PRESS PICKS (Week 8): 'Third Saturday' finally has meaning again
STAFF REPORT
It’s been a while.
Alabama-Tennessee, the Third Saturday in October as it’s romantically known, has been missing in the “must see” department for a long while.
For two decades or more, it has been void of the national spectrum due mostly to the arrival of Nick Saban back in 2007 when he got his “signature” win early in his tenure with the Crimson Tide.
We all remember that day. It was fraught with shock after five players were suspended hours before kickoff due to a textbook scandal, leaving the Crimson Tide with holes to fill on both sides of the ball.
Saban used it to his advantage and fired up the troops for a 41-17 thrashing of the Vols, who at no point of the day knew what hit them.
It was the beginning of a dominance the series had never witnessed. It would be 16 years before Tennessee would break through for a win. And that win was shaky at best.
Alabama-Tennessee has always had its share of streaks. Alabama didn’t win in this series between 1995-2001 and managed just one win in the timespan extended to 2004.
Tennessee has dealt with several empty streaks including 1971-1981 and 1986-94.
The dominance for the winners typically came back to who was in charge and during the 90s, Alabama was dealing with NCAA violations and replacing coaches every three or four years.
Tennessee went through the same during Saban’s tenure but he had as much to do with it as who was coaching the Vols. When Robert Neyland was leading Tennessee during his three tenures, Bama couldn’t buy a win.
With Saban gone, are we ready to welcome the old-school rivalry? Back in in the day, this game was front-page news - all week prior and two days after the result.
Saturday’s game has that feel. Both are in “must win” mode with the new playoff procedures at play. Neither one has shown an ability to dominate in the last couple of weeks.
The most notable proof - both sets of fans are nervous and aren’t sure what to expect. Bama has worried little over the last decades but now that the King has retired, they don’t know what to think after watching a traditionally sound defense throw up all over itself the last two games.
Tennessee fans are optimistically confident that the new regime in Tuscaloosa allows them to breath again. And they like Josh Heupel… apparently.
But it’s too early to predict where this rivalry is headed. Until then, enjoy what folks used to back in the early 1900s.
It’s worth a try.
2024 Standings (Last Week)
1. Michael Butler 86-34 (12-3) .717
Doug Amos 83-37 (11-4) .692
3. Wesley Lyle 82-38 (10-5) .683
Tim Gayle 82-38 (11-4) .683
5. Rosie Langello 80-40 (9-6) .667
Graham Dunn 80-40 (12-3) .667
7. Mike Peacock 73-47 (9-6) .608
8. Rick Hendrick 69-51 (10-5) .575
9. Barry McKnight 68-52 (9-6) .567
10. Lindsey Bonner 59- 46 (6-9) .562
Michael Butler (WTLS 106.9&94.7 FM/1300 AM/Tallassee Times)
86-34 (12-3) .717
Auburn at Carver - Auburn
Hillcrest-Tusc at Prattville - Hillcrest
Russell County at Pike Road - Pike Road
St. James at Tallassee - Tallassee
Macon East at Springwood - Macon East
Alabama at Tennessee - Alabama
Auburn at Missouri - Auburn
Georgia at Texas - Georgia
Texas A&M at Miss St - Texas A&M
South Carolina at Oklahoma - Oklahoma
LSU at Arkansas - LSU
Kentucky at Florida - Florida
Miami at Louisville - Miami
Michigan at Illinois - Illinois
Nebraska at Indiana - Indiana
Doug Amos (ESPN The Ticket)
83-37 (11-4) .692
Auburn at Carver - Carver
Hillcrest-Tusc at Prattville - Prattville
Russell County at Pike Road - Pike Road
St. James at Tallassee - Tallassee
Macon East at Springwood - Macon East
Alabama at Tennessee - Tennessee
Auburn at Missouri - Auburn
Georgia at Texas - Texas
Texas A&M at Miss St - Texas A&M
South Carolina at Oklahoma - Oklahoma
LSU at Arkansas - Arkansas
Kentucky at Florida - Kentucky
Miami at Louisville - Miami
Michigan at Illinois - Illinois
Nebraska at Indiana - Indiana
Wesley Lyle (River Region Sports & al.com)
82-38 (10-5) .683
Auburn at Carver - Auburn
Hillcrest-Tusc at Prattville - Prattville
Russell County at Pike Road - Pike Road
St. James at Tallassee - Tallassee
Macon East at Springwood - Springwood
Alabama at Tennessee - Alabama
Auburn at Missouri - Missouri
Georgia at Texas - Texas
Texas A&M at Miss St - Texas A&M
South Carolina at Oklahoma - Oklahoma
LSU at Arkansas - Arkansas
Kentucky at Florida - Kentucky
Miami at Louisville - Miami
Michigan at Illinois - Michigan
Nebraska at Indiana - Indiana
Tim Gayle (River Region Sports/Montgomery Independent)
82-38 (11-4) .683
Auburn at Carver - Auburn
Hillcrest-Tusc at Prattville - Prattville
Russell County at Pike Road - Russell County
St. James at Tallassee - St. James
Macon East at Springwood - Macon East
Alabama at Tennessee - Tennessee
Auburn at Missouri - Auburn
Georgia at Texas - Georgia
Texas A&M at Miss St - Texas A&M
South Carolina at Oklahoma - South Carolina
LSU at Arkansas - LSU
Kentucky at Florida - Kentucky
Miami at Louisville - Miami
Michigan at Illinois - Illinois
Nebraska at Indiana - Indiana
Rosie Langello (Sports Director - WSFA Ch. 12)
80-40 (9-6) .667
Auburn at Carver - Auburn
Hillcrest-Tusc at Prattville - Hillcrest
Russell County at Pike Road - Pike Road
St. James at Tallassee - St. James
Macon East at Springwood - Macon East
Alabama at Tennessee - Alabama
Auburn at Missouri - Missouri
Georgia at Texas - Texas
Texas A&M at Miss St - Texas A&M
South Carolina at Oklahoma - South Carolina
LSU at Arkansas - LSU
Kentucky at Florida - Florida
Miami at Louisville - Miami
Michigan at Illinois - Illinois
Nebraska at Indiana - Indiana
Graham Dunn (River Region Sports/WTLS/Voice of Alabama State Hornets)
80-40 (12-3) .667
Auburn at Carver - Auburn
Hillcrest-Tusc at Prattville - Prattville
Russell County at Pike Road - Russell County
St. James at Tallassee - Tallassee
Macon East at Springwood - Macon East
Alabama at Tennessee - Alabama
Auburn at Missouri - Auburn
Georgia at Texas - Texas
Texas A&M at Miss St - Texas A&M
South Carolina at Oklahoma - South Carolina
LSU at Arkansas - LSU
Kentucky at Florida - Kentucky
Miami at Louisville - Miami
Michigan at Illinois - Illinois
Nebraska at Indiana - Nebraska
Mike Peacock (River Region Sports)
73-47 (9-6) .608
Auburn at Carver - Auburn
Hillcrest-Tusc at Prattville - Hillcrest
Russell County at Pike Road - Russell County
St. James at Tallassee - Tallassee
Macon East at Springwood - Macon East
Alabama at Tennessee - Alabama
Auburn at Missouri - Auburn
Georgia at Texas - Texas
Texas A&M at Miss St - Texas A&M
South Carolina at Oklahoma - South Carolina
LSU at Arkansas - LSU
Kentucky at Florida - Florida
Miami at Louisville - Miami
Michigan at Illinois - Illinois
Nebraska at Indiana - Indiana
Rick Hendrick (WXFS 95.1 The Fox/PA Montgomery Biscuits)
69-51 (10-5) .575
Auburn at Carver - Auburn
Hillcrest-Tusc at Prattville - Hillcrest
Russell County at Pike Road - Pike Road
St. James at Tallassee - Tallassee
Macon East at Springwood - Macon East
Alabama at Tennessee - Alabama
Auburn at Missouri - Auburn
Georgia at Texas - Georgia
Texas A&M at Miss St - Miss St
South Carolina at Oklahoma - Oklahoma
LSU at Arkansas - LSU
Kentucky at Florida - Kentucky
Miami at Louisville - Miami
Michigan at Illinois - Michigan
Nebraska at Indiana - Indiana
Barry McKnight (Voice of Troy Trojans)
68-52 (9-6) .567
Auburn at Carver - Auburn
Hillcrest-Tusc at Prattville - Hillcrest
Russell County at Pike Road - Pike Road
St. James at Tallassee - Tallassee
Macon East at Springwood - Macon East
Alabama at Tennessee - Alabama
Auburn at Missouri - Auburn
Georgia at Texas - Georgia
Texas A&M at Miss St - Texas A&M
South Carolina at Oklahoma - Oklahoma
LSU at Arkansas - LSU
Kentucky at Florida - Florida
Miami at Louisville - Miami
Michigan at Illinois - Illinois
Nebraska at Indiana - Indiana
Lindsey Bonner (Sports Director - WAKA Ch. 8)
59- 46 (6-9) .562
Auburn at Carver - Auburn
Hillcrest-Tusc at Prattville - Hillcrest
Russell County at Pike Road - Russell County
St. James at Tallassee - Tallassee
Macon East at Springwood - Macon East
Alabama at Tennessee - Alabama
Auburn at Missouri - Missouri
Georgia at Texas - Georgia
Texas A&M at Miss St - Texas A&M
South Carolina at Oklahoma - South Carolina
LSU at Arkansas - LSU
Kentucky at Florida - Florida
Miami at Louisville - Miami
Michigan at Illinois - Illinois
Nebraska at Indiana - Indiana