Top 15 Showdown When Tennessee and Bama Renew Third Saturday in October Rivalry

(utsports.com) — The Third Saturday in October returns under the lights as No. 11 Tennessee hits the road to face No. 6 Alabama at 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday in Bryant-Denny Stadium. The 108th meeting between the storied rivals will air on ABC, with SEC Nation and Marty & McGee on site in Tuscaloosa.

Both programs enter the matchup 5-1, with Alabama tied atop the SEC standings at 3-0 and Tennessee sitting at 2-1. The Vols have won two of the past three meetings in the series and are one of just two programs nationally—along with Michigan—with multiple victories over the Crimson Tide since the start of the 2022 season.

During his Monday press conference, Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel emphasized the history, energy and opportunity surrounding the annual rivalry, which has been billed as the Third Saturday in October since 1939.

“Third Saturday in October. Great historical game, rivalry game,” Heupel said. “I know it will be a great environment against a great football team, and looking forward to it. We have to go do a great job in our preparation. You look at how they’re playing – offensively, defensively, special teams – playing at a really high level right now … This is why you come to Tennessee, to play in a game like this – a great rivalry game with Alabama.”

Heupel said a key focus for his team this week will be creating takeaways and capitalizing on turnover opportunities against an Alabama offense led by quarterback Ty Simpson.

“We need to win the turnover battle, first of all,” Heupel said. “(Ty Simpson) has been great with the football, been really sound in his decision making. You know for us, we have to go play assignment sound. You have to apply pressure to the quarterback—that’s a part of creating turnovers. You have to do a great job of matching out and making plays on the back end too, and we have to put our helmet on the football, get some punches too and try to knock it out that way.”

Tennessee, which has won two straight SEC road games and seven of its last nine league contests overall, is seeking its first win in Tuscaloosa since Oct. 25, 2003. The Crimson Tide enters Saturday tied with Boise State for the nation’s longest active home winning streak at 15 games.