When Reading into the Alabama-Tennessee Feud, Throw Out the Record Books

You've heard the old saying you can throw out the record books.  The saying has meaning, but not what you might think.  

The fact is that in rivalry games the better teams usually do win.  Most upsets happen when the better team doesn't get up mentally or emotionally for the game.  In rivalry games that rarely happens. 

That should be the case Saturday at Bryant Denny Stadium as Alabama takes on long time enemy Tennessee.  Alabama players will feel an instant rush of blood when they see those those ugly orange uniforms.  Its almost an involuntary reaction. 

The same holds true of the fans.  Forget the records,  bring your ear plugs.  Alabama fans will be in full throat for this one.   The last two years have hardly quenched the Alabama fans thirst for revenge for Tennessee's involvement in the probation that nearly destroyed their beloved Tide. 

During the depths of probation induced weakness,  when Alabama barely fielded enough scholarship athletes to play,  every time they walked onto the field the record books were ignored. 

The crimson and white uniforms represented something bigger and more important than the sum of their current parts.  Alabama rarely got anything less than their “A” game.

The timing of the annual border war is significant as well.  The middle of the season often brings change.  At the start of the season the roster starts out much like it ended in the spring.

However as the long SEC season wears on players get hurt, some wear down,  freshman players sometimes start putting it together on the field, while some hit the wall physically and begin to fade.  The Alabama Tennessee game being at this time every year has seen its share of special or unexpected performances. 

Gary Hollingsworth had 379 yards passing while Siran Stacy racked up four touchdowns in 1989.  Bobby Humphrey had 217 yards rushing in 1986.   In 2001 Satonio Beard had 141 yards in only 10 rushing attempts.  Quarterback Jeff Dunn making his first start as a freshman roasted the Tennessee secondary for 229 yards in 1987.

Earlier David Bailey had back to back years (69,70) in which he set the Alabama record for catches in a game (12).  Bailey's record that he set twice stood for 38 years as the most catches in a game for Alabama until DJ Hall broke it in 2007 against,  you guessed it,  Tennessee. 

Lane Kiffin may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer but he does know the meaning of this game.  Win this game and your job is safe.  Lose it,  and the clock is ticking.  

Its the nature of the SEC that there are some games you simply have to win every so often to keep your job.  Expect Kiffin to empty the playbook against Alabama.  But he would do that even if Alabama hadn't won a game yet.  As I said, the record books do not matter.