The Third Saturday in October -- while not always on the third Saturday in October -- is one of college football’s most historic rivalries. Alabama and Tennessee are the SEC’s two winningest teams all-time, and between them, they claim 21 national championships and 43 conference titles.
How to watch Tennessee vs. Alabama 2013: Preview, TV schedule, odds and more
It’s the Third Saturday in October -- on the fourth Saturday in October.
John David Mercer-USA TODAY Spor
However, the contest has lost a bit of its luster in recent years. Alabama has won the last six meetings, as the Crimson Tide have become college football’s premier program and the Volunteers have sunk into mediocrity. The average final score during the Tide’s current winning streak is 34-11, and the Vols have kept the margin of victory below 20 points just once. In a rivalry that has featured stretches of one-sided dominance at times -- Tennessee won 11 of the previous 14 -- ‘Bama is undoubtedly the program with the current upper hand.
The numbers
Rankings and records: Alabama (7-0, 4-0 SEC) has won three of the last four BCS titles, and the Tide are once again ranked No. 1 in the BCS standings and all human polls. On the other hand, the Vols (4-3, 1-2) are wholly unranked. Discounting vacated wins and forfeits, Alabama holds the all-time edge, 50-37-8.
Vegas: Alabama opened as a 26.5-point favorite, according to Odds Shark, and the over-under was set at 51.
Weather: Saturday afternoon’s forecast calls for a high of 63 and a 9 percent chance of rain in Tuscaloosa.
Three names to know
Tennessee running back Rajion Neal has been the Volunteers' best player on offense, averaging 99 yards per game on the ground and scoring eight touchdowns. He'll have to work for yards against Alabama, which has the SEC's best rush defense.
Crimson Tide quarterback A.J. McCarron has proven to be more than just a game manager, throwing for 227 yards per game, 14 touchdowns and three interceptions this season. He's complimented by running back T.J. Yeldon, who averages 94 yards on the ground and has found the end zone seven times.
Two things at stake
Alabama is on the road to a three-peat, and with Oregon and Florida State looking like potential unbeatens, the Crimson Tide can’t afford to drop a game, especially with LSU still on the schedule. The Volunteers have been playing better under Butch Jones in recent weeks, and a victory over the Tide would be the head coach’s first signature win in Knoxville.
How to witness
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS (Play-by-play: Verne Lundquist, analysis: Gary Danielson, sideline: Tracy Wolfson)
Radio: Sirius/XM 91, Alabama affiliates, Tennessee affiliates
Online streaming: CBSSports.com
Further reading
For all things Alabama, check out Roll ‘Bama Roll. For Tennessee content, visit Rocky Top Talk.
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