Saturday's season-opener between Alabama and USC in Arlington, Texas, may one day be regarded as an all-time classic, but it's hard to imagine the game living up to the legacy of the battles between the Crimson Tide and the Trojans in the 1970s.

Alabama and USC played four times in a pair of home-and-home meetings that decade, each winning twice. Ironically, the road team won each game.

All four games were significant in their own way, either to the history of college football and in the championship aspirations of the teams involved (or both). Alabama's Paul "Bear" Bryant led his teams against USC squads coached by John McKay and John Robinson.

Some all-time college football legends played in those games, including Johnny Musso, John Hannah, Tony Nathan and Ozzie Newsome for Alabama. USC featured the likes of Sam Cunningham, Lynn Swann, Anthony Munoz and Charles White.

Above are 40 vintage photos from those four games, shot mostly by Birmingham News staff photographers Tom Self, Robert Adams, Ed Bruchac, Charles Nesbitt, Ralph Farrow and Jerrell Rowell. There are also a few photos provided by our friends at the Paul W. Bryant Museum.

Here are recaps of the four games:

USC 42, Alabama 21 (Sept. 12, 1970, Legion Field, Birmingham) -- This game has achieved mythical status over the years, with it being erroneously credited with helping integrate the Alabama football team.

In truth, the Crimson Tide already had a black player, freshman Wilbur Jackson, on its roster. However, freshmen were not eligible for varsity action in those days (a rule not changed until 1972) and Jackson watched from the stands.

Nevertheless, the 1970 varsity team was the last all-white outfit at Alabama, and the Crimson Tide proved to be woefully overmatched by the Trojans, who featured a black quarterback (Jimmy Jones), and two black running backs (Sam Cunningham and Birmingham-born Clarence Davis). Cunningham in particular ran roughshod over the Alabama defense, piling up 135 yards and two touchdowns on just 12 carries.

Here is a College Sports TV video on the 1970 game and its background:

Alabama 17, USC 10 (Sept. 10, 1971, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum) -- The 1971 season-opener was significant for two reasons for the Crimson Tide.

It was the first time a black player, junior college transfer defensive end John Mitchell, took the field for an Alabama football game (Wilbur Jackson would not see his first action until the following week against Southern Miss). Secondly, the game marked the debut of the Crimson Tide's wishbone offense, which it would utilize to devastating effect for the remainder of Bryant's career.

The offense had been installed in secret that fall, with not even local media being let in on the change. And it proved to be an even bigger surprise to the Trojans, who expected to face the pro-style offense Alabama had used the year before.

Musso was the star running back this time, running for two touchdowns as part of a 302-yard Alabama rushing effort. The Crimson Tide would finish 11-1 that season, winning the first of five consecutive SEC championships.

Here's an AL.com video spotlighting Alabama's switch to the wishbone:

Alabama 21, USC 20 (Oct. 8, 1977, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum) -- The series resumed after a six-year layoff, and the result was one of the all-time nailbiters in a matchup of Top 10 teams.

In a game featuring double-digit future NFL players on both sides of the ball, No. 1 USC led 3-0 at halftime and No. 7 Alabama 7-3 after three quarters. That set up a wild fourth quarter, in which the Crimson Tide very nearly blew a commanding lead.

Two touchdown runs by Tony Nathan gave Alabama a 21-6 lead, but USC stormed back with a pair of touchdowns plus a two-point conversion to make it a one-point game with 35 seconds left. The Trojans lined up to go for two and the win, but Alabama's Barry Krauss intercepted Rob Hertel's pass in the end zone to preserve the victory.

Alabama ended that season 11-1 and SEC champions, its only blemish a September loss to Nebraska. The Crimson Tide crushed Ohio State 35-6 in the Sugar Bowl, but finished No. 2 in the national polls.

Here is the ABC broadcast of the 1977 Alabama-USC game in its entirety:

USC 24, Alabama 14 (Sept. 23, 1978, Legion Field, Birmingham) -- The following year, it was Alabama that entered the game ranked No. 1 while USC was No. 7. And in a reversal of fortune from the previous year, the Trojans emerged victorious.

Once again, a USC running back put on a show at Legion Field. This time it was Charles White, who slashed and dashed his way to 199 yards on 29 carries, including a 40-yard touchdown.

USC put the game away with a bizarre touchdown with 6:34 left, when a Paul McDonald pass bounced off the hands of Alabama's Don McNeal and into the arms of Kevin Williams for a 41-yard touchdown. After a Bart Krout touchdown reception pulled the Crimson Tide within 10, Alabama turned the ball over on its next two possessions.

Despite USC's 12-1 finish and head-to-head win over Alabama, the two teams split that season's national championship. The Crimson Tide claimed the AP crown by beating top-ranked Penn State 14-7 in the Sugar Bowl to finish 11-1, while USC picked up the coaches' poll title after it knocked off Michigan 17-10 in the Rose Bowl.

Here is the ABC broadcast of the 1978 Alabama-USC game in its entirety: