The 'Third Saturday In October' Between Tennessee-Alabama Has More Juice Than Iron Bowl, Says Nick Saban

Walking around Neyland Stadium a few hours before kickoff, you could feel the magnitude of the upcoming game between Tennessee and Alabama, a rivalry known as ‘The Third Saturday In October.' 

The pregame festivities had just about everything you could imagine, from Alabama fans being heckled as they walked around the stadium, to ‘Rocky Top’ being played at just about every tailgate in the vicinity of Neyland Stadium. 

I don’t know if the 2022 game in Knoxville can be topped, but both teams need this win more than they’re willing to discuss in the lead up to the game. You can call this a college football playoff eliminator if you like, but we obviously have no idea how the rest of this season will play-out, especially in the SEC. 

But one thing was made clear during ESPN's College Gameday on Saturday morning, as the crew discussed the upcoming slate of games, and Auburn fans will certainly think it's a shot at their football program. 

Nick Saban has made the easy transition into the media business, from appearances on the Pat McAfee Show, to the historic ESPN pregame showcase that originated from Austin, Texas this morning. But I don't think fans of Tennessee and Auburn were expecting the former Alabama head coach to make a statement regarding the Vols and Bama rivalry, compared to the historic ‘Iron Bowl.' 

"For our players, this was a bigger rivalry than any other game we played…even bigger than Auburn to our players," Nick Saban noted. "It was always difficult for me to get our players up for the Auburn game, it was never difficult for Tennessee."

Obviously, the reactions on social media were all over the place, with college football fans thinking the former Alabama coach was taking digs at the Auburn Tigers. On the other hand, there were fans that agreed with Saban, which led to a full-blown debate. 

Sights And Sounds From Knoxville Before Tennessee, Alabama 

The BBQ's smoking, and both groups of fans hope to be puffing on cigars following the game, which is a tradition for this matchup between Tennessee and Alabama. 

Tennessee and Alabama will face-off this afternoon in Knoxville

Tennessee and Alabama will face-off this afternoon in Knoxville

As for what comes during the game, good luck trying to come to that conclusion. I've been all over the place this week, swaying one way, and then going the other.