Can the Tennessee Vols upset Bama this week? Before I sat down and watched the South Carolina v. Tennessee this week I would have said no. However, after Tennessee pulled off the upset of a South Carolina team that just thumped my Razorbacks 52-7 the previous week, and now I see things in a different light and I think that Alabama may in a position to be upset like 3 other top 10 SEC teams were last week (SC, Texas A&M, LSU) and also Georgia was upset too by Vandy.

 

Third Saturday in October

Third Saturday in October
Alabama Crimson Tide Tennessee Volunteers
Sport(s)	Football
Total meetings	95
Series record	Alabama leads 49–38–7 (50–37–8 on the field)
First meeting	November 28, 1901 Alabama 6, Tennessee 6
Last meeting	October 20, 2012 Alabama 44, Tennessee 13
Next meeting	October 26, 2013
Largest win	Tennessee, 51-0 (1906)
Longest win streak	Alabama, 11 (1971–1981)
Current win streak	Alabama, 6 (2007–present)

The Third Saturday in October, also known as the Alabama–Tennessee football rivalry, is an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Alabama Crimson Tide football team of the University of Alabama and Tennessee Volunteers football team of the University of Tennessee, approximately 315 miles (507 km) apart. It is known as the Third Saturday in October because the game was traditionally played on it prior to the 1992 football season, when the Southeastern Conference split into its Eastern and Western divisions.^[1] From 1995 to 2012, it has only been scheduled for that date six times.

Overall, Alabama leads the series with an official 49–38–7 record (50–37–8 on the field).

Series history

The first game between the two sides was played in 1901 in Birmingham, ending in a 6–6 tie. From 1902 to 1913, Alabama dominated the series, only losing once, and never allowing a touchdown by the Volunteers. Beginning in 1928, the rivalry was first played on its traditional date and began to be a challenge for the Tide as Robert Neyland began challenging Alabama for their perennial spot on top of the conference standings.^[2]

Between 1971 and 1981, Alabama held an eleven-game winning streak over the Volunteers and between 1986 and 1994, a nine-game unbeaten streak. However, following Alabama’s streak, Tennessee responded with a seven-game winning streak from 1995 to 2001. Alabama won the most recent game 44–13 in 2012, and leads the series 49–38–7.^[3]

Victory cigars

In the 1950s, Jim Goostree, the head trainer for Alabama, began another tradition as he began handing out cigars following a victory over the Volunteers.^[4] Both teams continued the tradition for some time, though kept it secret due to NCAA rules concerning extra benefits and tobacco products. Alabama publicly restarted the tradition in 2005, though as a result, self-reported an NCAA violation^[5] before finally being banned following the violation.^[6]

Streaks

There have been several long winning streaks in the series. In the first major streak of the series, Bama won 5 straight over the Vols from 1907 to 1913 (the two teams did not play in 1910 and 1911), outscoring the Vols 112–0 in the process.

Alabama has the longest winning streak of the series, 11 games, from 1971 to 1981. It was broken in 1982 when Johnny Majors led the Vols to an upset victory over Bear Bryant and the Tide.

Alabama had a 9 game unbeaten streak from 1986 to 1994, including a tie in 1993 which was later forfeited due to NCAA sanctions. The streak was broken by Tennessee in 1995 when the Vols beat the Tide 41–14. Tennessee began their own 7 game win streak that night, which was broken when Alabama defeated the Vols 34–14 in 2002. Alabama currently enjoys a 6-game winning streak in the series from 2007 to 2012 with an average margin of victory during this stretch of 21 points.

All time

Alabama leads the all–time series 49–38–7 (with the 1993 tie forfeited to Tennessee by Bama due to NCAA penalties, and the 2005 Bama victory vacated due to NCAA penalty). Due to this technicality, Tennessee actually has one more “official” contest in the series (the 2005 loss, which is officially not removed by the NCAA ruling), giving the Vols 38 wins to 50 losses in the series. Alabama has no official result (Win or Loss) for 2005, giving the Tide 49 wins to 38 losses in the series.

The game has been played in 3 different cities. Alabama leads the series in all three venues: for games played in Birmingham, Alabama, by a record of 21–14–6 (21–13–7 “on the field”), for those contested in Knoxville, Tennessee by a record of 23–20–1, and for games in the series played in Tuscaloosa by a record of 6–4 (7–4 “on the field”). Alabama won the last game, played on October 20, 2012, 44-13.

Game results

Alabama victories are colored ██ crimson. Tennessee victories are colored ██ orange. Ties are white. Rankings are from the AP Poll

Year	Alabama		Tennessee		Location	Series
1901	Alabama	6	Tennessee	6	Birmingham, AL	—	0–0–1
1903	Alabama	24	Tennessee	0	Birmingham, AL	ALA	1–0–1
1904	Alabama	0	Tennessee	5	Birmingham, AL	—	1–1–1
1905	Alabama	29	Tennessee	0	Birmingham, AL	ALA	2–1–1
1906	Alabama	0	Tennessee	51	Birmingham, AL	ALA	3–1–1
1907	Alabama	5	Tennessee	0	Birmingham, AL	ALA	4–1–1
1908	Alabama	4	Tennessee	0	Birmingham, AL	ALA	5–1–1
1909	Alabama	10	Tennessee	0	Knoxville, TN	ALA	6–1–1
1912	Alabama	7	Tennessee	0	Birmingham, AL	ALA	7–1–1
1913	Alabama	6	Tennessee	0	Tuscaloosa, AL	ALA	8–1–1
1914	Alabama	7	Tennessee	17	Knoxville, TN	ALA	8–2–1
1928	Alabama	13	Tennessee	15	Tuscaloosa, AL	ALA	8–3–1
1929	Alabama	0	Tennessee	6	Knoxville, TN	ALA	8–4–1
1930	Alabama	18	Tennessee	6	Tuscaloosa, AL	ALA	9–4–1
1931	Alabama	0	Tennessee	25	Knoxville, TN	ALA	9–5–1
1932	Alabama	3	Tennessee	7	Birmingham, AL	ALA	9–6–1
1933	Alabama	12	Tennessee	6	Knoxville, TN	ALA	10–6–1
1934	Alabama	13	Tennessee	6	Birmingham, AL	ALA	11–6–1
1935	Alabama	25	Tennessee	0	Knoxville, TN	ALA	12–6–1
1936	Alabama	0	Tennessee	0	Birmingham, AL	ALA	12–6–2
1937	Alabama	14	Tennessee	7	Knoxville, TN	ALA	13–6–2
1938	Alabama	0	Tennessee	13	Birmingham, AL	ALA	13–7–2
1939	#8 Alabama	0	#5 Tennessee	21	Knoxville, TN	ALA	13–8–2
1940	Alabama	13	#5 Tennessee	27	Birmingham, AL	ALA	13–9–2
1941	Alabama	9	Tennessee	2	Knoxville, TN	ALA	14–9–2
1942	#4 Alabama	8	#15 Tennessee	0	Birmingham, AL	ALA	15–9–2
1944	Alabama	0	#17 Tennessee	0	Knoxville, TN	ALA	15–9–3
1945	#6 Alabama	25	Tennessee	7	Birmingham, AL	ALA	16–9–3
1946	#7 Alabama	0	#9 Tennessee	12	Knoxville, TN	ALA	16–10–3
1947	Alabama	10	Tennessee	0	Birmingham, AL	ALA	17–10–3
1948	Alabama	6	Tennessee	21	Knoxville, TN	ALA	17–11–3
1949	Alabama	7	Tennessee	7	Birmingham, AL	ALA	17–11–4
1950	Alabama	9	#18 Tennessee	14	Knoxville, TN	ALA	17–12–4
1951	Alabama	13	#2 Tennessee	27	Birmingham, AL	ALA	17–13–4
1952	#18 Alabama	0	Tennessee	15	Knoxville, TN	ALA	17–14–4
1953	Alabama	0	Tennessee	0	Birmingham, AL	ALA	17–14–5
1954	Alabama	27	Tennessee	0	Knoxville, TN	ALA	18–14–5
1955	Alabama	0	Tennessee	20	Birmingham, AL	ALA	18–15–5
1956	Alabama	0	#7 Tennessee	24	Knoxville, TN	ALA	18–16–5
1957	Alabama	0	Tennessee	14	Birmingham, AL	ALA	18–17–5
1958	Alabama	7	Tennessee	14	Knoxville, TN	—	18–18–5
1959	Alabama	7	#14 Tennessee	7	Birmingham, AL	—	18–18–6
1960	#15 Alabama	7	Tennessee	20	Knoxville, TN	UT	18–19–6
1961	#5 Alabama	34	Tennessee	3	Birmingham, AL	—	19–19–6
1962	#2 Alabama	27	Tennessee	7	Knoxville, TN	ALA	20–19–6
1963	#9 Alabama	35	Tennessee	0	Birmingham, AL	ALA	21–19–6
1964	#3 Alabama	19	Tennessee	8	Knoxville, TN	ALA	22–19–6
1965	Alabama	7	Tennessee	7	Birmingham, AL	ALA	22–19–7
1966	#3 Alabama	11	Tennessee	10	Knoxville, TN	ALA	23–19–7
1967	#6 Alabama	13	#7 Tennessee	24	Birmingham, AL	ALA	23–20–7
1968	Alabama	9	#8 Tennessee	10	Knoxville, TN	ALA	23–21–7
1969	#20 Alabama	14	#13 Tennessee	41	Birmingham, AL	ALA	23–22–7
1970	Alabama	0	#14 Tennessee	24	Knoxville, TN	—	23–23–7
1971	#4 Alabama	32	#14 Tennessee	15	Birmingham, AL	ALA	24–23–7
1972	#3 Alabama	17	#10 Tennessee	10	Knoxville, TN	ALA	25–23–7
1973	#2 Alabama	42	#10 Tennessee	21	Birmingham, AL	ALA	26–23–7
1974	#4 Alabama	28	Tennessee	6	Knoxville, TN	ALA	27–23–7
1975	#6 Alabama	30	#16 Tennessee	7	Birmingham, AL	ALA	28–23–7
1976	#20 Alabama	20	Tennessee	13	Knoxville, TN	ALA	29–23–7
1977	#4 Alabama	24	Tennessee	10	Birmingham, AL	ALA	30–23–7
1978	#4 Alabama	30	Tennessee	17	Knoxville, TN	ALA	31–23–7
1979	#1 Alabama	27	#18 Tennessee	17	Birmingham, AL	ALA	32–23–7
1980	#1 Alabama	27	Tennessee	0	Knoxville, TN	ALA	33–23–7
1981	#15 Alabama	38	Tennessee	19	Birmingham, AL	ALA	34–23–7
1982	#2 Alabama	28	Tennessee	35	Knoxville, TN	ALA	34–24–7
1983	#11 Alabama	34	Tennessee	41	Birmingham, AL	ALA	34–25–7
1984	Alabama	27	Tennessee	28	Knoxville, TN	ALA	34–26–7
1985	#15 Alabama	14	#20 Tennessee	16	Birmingham, AL	ALA	34–27–7
1986	#2 Alabama	56	Tennessee	28	Knoxville, TN	ALA	35–27–7
1987	Alabama	41	#8 Tennessee	22	Birmingham, AL	ALA	36–27–7
1988	Alabama	28	Tennessee	20	Knoxville, TN	ALA	37–27–7
1989	#10 Alabama	47	#6 Tennessee	30	Birmingham, AL	ALA	38–27–7
1990	Alabama	9	#3 Tennessee	6	Knoxville, TN	ALA	39–27–7
1991	#14 Alabama	24	#8 Tennessee	19	Birmingham, AL	ALA	40–27–7
1992	#4 Alabama	17	#13 Tennessee	10	Knoxville, TN	ALA	41–27–7
1993†	#2 Alabama	17	#10 Tennessee	17	Birmingham, AL	ALA	41–28–7
1994	#10 Alabama	17	Tennessee	13	Knoxville, TN	ALA	42–28–7
1995	#11 Alabama	14	#6 Tennessee	41	Birmingham, AL	ALA	42–29–7
1996	#7 Alabama	13	#6 Tennessee	20	Knoxville, TN	ALA	42–30–7
1997	Alabama	21	#9 Tennessee	38	Birmingham, AL	ALA	42–31–7
1998	Alabama	18	#3 Tennessee	35	Knoxville, TN	ALA	42–32–7
1999	#10 Alabama	7	#5 Tennessee	21	Tuscaloosa, AL	ALA	42–33–7
2000	Alabama	10	Tennessee	20	Knoxville, TN	ALA	42–34–7
2001	Alabama	24	#11 Tennessee	35	Tuscaloosa, AL	ALA	42–35–7
2002	#19 Alabama	34	#16 Tennessee	14	Knoxville, TN	ALA	43–35–7
2003‡	Alabama	43	#22 Tennessee	51	Tuscaloosa, AL	ALA	43–36–7
2004	Alabama	13	#11 Tennessee	17	Knoxville, TN	ALA	43–37–7
2005†	#5 Alabama	6	#17 Tennessee	3	Tuscaloosa, AL	ALA	43–37–7
2006	Alabama	13	#7 Tennessee	16	Knoxville, TN	ALA	43–38–7
2007	Alabama	41	#20 Tennessee	17	Tuscaloosa, AL	ALA	44–38–7
2008	#2 Alabama	29	Tennessee	9	Knoxville, TN	ALA	45–38–7
2009	#1 Alabama	12	Tennessee	10	Tuscaloosa, AL	ALA	46–38–7
2010	#7 Alabama	41	Tennessee	10	Knoxville, TN	ALA	47–38–7
2011	#2 Alabama	37	Tennessee	6	Tuscaloosa, AL	ALA	48–38–7
2012	#1 Alabama	44	Tennessee	13	Knoxville, TN	ALA	49–38–7
† Alabama would later forfeit the 1993 tie and vacate their 2005 win. ‡ Five overtime game.

References

1. Jump up ^ Cook, Beano (2001-10-17). “The third Saturday in October”. ESPN Classic. Retrieved 2008-10-25.
2. Jump up ^ Browning, Al (2001). Third Saturday in October: The Game-By-Game Story of the South’s Most Intense Football Rivalry. Cumberland House. ISBN 978-1-58182-217-5.
3. Jump up ^ “The Record Book” (PDF). University of Alabama Athletics. Retrieved 2008-10-25.
4. Jump up ^ Dunnavant, Keith (2006). “The Missing Ring”. The Missing Ring: How Bear Bryant and the 1966 Alabama Crimson Tide Were Denied College Football’s Most Elusive Prize. Macmillan. p. 170. ISBN 978-0-312-33683-7.
5. Jump up ^ “The Third Saturday in October”. Associated Press. 2006-10-21. Retrieved 2008-10-25.
6. Jump up ^ Rogers, Ken (2008-10-22). “Players understand importance of Tennessee rivalry”. Opelika Auburn News. Retrieved 2008-10-25.

Here are the results of the Vols’ season so far:

2013 TENNESSEE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE Overall 4-3 Conf. 1-2 Home 4-1 Away 0-2

Date	Opponent / Event	Location	Time / Result
08/31/13	vs. Austin Peay	Neyland Stadium (Knoxville, Tenn.)	W, 45-0
09/07/13	vs. Western Kentucky	Neyland Stadium (Knoxville, Tenn.)	W, 52-20
09/14/13	at Oregon	Autzen Stadium (Eugene, Ore.)	L, 59-14
09/21/13	at Florida *	Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (Gainesville, Fla.)	L, 31-17
09/28/13	vs. South Alabama	Neyland Stadium (Knoxville, Tenn.)	W, 31-24
10/05/13	vs. Georgia *	Neyland Stadium (Knoxville, Tenn.)	L, 34-31 (OT)
10/19/13	vs. South Carolina *	Neyland Stadium (Knoxville, Tenn.)	W, 23-21
10/26/13	at Alabama *	Bryant-Denny Stadium (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)	3:30 p.m. ET
11/02/13	at Missouri *	Faurot Field (Columbia, Mo.)	TBA
11/09/13	vs. Auburn *	Neyland Stadium (Knoxville, Tenn.)	TBA
11/23/13	vs. Vanderbilt *	Neyland Stadium (Knoxville, Tenn.)	TBA
11/30/13	at Kentucky *	Commonwealth Stadium (Lexington, Ky.)	TBA

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