On November 28, 1981, legendary Alabama football head coach Bear Bryant won his 315th game against the Auburn Tigers in that year’s Iron Bowl. The Crimson Tide defeated the Tigers by a score of 28-17. The victory helped Bryant overtake Amos Alonzo Stagg, legendary University of Chicago head coach and pioneer of college football, for the most wins ever by a collegiate head coach. Bryant actually tied the all-time record with Stagg against Penn State two weeks prior.

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Bear Bryant is undoubtedly one of the best head coaches the game of football has ever seen. Bryant compiled eight more victories following the 1981 Iron Bowl to amass a career total of 323 wins at Alabama, Maryland, Kentucky and Texas A&M. He is currently the third on the all-time wins list for Division I Head College Football coaches, behind only Penn State’s own Joe Paterno and Florida State’s Bobby Bowden, who gathered 409 and 346, respectively. Bryant spent 38 years as a head coach and had a very successful tenure during that time. He led his teams to 29 total bowl games, 15 conference championships and six national championships at Alabama (also a Division I College Football all-time record).     

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Bryant tragically passed away at the age of 69 on January 26, 1983 after a heart attack. Bryant was rumored to be a heavy drinker and smoker, which likely contributed to his heart problems and cause of death. He is remembered today as a pioneer and a facilitator of the Alabama dynasty that college football fans know of today. He was a winner, and did anything in his power. Nick Saban, current Alabama head football coach and four-time national champion, once stated “"... I mean, they won championships running the wishbone, they won them with quarterbacks that can throw the ball, they won with little guys playing defense, they won with big guys playing defense. I mean, he just sort of changed however he had to change." Saban is certainly doing his part to keep a winning tradition at Alabama, one that Bear Bryant constructed several decades ago.