A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
| First meeting | November 28, 1901 Tennessee 6, Alabama 6 |
|---|---|
| Latest meeting | October 21, 2023 #11 Alabama 34, #17 Tennessee 20 |
| Next meeting | October 19, 2024 |
| Statistics | |
| Meetings total | 106 |
| All-time series | Alabama leads, 59–39–7 |
| Largest victory | Alabama, 51–0 (1906) |
| Longest win streak | Alabama, 15(2007–2021) Tennessee, 7(1995–2001) |
| Current win streak | Alabama, 1 (2023–present) |
The Third Saturday in October is the Alabama–Tennessee football rivalry,[1] an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Crimson Tide of the University of Alabama and the Volunteers of the University of Tennessee. The respective campuses are located approximately 310 miles (500 km) apart.[2][3] It is known as the Third Saturday in October because the game was traditionally played at such date prior to the 1992 football season, when the Southeastern Conference (SEC) split into its East and West divisions.[1][4] From 1995 to 2015, it was only scheduled for that date six times, though it was again scheduled for that date from 2016 through 2019 and in 2022 and 2023.[5] Alabama leads the series 59–39–7.[6][7] At 39 wins, Tennessee has more victories over Alabama than any other program in college football. At 59 wins, Alabama has more victories over Tennessee than any other program in college football.
Series history
The first game was played in 1901 in Birmingham, a 6–6 tie. From 1903 to 1913, Alabama dominated the series, only losing once and never allowing a touchdown by the Volunteers
Beginning in 1928, the rivalry was scheduled on its "traditional" date. Robert Neyland, Tennessee's coach and namesake of the present Tennessee stadium, began challenging Alabama for their perennial spot on top of the conference standings. It was officially given the name Third Saturday in October 1939.[8] Both Robert Neyland and Bear Bryant made the rivalry heated during their tenure at Tennessee and Alabama.[9]
The Alabama–Tennessee game has been played in three locations: Birmingham, Alabama; Knoxville, Tennessee; and Tuscaloosa, Alabama. In the first four (1901–1908) meetings, the game was held in Birmingham, Alabama. In 1909, the home and home series began, though most of Alabama's home games against Tennessee were played in Birmingham. The teams did play in Tuscaloosa a few times through 1930. The game was not played in Tuscaloosa from 1930 until 1999. Alabama leads the series in all three venues: for games contested in Birmingham, 21–14–6; in Knoxville, 27–21–1; and in Tuscaloosa, 11–4.
Alabama and Tennessee both have 12 shutouts in the series.
Victory cigars
In the 1950s, Jim Goostree, the head athletic trainer for Alabama, began another tradition as he began handing out cigars following a victory over the Volunteers.[10] 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.[11] Every year since 2007, the winner of the Alabama–Tennessee game knowingly violates the NCAA rule and reports the violation in honor of tradition.[12]
Streaks
The Alabama–Tennessee rivalry has been known for streaks.[13] In the first major streak of the series, Bama won seven straight over the Vols from 1905 to 1913 (the two teams did not play in 1910 and 1911), outscoring the Vols 112–0 in the process.
Alabama had the longest winning streak of the series, extending 15 games from 2007 to 2021, until October 15, 2022, when Tennessee defeated Alabama 52–49, the first time Tennessee defeated Nick Saban. An eleven-game Alabama streak (1971–1981) was broken in 1982 when Johnny Majors led the Vols to an upset victory over Bear Bryant and the Tide.[8]
Alabama had a nine-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 seven game win streak that night, which was broken when Alabama defeated the Vols 34–14 in 2002. To date, Alabama maintains the longest streak of victories over Tennessee at fifteen.[14][15]
Game results
Rankings are from the AP Poll
| Alabama victories | Tennessee victories | Ties | Forfeits / Vacated wins [n 1][n 2] |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- ^ Alabama's 1993 tie was forfeited as the NCAA found Antonio Langham guilty of receiving improper benefits after signing with an agent following the 1992 season, forcing Alabama to forfeit all games in which Langham competed.[16][17]
- ^ Alabama's 2005 victory was vacated as part of NCAA sanctions.[18][17]
Results by Location
| State | City | Games | Alabama victories | Tennessee victories | Ties | Years played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | Knoxville | 49 | 27 | 21 | 1 | 1909–present |
| Alabama | Birmingham | 41 | 21 | 14 | 6 | 1901–1912, 1932–1997 |
| Tuscaloosa | 16 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 1913–1930, 1999–present |
Coaching records
Alabama
| Head Coach | Games | Seasons | Wins | Losses | Ties | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Saban | 17 | 2007–2023 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0.941 |
| Mike Shula | 4 | 2003–2006 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0.000 |
| Dennis Franchione | 2 | 2001–2002 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.500 |
| Mike DuBose | 4 | 1997–2000 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0.000 |
| Gene Stallings | 7 | 1990–1996 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0.571 |
| Bill Curry | 3 | 1987–1989 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Ray Perkins | 4 | 1983–1986 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0.250 |
| Bear Bryant | 25 | 1958–1982 | 16 | 7 | 2 | 0.696 |
| Jennings B. Whitworth | 3 | 1955–1957 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0.000 |
| Harold Drew | 8 | 1947–1954 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0.375 |
| Frank Thomas | 15 | 1931–1946 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 0.533 |
| Wallace Wade | 3 | 1923–1930 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0.333 |
| D.V Graves | 3 | 1911–1914 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0.666 |
| J.W.H. Pollard | 4 | 1906–1909 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Jack Leavenworth | 1 | 1905 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| W.B. Blount | 2 | 1903–1904 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.500 |
| M.S. Harvey | 1 | 1901 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.500 |
Tennessee
| Head Coach | Games | Seasons | Wins | Losses | Ties | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Heupel | 3 | 2021–present | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0.333 |
| Jeremy Pruitt | 3 | 2018–2020 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0.000 |
| Butch Jones | 5 | 2013–2017 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0.000 |
| Derek Dooley | 3 | 2010–2012 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0.000 |
| Lane Kiffin | 1 | 2009 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.000 |
| Phillip Fulmer | 16 | 1992–2008 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 0.733 |
| Johnny Majors | 16 | 1977–1992 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 0.250 |
| Bill Battle | 7 | 1970–1976 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0.143 |
| Doug Dickey | 6 | 1964–1969 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0.583 |
| Jim McDonald | 1 | 1963 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.000 |
| Bowden Wyatt | 8 | 1955–1962 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0.688 |
| Harvey Robinson | 2 | 1953–1954 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.250 |
| Robert Neyland | 19 | 1946–1952,
1936–1940, 1926–1934 |
12 | 5 | 2 | 0.684 |
| John Barnhill | 4 | 1944–1945,
1941–1942 |
0 | 3 | 1 | 0.125 |
| W.H. Britton | 1 | 1935 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.000 |
| Zora G. Clevenger | 3 | 1911–1915 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0.333 |
| George Levene | 3 | 1907–1909 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0.000 |
| James DePree | 2 | 1905–1906 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.000 |
| Sax Crawford | Zdroj:https://en.wikipedia.org?pojem=Third_Saturday_in_October