During Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant’s legendary tenure as head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide (1958–1982), his teams faced every member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) at the time. While his overall record was dominant, a few SEC rivals managed to score occasional victories. Among these, Auburn, LSU, and Tennessee stood out as the most successful against Bryant’s Alabama squads.
Auburn secured a total of six victories over Alabama during Bryant’s 25-year span, while LSU claimed four wins, and Tennessee managed to win seven times. Interestingly, two of each of these schools’ victories came during pivotal transition periods in Bryant’s career—his inaugural season in 1958 and his final campaign in 1982.
1958 marked a rebuilding year as Bryant returned to his alma mater, inheriting a struggling program. Losses to Auburn, LSU, and Tennessee during that season were part of the growing pains as he began reshaping the team into a national powerhouse.
1982, his final season before retiring, also saw Alabama fall to these same three traditional rivals. While the Crimson Tide remained competitive, these losses reflected the closing of an era, with Bryant preparing to hand the reins to his successor.
These bookend defeats highlight how Bryant’s career began and ended with challenges from his fiercest SEC opponents—making their victories historically notable despite being exceptions in a career otherwise defined by dominance.
