Countdown to kickoff: in ‘24, Wallace Wade set the stage with Alabama’s first conference title

Every successful endeavor has to start somewhere, and for Alabama football, a century of mostly dominating the sport began with the first conference title back in 1924.

Previous coach Xen C. Scott set successor Wallace Wade up nicely in the previous season, before his health forced him into retirement. Wade, freshly hired from Vanderbilt, took full advantage. His Alabama squad would go 8-1 on the season and 5-0 in the Southern Conference, pitching seven shutouts in nine games and allowing only 24 points on the season. The lone loss was to the Colonials from Centre College in Danville, KY. Centre now competes in Division 3 but that season defeated Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia to close the season.

The Tide were led by Pooley Hubert, whom Wade called “undoubtedly one of the greatest football players of all time.” He played fullback and quarterback, and most of the Tide’s scoring had his hands all over it. Hubert was named to the All-Southern team in 1924 before leading the Tide to its first national title the following season, culminating in The Game that Changed the South. The Tide would repeat as national champions in 1926, and a hundred year dynasty was born. Alabama has won 32 conference titles, including 28 in the SEC, to go with 18 national championships.

We are now 24 days from kickoff.

Roll Tide.