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===Nick Saban era (2007–present)===
[[File:2010 BCS Champ.jpg|thumb|On January 7, 2010, Alabama defeated Texas 37–21 for the [[2010 BCS National Championship Game|BCS National Championship]].|link=Special:FilePath/2010_BCS_Champ.jpg]]

On January 3, 2007, [[Nick Saban]] left the NFL's Miami Dolphins and accepted an offer worth US$32 million guaranteed for eight years to be the next Crimson Tide head coach.<ref name="Saban-hired">{{cite web |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2718488 |title=After repeated denials, Saban takes Bama job |publisher=ESPN |date=January 4, 2007 |accessdate=October 6, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/04/sports/ncaafootball/04saban.html?n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/Subjects/S/Suspensions,%20Dismissals%20and%20Resignations |title=Saban Leaving the Dolphins for Alabama |work=New York Times |date=January 4, 2007 |accessdate=October 6, 2008 |first=Charlie |last=Nobles}}</ref> In [[2007 Alabama Crimson Tide|his first season]], Saban led the Crimson Tide to a 7–6 record.  A promising 6–2 start gave way to ending the regular season with four straight losses including an upset loss to [[2007 Louisiana–Monroe Warhawks|Louisiana–Monroe]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/scores107/107321/NCAAF762789.htm#post-event-coverage |title=Strong defensive effort helps Louisiana-Monroe humble Alabama, 21–14 |agency=Associated Press |date=November 18, 2007 |accessdate=December 6, 2008}}</ref> The team rebounded in its final game, defeating [[2007 Colorado Buffaloes|Colorado]] in the [[2007 Independence Bowl|Independence Bowl]].

Alabama greatly improved in [[2008 Alabama Crimson Tide|the following season]], becoming the first SEC football team in history to post a 12–0 regular season record (followed by both Florida and Alabama in 2009) and climbing to its first No. 1 ranking in 16 years, before finishing with back-to-back losses in the [[2008 SEC Championship Game|SEC Championship Game]]<ref>{{cite news |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=283410057 |title=Tebow's 3 TD strikes lead Gators' waltz past Tide |agency=Associated Press |publisher=ESPN |date=December 6, 2008 |accessdate=January 28, 2010}}</ref> and the [[2009 Sugar Bowl|Sugar Bowl]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/gamecenter/recap/NCAAF_20090102_UT@AL |title=No. 7 Utah 31, No. 4 Alabama 17 |publisher=CBSSports.com |date=January 2, 2009 |accessdate=January 2, 2009}}</ref> to finish the year at 12–2.

In 2009, Nick Saban led Alabama to its second consecutive undefeated regular season (12–0), and won the SEC Championship Game with a victory over the No. 1 ranked [[2009 Florida Gators|Florida Gators]] to improve to 13–0.<ref name="2009-SEC-USAT">{{cite news |url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/sec/2009-12-05-alabama-florida_N.htm |title=Alabama rolls to 32–13 defeat of No. 1 Florida in SEC title game |work=USA Today |author=Jones, David |date=December 8, 2009 |accessdate=January 17, 2010}}</ref> On January 7, 2010, Alabama beat Texas 37–21 in the [[2010 BCS National Championship Game]], finishing the season 14–0 and winning Alabama its 13th national championship.<ref name="2010-NC-USAT">{{cite news |url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/2010-01-07-bcs-title-game_N.htm |title=Alabama sidesteps Texas' charge to emerge with BCS title |work=USA Today |author=Whiteside, Kelly |date=January 7, 2010 |accessdate=January 7, 2010}}</ref> Saban joined [[Glenn Scobey Warner|Pop Warner]] as the only coach to win National Championships at two different FBS schools.

Before the 2010 season, Alabama was ranked No. 1, but losses to South Carolina, LSU, and Auburn (eventual National Champion) gave Saban's Tide a regular season record of 9–3.  Alabama was invited to the Capital One Bowl where they beat Big 10 Co-Champion Michigan State 49–7 to finish with a 10–3 record.  

During the 2011 season the Tide was ranked No. 2 in the first 2011 BCS Poll behind division rival LSU. The Tide lost 9–6 in overtime to the LSU Tigers on November 5, 2011 in Tuscaloosa.  Alabama finished the regular season ranked No. 2 in the BCS poll, which resulted in Alabama playing No. 1 LSU in the 2012 BCS National Championship Game in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was Alabama's second BCS National Championship Game appearance in three years. Alabama won the game 21–0 behind one of the best defensive performances in bowl history. It was the second fewest total yardage a team had been held to, only behind the 2008 Florida Gators. It was the first time in a BCS bowl game the opponent was held scoreless.

Saban's current official record at Alabama is 50–12 (55–12 on the field, but 5 wins from the 2007 season were vacated).<ref name="TextbookNCAA">{{cite news |title=Alabama's penalty from '09 ruling stands |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5021464 |agency=Associated Press |publisher=ESPN |date=March 23, 2010 |accessdate=August 28, 2011}}</ref>
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