The University of Alabama has historically had one of the best football programs in the country.  From 1958-1982, Alabama owed some of its college football dominance to the great coaching of Bear Bryant.

On this day, December 29th, in 1982, Paul “Bear” Bryant coached his final Alabama football game. Bryant’s last game was a victory in the Liberty Bowl against the University of Illinois.  In his 25 year seasons coaching for Alabama, Bryant’s team won 6 national championships, 13 SEC championships and a total of 315 wins.

A month after retiring, Bear Bryant became ill and complained of chess pain.  A heart attack took his life on January 26, 1983. Bryant was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986.