Former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville has been elected as the next governor of Alabama, defeating Democratic challenger Doug Jones by a margin of just over 4% of the vote. Tuberville will succeed current Governor Kay Ivey and be sworn in this January.
Political Career
Tuberville's victory continues his transition from coaching to Republican politics. In 2020, he unseated incumbent Senator Doug Jones in the Alabama Senate race, winning with just over 60% of the vote. He has been a prominent figure in Alabama and the Southeast for decades.
Coaching Legacy
Tuberville's coaching career spanned more than two decades. He began as head coach at Ole Miss in 1995, compiling a 25-20 record over four seasons. In 1999, he moved to Auburn, where he achieved his greatest success, including a perfect 13-0 season in 2004 that earned him National Coach of the Year and SEC Coach of the Year honors. Despite the undefeated record, the Tigers were left out of the BCS National Championship Game in favor of USC and Oklahoma. Over ten seasons at Auburn, Tuberville posted an 85-40 overall record and went 7-3 in the Iron Bowl against Alabama, including a six-game winning streak from 2002 to 2007.
After resigning from Auburn following the 2008 season, Tuberville coached at Texas Tech for three seasons (2010-2012) and then at Cincinnati for four seasons (2012-2016). He resigned after a 4-8 campaign in 2016, ending his coaching career.
