When Sam Cunningham first heard that USC and Alabama would open the 2016 season against each other on Sept. 3, the former Trojans fullback -- popularly known as Sam "The Bam" Cunningham -- didn't immediately think about the history of the series or how reporters might come calling about his iconic status based on the 1970 matchup.
“My first thought is we need to be really, really good," Cunningham said through a laugh.
That's for sure. Alabama is the defending national champion, and coach Nick Saban is in the midst of doing the previously unthinkable: displacing Paul "Bear" Bryant as the Crimson Tide's greatest coach, though that might sound like sacrilege to some Tide fans and college football observers.