Third Saturday in October still means a great deal

By Chris Stewart

(Tuscaloosa, AL) - It's that week.

THE week.

Okay not THAT week. You know, the one where it's brother against brother. Sister against sister. Husband against wife.

It's NOT Auburn week. No, this is the week where even Auburn fans pull for Alabama - at least quietly. Admit it Bama fan - you did the same a couple of years ago when the Tigers took on the Viles. When it comes to Alabama and Auburn, logical people can at least "agree to disagree".

Not so with the Big Orange - or at least what they try to pass off as orange, although we can all clearly see it's actually dark yellow that didn't quite make it. Can't pull for them under any circumstances.

That's what made last year's victory so sweet. After so many years of frustration, and a couple of years of agonizing near misses. One hit by Roman Harper and one kick by Jamie Christensen allowed "Rammer Jammer" to reign throughout Bryant-Denny Stadium.

At the time it kept the Tide's record perfect, and kept Phil Fulmer - the man who was so afraid of walking into Tuscaloosa months earlier as a witness - from walking out of town as a winner. In a series full of lengthy win streaks, one win could perhaps start one for the Crimson Tide.

I know. I know. The Alabama victory in 2002 didn't start a streak. Not a winning streak, anyway. It turned out to be a bump in the road for the Vols en route to nine wins in 10 years.

Regardless, Alabama heads to Knoxville this week as the most recent winner in what is truly one of college football's classic rivalries. The Tide holds the all-time series lead, 44-37-8, in 89 pervious meetings. Bama took 11 straight during the 70's and early 80's, then claimed seven wins in a row through the mid-80's and early 90's. Then UT claimed it's longest streak ever in the series - and the longest dry spell ever for a Bama team against an opponent - as the Big Orange claimed seven straight of their own.

The Tide's sweet 34-14 victory at Neyland Stadium in 2002 stopped the string briefly before the Vols got two more on their side of the ledger.

Then came the hit. And the kick. And the win for the men in crimson.

What will the latest edition of the "Third Saturday in October" hold? Most feel it will be a long day for Alabama, with the resurgence of Tennessee's offense capable of turning a team upside down. Just ask Georgia, who were humbled by the Vols, 51-33, just two weeks ago.

However, while Bama's defense has been a bit porous at times, I still don't see Joe Kines' D surrendering 51 to anybody.

Nowhere close to it.

I think it's also clear that the Tide offense is light year's ahead of Georgia's - even with it's Red Zone struggles.

Did Alabama's overtime win over Ole Miss Saturday give the Tide enough confidence to climb Rocky Top and come away a winner?

I guess we won't know for sure until around 5:30 Central Saturday night.

I'll tell you this much though - I plan to keep a cigar close by.

Roll Tide!
 

Chris Stewart writes a weekly column for bamafever.com. Stewart is the radio play-by-play announcer for University of Alabama men's basketball. He is also the pre and post game host for the Crimson Tide Sports Network's coverage of Alabama Football. In addition, he hosts a talk show each weekday morning from 7 until 9 on Tuscaloosa's Sports Radio 1420, The Tusk. Bama Fever is a company devoted to providing University of Alabama Crimson Tide merchandise. We have stores in Birmingham, Tuscaloosa  and Huntsville and have now created an online catalog for Crimson Tide fans all over the world searching for that hard to find merchandise. We carry over 7,000 items in our stores and have posted many of these items right here in our online catalog.

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