Third Saturday in October

Third Saturday in October
150px	Tennessee Volunteers athletics logo
Teams	Alabama Crimson Tide Tennessee Volunteers
Originated	1901
Series	Alabama leads 48–38–7
Largest Victory	Alabama 51, Tennessee 0 November 29, 1906
Highest Scoring Game	Tennessee 51, Alabama 43 October 25, 2003
Most Recent Game	Alabama 37, Tennessee 6 October 22, 2011
Current Win Streak	Alabama 5

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 the Tennessee Volunteers football team of the University of Tennessee. The name refers to the usual calendar date on which the game was traditionally played prior to the 1992 football season, when the Southeastern Conference (SEC) split into its Eastern and Western divisions. From 1995 to 2010, it has only been scheduled for that date five times.

Overall, Alabama leads the series with an official 48–38–7 record.

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.

Between 1971–1981, Alabama held an eleven-game winning streak over the Volunteers and, between 1986–1994, a nine-game unbeaten streak. However, following Alabama's streak, Tennessee responded with a seven-game winning streak from 1995–2001. Alabama won the most recent game 37-6 in 2011, and lead the series 48–38–7.

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. Both teams continued the tradition for some time, though kept it secret due to the NCAA rules concerning extra benefits and tobacco products. Alabama publicly restarted the tradition in 2005, though as a result, self-reported an NCAA violation before finally being banned following the violation.

Streaks

There have been several long winning streaks in the series. In the first major streak of the series, Bama won 7 straight over the Vols from 1905–1913 (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 5 game winning streak in the series from 2007-2011 with an average margin of victory during this stretch of 21 points.

All time

Alabama leads the all–time series 48–38–7 (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 (2005 Loss, which is officially not removed by the NCAA ruling), giving the Vols 38 wins to 49 losses in the series. Alabama has no official result (Win or Loss) for 2005, giving the Tide 48 wins to 38 losses in the series.

The game has been played in 3 different cities. Alabama leads the series when played in Birmingham, Alabama (21–14–6) (21-13-7 on the field) and Knoxville, Tennessee (22–20–1). Also leads the series in Tuscaloosa (5-4) (Alabama leads 6-4 on the field)

Alabama won the last game, played on October 22, 2011, 37-6.

Game results

Alabama victories are colored ██ crimson. Tennessee victories are colored ██ orange. Ties are white

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

Further reading

• 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.