1940 Alabama Crimson Tide football team

To open the 1940 season, Alabama defeated Spring Hill College 26–0 at Murphy High School Stadium in Mobile.[3][4] After a scoreless first quarter, the Crimson Tide scored their first touchdown on a one-yard Paul Spencer run in the second quarter and held a 7–0 halftime lead.[3] In the third quarter, Alabama extended their lead to 20–0 with touchdowns scored runs of two-yards by Spencer and 31-yards by Dave Brown.[3] They then closed the game with a five-yard Herschel Mosley touchdown run in the fourth quarter for the 26–0 victory.[3] The victory was Alabama's final game played against the Badgers and improved their all-time record against Spring Hill to 3–0.[5] This contest is also notable for being the first night game ever played by an Alabama football team.[3][4][6]

In their first home game of the season, Alabama shutout the Mercer Bears 20–0 on an unseasonably warm afternoon that saw temperatures in excess of 90 degrees.[4][7] Paul Spencer scored both of the Crimson Tide's first half touchdowns on runs of six and five yards for a 13–0 halftime lead.[7] The final score came in the third quarter on a six-yard Dave Brown touchdown run.[7] In the victory, the Alabama defense only allowed the Bears one first down and held their offense to net yardage of minus 17.[7] The victory was Alabama's final game played against the Bears until 2017 and improved their all-time record against Mercer to 2–0.[8]

At Denny Stadium, Alabama defeated Howard (now Samford University) 31–0 for their third consecutive shutout to open the season.[4][9] Paul Spencer scored first with his one-yard touchdown run in the first quarter followed by a six-yard Dave Brown touchdown run in the second quarter for a 13–0 halftime lead.[9] After Spencer scored again in the third on a seven-yard run, Jimmy Nelson intercepted a Jimmy Tarrant pass and returned it 88-yards for a touchdown.[9] Don Salls then scored the final points of the game in the fourth quarter on a ten-yard run for the 31–0 victory.[9] The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Howard to 18–0–1.[10]

On the Monday prior to their annual game against the Volunteers, Tennessee was selected to the No. 5 position in the first AP Poll of the 1940 season.[12] In the game, Alabama was defeated by rival Tennessee 27–12 before an overflow crowd of 24,500 at Legion Field.[4][11] After a scoreless first quarter, Alabama took their only lead of the game early in the second quarter on a 14-yard fake reverse by Jimmy Nelson for a touchdown.[11] The Volunteers responded with a pair of John Butler touchdowns to take a 14–6 halftime lead. The first came on an 11-yard Butler pass to Al Hurst and the second on a 19-yard Butler punt return.[4][11]

Alabama then cut the lead to 14–12 in the third quarter after Dave Brown returned a Tennessee punt 57-yards for a touchdown.[4][11] The Volunteers responded with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to seal the victory. The first came on a five-yard Buss Warren pass to Mike Balitsaris and the second on a 24-yard Warren to Balitsaris pass.[4][11] The loss brought Alabama's all-time record against Tennessee to 13–8–2.[13]

On what was homecoming for Kentucky, the Crimson Tide shutout the Wildcats 25–0 at Lexington.[4][14] After a scoreless first, Alabama started their first scoring drive of the game after Joe Domnanovich recovered a Kentucky fumble to give the Crimson Tide possession at the Wildcats' ten-yard line. Dave Brown then scored on a one-yard run for a 7–0 lead.[14] Jimmy Nelson scored later in the quarter on a 63-yard touchdown run to give Alabama a 13–0 halftime lead.[4][14] The Crimson Tide then closed the game with a pair of second half touchdowns for the 25–0 victory. The first came on a 39-yard Nelson run in the third and on a 40-yard Don Salls interception return in the fourth.[14] The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Kentucky 18–1–1.[15]

In Birmingham, the Crimson Tide defeated the Green Wave 13–6 before a crowd of 20,000 at Legion Field.[4][16] After a scoreless first, Alabama took a 6–0 halftime lead when Paul Spencer scored a touchdown on a short run after Holt Rast recovered a fumbled punt at the Tulane three-yard line.[16] Early in the third quarter, Dave Brown extended the Alabama lead to 13–0 with his 12-yard touchdown run.[16] Tulane did start a comeback in the fourth quarter with a touchdown, but was stopped late in the game when Ed Hickerson intercepted a Harry Hays pass at the Alabama eight-yard line to seal the Crimson Tide win.[16] The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Tulane to 13–4–1.[17]

Prior to their final road game of the season against Georgia Tech, Alabama entered the AP Poll for the first time of the season at No. 14.[19] Against the Yellow Jackets, the Crimson Tide won on a missed extra point 14–13 at Grant Field.[4][18] Tech scored first on a nine-yard J. W. Bosch touchdown pass to R. L. Ison; however, C. P. Goree missed the extra point that would later prove to be the final margin of loss.[18] Alabama responded on the kickoff that ensued when Jimmy Nelson scored on a 94-yard touchdown return.[4][18] Each team then traded third-quarter touchdowns. Alabama scored first on a short Paul Spencer run followed by a C. R. Bates touchdown pass to G. I. Webb.[18] The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Georgia Tech to 12–11–3.[20]

As a result of their unexpectedly close contest against Georgia Tech, Alabama dropped three spots to the No. 17 position in the AP Poll prior to their game against Vanderbilt.[22] In their game against the Commodores, Alabama rallied from a 14–0 deficit to defeat Vanderbilt 25–21 in the final Legion Field game of the 1940 season.[4][21] The Commodores took a 14–0 halftime lead with touchdowns scored in the first on a 39-yard Charlton Davis pass to Binks Bushmiaer and in the second on a six-yard George Marlin run.[21] Alabama responded in the third quarter with a pair of touchdowns to cut the lead to 14–13. Touchdowns were scored on a 12-yard Jimmy Nelson pass to Hal Newman and on a short Dave Brown run.[21] In the fourth, Vanderbilt extended their lead to 21–13 with an Art Rebrovich touchdown run, but ten gave up a pair of late touchdowns to give Alabama the 25–21 win. Alabama's final touchdowns were scored on a pair of Nelson passes, first to Holt Rast and the second to Russ Craft for the win.[21] The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Vanderbilt to 13–9.[23]

In the final game of the season, Alabama was shutout 13–0 against the Mississippi State Maroons on homecoming at Denny Stadium.[4][24] The Maroons scored both of their touchdowns on runs of nine-yards by Harvey Johnson in the first quarter and 23-yards by Charles Yancey in the fourth quarter.[24] The loss brought Alabama's all-time record against Mississippi State to 19–6–2.[25]

Several players that were varsity lettermen from the 1940 squad were drafted into the National Football League (NFL) between the 1941 and 1943 drafts.[26][27] These players included the following: