Alabama Hate Week
By Mark Nagi
In 2025, there is way too much hate in this world. Man fighting man. Country versus country. Belief system set against belief system. Sometimes it feels like we will never get out of this pattern, and that’s a darn shame.
But… there is still a socially acceptable form of hate… one that is worthy of our attention and respect.
Of course, I’m talking about sports hate.
And when it comes to Tennessee football, there is no greater hate than Alabama hate.
Look, I know that Florida took the mantle of ‘most hated opponent” during the Steve Spurrier years, and I know that Georgia has jumped into the fray with their recent successes.
On the flip side, I know that a season is made for Vanderbilt or Kentucky if they can find a way to beat Tennessee. But for Vols fans, those schools hold little brother status and thus are not worth their valuable energy.
But Tennessee and Alabama have played since 1901, and during most of that time, the hatred has been ever-present. It is politely known as “The Third Saturday in October,” but there isn’t a whole lot of friendliness in this rivalry.
Alabama leads this matchup 59-40-8. No school has beaten Tennessee more times than Alabama. And no school has beaten Alabama more times than Tennessee.
It’s a border battle, with two of the historic powerhouses in the sport. Some of the all-time greats have played in this game. Bart Starr. Ken Stabler. Joe Namath. Doug Atkins. Reggie White. Peyton Manning.
It has traditionally been a streaky series, with Alabama holding 11 and 15-year unbeaten streaks over Tennessee, while the Vols beat Alabama seven straight times between 1995 and 2001.
During the Derek Dooley years, the Vols famously lost by exactly 31 points each time, as Alabama head coach Nick Saban seemingly took mercy on his former assistant.
In the 15-year stretch I mentioned in the previous paragraph, only twice did the contest finish as a one-score game.
Recently, this matchup has been on a level playing field, with Tennessee winning two of the last three, prompting two field storming’s at Neyland Stadium in 2022 and 2024.
But all of that is the past. Let’s talk about the present day. The challenge for the Vols this Saturday night is a big one. They haven’t won a game in Tuscaloosa since their 51-43 triumph in 5 OT’s.
Even with Saban retired and now having to pretend he likes sitting next to Pat McAfee on ESPN’s College GameDay, Josh Heupel and the Vols need to understand that if there is a borderline call to be made, the odds are it will not go the Vols’ way. Previous Tennessee teams let those moments of frustration get to them. The Vols need to keep their composure.
The Vols will have to deal with Alabama QB Ty Simpson, who has bounced back nicely since the Tide’s season-opening loss in Tallahassee. Simpson, a native of Martin, Tennessee, chose Alabama over Tennessee in early 2021. You can’t blame him, as the Vols were in the transition period between the fired Jeremy Pruitt and the newly hired Heupel.
Simpson is a Heisman Trophy candidate. Tennessee QB Joey Aguilar has also been mentioned for that prestigious award (but we all know that no Tennessee player will ever win it). Aguilar, a 7th-year QB that took a long and winding trek to Knoxville, has become a fan favorite and has been clutch through the first half of the 2025 season.
This should be a good game, and there are serious CFB playoff and SEC title implications as well. However, the overarching message I’d like to convey is this…
It’s ok to hate.
Sports hate… I mean.
The victory cigar tradition is incredible… if your team wins. If your team loses, there’s nothing worse in the world. Former Tennessee head coach Butch Jones cemented his place in Vols infamy when he was photographed smoking a victory cigar in the Alabama locker room while serving as Saban’s “intern” following his UT firing.
Win this game, and you have bragging rights for a year. Lose this game, and the hurt sticks around even longer.
Does Tennessee have what it takes for its first back-to-back victories over the Tide in over two decades?
We are about to find out.
It’s Alabama Hate Week.
