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Alabama's 1926 Rose Bowl victory over Washington established its first national championship and shifted the college football world's focus to the South.

The game inspired a young Paul "Bear" Bryant, who would later coach Alabama to six national championships.

The Strawbridge family of Vernon, Alabama, possesses a rare 100-year-old pennant from the 1926 Rose Bowl, purchased by their patriarch Cecil Strawbridge.

Current Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer focuses on the program's more recent history for recruiting but acknowledges the importance of its foundational moments.

This story is one in a series looking back 100 years at Alabama football's first national championship, captured with a victory over Washington in the Jan. 1, 1926, Rose Bowl. It marked the beginning of

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