The Third Saturday in October: Tennessee's Best Wins against Alabama

"You never know about a football player until he has played against Alabama."

-General Robert R. Neyland

"You found out what kind of person you were when you played against Tennessee."

-Paul "Bear" Bryant

It is the rivalry that made southern football.  Tennessee and Alabama were the powers that helped shape the SEC into the power conference it is today.  Football fans could mark their calendar for the battle between the Crimson Tide and the Volunteers because the game was always played on the third Saturday in October.

The teams first met in 1901 and at the end of the game the score was tied, and fights broke out as two thousand fans stormed the field at Tuscaloosa.  Since then the series has always been hotly contested.  While it may not always be played on the third Saturday in October (thank you SEC scheduling), it is still the game I look forward to the most every year.

Tennessee and Alabama both have many rivals.  However, both teams seem to have an added disdain toward each other.  No team has beaten Alabama more than Tennessee, and the Vols hold the record for the most victories in a row against the Tide at seven.  The tradition also goes that the winning team will smoke victory cigars in the locker room, and of course the fans get in on the tradition as well.

One of my favorite moments on the rivalry did not even happen on the field.  Over the summer one of my best friends, a Tennessee graduate married an Alabama graduate.  There was plenty of Crimson and Orange throughout the ceremony and the reception as there were dueling renditions of "Rocky Top" and "Sweet Home Alabama."

It is the game that will make you a legend at either school.  You may only have one great play, but if you make that play on the third Saturday in October, you will be remembered forever in Knoxville and Tuscaloosa.

Here now is a look back at my favorite Tennessee victories played on the third Saturday in October.

Alabama, the big football power of the south was playing Tennessee a team on the rise under General Robert Neyland.  So heavily favored was Alabama that Neyland asked legendary Bama coach Wallace Wade if they could shorten the game in the second half if the game got out of hand. 

That was gamesmanship before the word was even invented.  Lou Holtz couldn't think that one up!

Tennessee made a statement early as halfback Gene McEver, Tennessee's first All-American returned the opening kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown.  McEver then caught a touchdown pass from Bobby Dodd, who would become a legendary coach at Georgia Tech to put Tennessee up enough where they could sit back and play defense and get the win.

Tennessee 15 Alabama 13

Alabama came into the game ranked sixth in the polls and had a 25 game unbeaten streak.  However, they did not anticipate the fourth quarter heroics of Volunteer defensive back Albert Dorsey.  In front of 72,000 fans at Legion Field in Birmingham Dorsey had a quarter like no other. 

Alabama got a touchdown early in the fourth quarter to cut the led to 17-13.  Alabama's next three possessions all ended the same way, with Dorsey intercepting three Ken Stabler passes.  The third was run back for a touchdown to score the knockout for Tennessee.  That performance made Dorsey an All-American.

Tennessee 24 Alabama 13

A year remembered in Knoxville for two things, the World's Fair and the end of the jinx.  Alabama came to Knoxville ranked second in the country and had beaten Tennessee eleven straight times.  A streak that would end on this third Saturday in October.

Tennessee was down 14-3 early but Tennessee did not get down on themselves, they kept fighting back and was up 35-21 with 7:21 left in the game.  As they did so often under Bear Bryant, the Red Elephants would not go down quietly. 

Alabama got a quick score to get within a touchdown.  Then with under 30 seconds to play drove the ball down to the Tennessee 17-yard line.  Alabama quarterback Walter Lewis' pass was tipped into the endzone and intercepted by Tennessee defensive end Mike Terry and Tennessee ran out the clock to set off bedlam in Knoxville as the goal posts came tumbling down.

Tennessee 35 Alabama 28

The year before, Tennessee got their first win over Alabama since 1985 behind the great performance by quarterback Peyton Manning.  In this game it was done the old fashioned Tennessee way, running the ball and playing great defense.

Alabama got out to a 13-0 lead early in the third quarter before Tennessee finally woke up.  After Alabama missed a chip shot field goal, partially blocked by Leonard Little, Peyton Manning made the Tide pay for their all out blitz by hitting Joey Kent on a quick slant.  With the safeties blitzing, no one could stop Kent as he ran 54 yards for the score to make it 13-6 and bring 106,000 in Neyland to full volume.

With the score tied 13-13 with 2:17 remaining in the forth quarter, Tennessee running back Jay Graham bolted through the hole in the middle and then galloped down the sideline to give Tennessee their first lead of the game.

Alabama drove the ball down to the Tennessee 11, but they could not get any closer.  Tide quarterback Freddie Kitchens was incomplete on three straight passes and fumbled on fourth down when he was belted by Leonard Little.

Tennessee 20 Alabama 13

One if the most stressful and wonderful games I have witnessed in person.  Alabama was up 20-13 late in the forth quarter and Tennessee quarterback Casey Clausen lead a had-to-have-it, perhaps miraculous, drive—86 yards in eight plays in 1:27—to send the game into overtime.

Once the game went to overtime, it was back and forth with both teams pulling out all the stops to get the win.  Alabama scored on a fourth down to send the game into a second overtime and then looked like they had the Vols on the ropes with Tennessee down seven and facing a fourth and 19.  Clausen hit CJ Fayton to convert and keep Tennessee alive.

Tennessee got the ball first in the fifth overtime and Clausen scored on a one yard sneak, and then got the two point conversion to go up eight.  The Crimson Tide then could not pick up a first down and Tennessee escaped Tuscaloosa with the win in the highest scoring third Saturday in October game in history.

Tennessee 51 Alabama 43

So there you have it.  I would love to hear some of your memories as well, feel free to share them here.

With Alabama coming to Neyland this Saturday, all the memories and tradition will be there.  I do not know if Tennessee has enough to knock off the second ranked Crimson Tide, but I will have my cigar at the ready.