m.	at No. 13 Florida	No. 4	Florida Field Gainesville, FL (rivalry)		W 21–7	74,685	[9]
October 4	2:30 p.m.	Notre Dame*	No. 2	Legion Field Birmingham, AL	ABC	W 28–10	75,808	[10]
October 11	1:30 p.m.	Memphis State*	No. 2	Bryant–Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, AL		W 37–0	60,210	[11]
October 18	2:30 p.m.	at Tennessee	No. 2	Neyland Stadium Knoxville, TN (Third Saturday in October)	ABC	W 56–28	95,116	[12]
October 25	2:30 p.m.	No. 6 Penn State*	No. 2	Bryant–Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, AL (rivalry)	ABC	L 3–23	60,210	[13]
November 1	11:30 a.m.	at No. 19 Mississippi State	No. 8	Scott Field Starkville, MS (rivalry)	TBS	W 38–3	42,700	[14]
November 8	6:45 p.m.	No. 18 LSU	No. 6	Legion Field Birmingham, AL (rivalry)	ESPN	L 10–14	75,808	[15]
November 15	1:30 p.m.	Temple*	No. 11	Bryant–Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, AL		W 24–14	60,210	[16]
November 29	2:30 p.m.	vs. No. 14 Auburn	No. 7	Legion Field Birmingham, AL (Iron Bowl)	ABC	L 17–21	75,808	[17]
December 25	1:30 p.m.	vs. No. 12 Washington*	No. 13	Sun Bowl Stadium El Paso, TX (Sun Bowl)	CBS	W 28–6	48,722	[18]
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Central time

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• Cornelius Bennett – Lombardi Award, SEC Player of the Year, Unanimous First-team All-American

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