PHOTO GALLERY: Tuscaloosa leans on football after storm
August 16, 2012 | 6:00 a.m. CDT
A year after a devastating tornado struck Tuscaloosa, residents rely on football traditions for hope.
The "Walk of Champions" leads up to Bryant-Denny Stadium, where the University of Alabama football team plays in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Alabama has won two of the last three national championships. The stone markers in the middle of the walkway honor the school's 14 total national championships.
| Andrew Wagaman
The Science and Engineering Complex and quad is on the northern end of the University of Alabama's campus in Tuscaloosa.
| Andrew Wagaman
The Alpha Tau Omega fraternity house is the biggest Greek house on the University of Alabama's campus but most of the houses that line University Boulevard are nearly as massive.
| Andrew Wagaman
A sign hangs from the door at the original Dreamland BBQ in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Dreamland, which opened in 1958, is one of Tuscaloosa's main attractions and is known for its ribs. The banana pudding is absurdly good.
| Andrew Wagaman
Steps are all that remain of a house in Alberta City, a district of Tuscaloosa, Ala. A tornado hit the city on April 27, 2011, and while most debris has been removed, the city is still in the early stages of rebuilding.
| Andrew Wagaman
Janie Hubbard picks up debris next to Forest Lake in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on April 21 as part of UA Remembers: A Day of Service. Hubbard, a professor of elementary and social studies education at the University of Alabama, lost her home and most possessions when a tornado hit Tuscaloosa on April 27, 2011.
| Andrew Wagaman
Jesse Pippien removes debris from a larger pile next to Forest Lake on April 21 in Tuscaloosa, Ala., where a tornado destroyed parts of the city on April 27, 2011.
| Andrew Wagaman
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Tradition of Alabama football helps Tuscaloosa overcome tornado tragedy