Team Records Pre - 1966
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Every fan that visits AHSFHS.org is aware of the winningest teams of all time when it comes to Alabama high school football. Three teams are fighting for the top spot every week during the football season. Fayette County (662), Oneonta (662) and T.R. Miller (661) have distinguished themselves as the best schools over the past 100 years when it comes to winning football games.
One thing I like to do is to play the 'what if' game. What if the playoffs had been implemented in 1950 instead of 1966? Did you know there were actually discussions around that time to implement a playoff system in the state? Georgia first held playoff games in 1950.
Which schools would have won those state championships? The 'what if' game I have pondered for some time is who are the teams with the most victories when the playoffs were finally implemented in 1966.
Most true fans would quickly identify Sidney Lanier, or simply Lanier as they were known by their fans, as the likely candidate for the best teams prior to 1966. And correctly so by a wide margin. The Poets won 333 games prior to 1966, well ahead of their closest competitor, Bessemer, with 293.
To say Lanier has not enjoyed their earlier success recently would be an understatement. The Poets rank 232nd among the winningest teams since 1966 with a record of 239-277. Once the largest school in Alabama and the mightiest of football powers, the football team has managed just a single winning season over the past fifteen years.
Notice that while Fayette County makes our list, T.R. Miller and Oneonta are nowhere to be found. The Tigers of Miller have won a staggering 87 playoff games which helps them jump near the top of our all time wins list. In 1966 the Tigers ranked 69th with an overall record of 190-175-17. That means that since 1966 T.R. Miller has gone 471-129-3 over the last fifty seasons. That is an average of 9.4 wins per year. Not too shabby.
Oneonta ranked 35th in 1966 with a record of 232-138-29. Since then the Redskins have gone 430-152-2 to get their name among the leaders.
This was mostly a time without classifications when very small schools would often take on the larger schools. A smaller school appearing on this list is an example of a great program. Pickens County won 257 games with many of the victories coming against larger schools.
Team Records 1900-1965 | |||
Team | Won | Lost | Tied |
Sidney Lanier | 333 | 120 | 39 |
Bessemer | 293 | 146 | 28 |
Dothan | 291 | 126 | 28 |
Tuscaloosa | 286 | 125 | 33 |
Albertville | 284 | 166 | 38 |
Fayette County | 282 | 140 | 32 |
Benjamin Russell | 282 | 133 | 23 |
Enterprise | 280 | 109 | 32 |
Escambia County | 274 | 128 | 27 |
Decatur | 271 | 123 | 23 |
Guntersville | 268 | 160 | 18 |
Anniston | 267 | 130 | 24 |
Coffee | 266 | 142 | 29 |
Sylacauga | 266 | 148 | 35 |
Walker | 266 | 136 | 31 |
Etowah | 257 | 168 | 24 |
Pickens County | 257 | 135 | 12 |
Thomasville | 256 | 123 | 45 |
Hamilton | 254 | 149 | 31 |
Fort Payne | 251 | 136 | 24 |
Team Records 1965-2015 | |||
Team | Won | Lost | Tied |
T.R. Miller | 471 | 129 | 3 |
Colbert County | 446 | 166 | 4 |
Hoover/Berry | 446 | 152 | 6 |
Oneonta | 430 | 152 | 3 |
Brantley | 427 | 161 | 3 |
Sweet Water | 419 | 160 | 5 |
Hazelwood | 418 | 106 | 1 |
Reeltown | 415 | 176 | 2 |
Addison | 414 | 161 | 2 |
Clay County | 414 | 124 | 5 |
Deshler | 408 | 186 | 6 |
Russellville | 406 | 175 | 3 |
Maplesville | 394 | 184 | 3 |
Fyffe | 392 | 176 | 0 |
Gordo | 387 | 187 | 1 |
Alexandria | 384 | 170 | 4 |
Fayette County | 380 | 194 | 3 |
Jackson | 377 | 172 | 5 |
David Parker
AHSFHS.org
dparker@ahsfhs.org
Great Moments in Alabama High School Football History
Woody Clements was the head coach at Holt for a record 41 straight seasons.
Woody Clements was the head coach at Holt for a record 41 straight seasons.