The problem here in “Conservative Alabama” is the old links of community to school, tradition, and athletics. I like football too but its time to admit that the University of Alabama is more and more like the University of Calcutta with a strong dose of Berkeley and Brandeis thrown in. There is next-to-nothing of the great Southern culture of Alabama being taught there.
The only things conservative in Tuscaloosa are a few student groups.
Alabama ceased being a conservative school decades ago. Auburn is significantly more conservative — the eighth most conservative university in the country according to The Princeton Review behind only the service academies and church founded schools. It and Texas A&M are the only public universities even in the top 10.