Are the Alabama players up for Saturday’s matchup against Tennessee at Neyland Stadium?
The “Third Saturday in October” rivalry produced special moments. Nick Saban was part of a lot of them from 2007 to 2023 as the Crimson Tide’s head coach. He only suffered one loss during that span and it came in 2022 in Knoxville (Tenn.) by a score of 49-52. Saban unveiled on the ESPN College GameDay set why Tennessee is a bigger rival than Auburn for the Crimson Tide.
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“It was difficult to me to get our players up for the Auburn game,” Saban said. “It was never difficult for the Tennessee game.”
This game means so much to Alabama and Tennessee fans. It brings up the titans like General Robert Neyland, Paul W. “Bear” Bryant, and Phillip Fulmer. It brings up the song that the Vols sing after beating the Tide, “we don’t give a damn about the whole state of Alabama!” The passion begins with the smoke before playing the game and smoke afterwards with victory cigars.
Alabama players are asked after their careers are over about what was their record versus Tennessee.
The game takes on massive proportions and Saban knew it. Hopefully, Kalen DeBoer starts his first chapter off right.
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Stephen M. Smith is the senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
