College football is ruled by rivalries. Big names dominate most rivalry discussions like The Game, the Red River Rivalry and the Iron Bowl. But every third Saturday in October, the nation’s eyes are on Alabama and Tennessee.
Beginning in 1901 in Birmingham, Alabama and Tennessee met up annually. In their first meeting, the game ended tied at 6-6.
Fittingly, this series remains one of the Crimson Tide’s closest. Alabama leads the all-time series record 59-40-8.
The rivalry truly became known when both college stadiums’ namesakes started going head-to-head. Robert Neyland and Paul “Bear” Bryant are legends of football, and they did not want to lose to each other.
Scouting was different back in the 1960s, as evidenced by the fact that Bryant began to send spies to Tennessee’s spring games to figure out ways to beat the Volunteers. Unsurprisingly, it worked.
Beginning in 1961, the Crimson Tide beat the Vols six straight times. But then things flipped and Tennessee went on a four-win run of its own.
Bryant then upped the amount of spies he sent and won the next 11 meetings.
It’s not only the coaches who get worked up over a rivalry, but the fans. If you walked around the University of Alabama and asked students why they hate Tennessee, you’d probably get the same answer from each.
“They lowdown, they dirty, and they some snitches.”
The original interview is from 2007 and since then has become part of the rivalry. Alabama football fan accounts begin the “Tennessee hate week” with just a picture of Irvin Carney.
Even bars get in on the rivalry. In keeping with its tradition, during the week leading up to the game, Gallettes removes all Jack Daniel’s products from its shelves.
Probably the most famous part of the Third Saturday in October is the cigars, and it all started with a bet. The head athletic trainer for the Crimson Tide, Jim Goostree, started the tradition in 1961.
Goostree was a Volunteer alumnus, but while he was working for Bryant, he wanted nothing more than to beat his alma mater. The bet was simple: beat Tennessee and he would dance around the locker room naked.
The Crimson Tide whooped the Volunteers 34-3, and Goostree was a man of his word. He then handed out cigars to the team, and a tradition was born.
Still, 63 years later, in the fourth quarter, no matter which stadium, smoke starts to rise from the stands.
Another fourth quarter tradition remains a point of debate: the Crimson Tide’s unofficial anthem, Dixieland Delight, and its unofficial lyrics.
A certain line from the song makes Volunteer fans think the song is about Tennessee, and any time they beat Alabama, they try to claim the song. Last year after the Vols beat the Crimson Tide 24-17 and the field was rushed, Alabama’s famous song blared through Neyland.
They changed the lyrics and replaced Auburn with Bama.
They did it again during the basketball season as well.
In a fit of irony, the mountain peak known as Rocky Top, the namesake for their fight song is located in North Carolina.
This rivalry is one of the oldest in the South, and each matchup since former head coach Nick Saban’s retirement has been a nail-biter. So if the Crimson Tide comes out on top this Saturday, don’t forget to smoke ‘em if you got ‘em.
