Alabama coach Nick Saban watches the first half against Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark.Tide, Take, Three• 1. Alabama has played Tennessee more times (95) than any other opponent except for Mississippi State (97).• 2. The Crimson Tide lowered their rushing defense average to 62.9 yards a game after holding Texas A&M to 24 carries for 31 yards this past Saturday.• 3. Alabama junior receiver Amari Cooper ranks fifth nationally in receptions per game (8.9) and fourth in yards per game (129.7).
Alabama offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Lane Kiffin speaks to the media before practice Tuscaloosa, Ala., in this file photo.Alabama-Tennessee has not been much of a football rivalry in recent years, but the Crimson Tide insist there will be no shortage of desire this Saturday when they visit Neyland Stadium.
The Tide have won seven consecutive games against the Volunteers, a streak that coincides with coach Nick Saban’s arrival at Tuscaloosa in 2007. Alabama has defeated Tennessee by at least 20 points on six of those occasions, and no current Tide player has tasted victory over the Vols by fewer than 31 points.
“Personally, I hear a lot about this rivalry from older fans, and I let them motivate us,” Alabama senior left guard Arie Kouandjio said. “A lot of people care about this game around this state and around this program. We know Tennessee is one of our big rivals, and we respect them.”
Alabama’s seven-game surge has given it a 50-38-7 advantage in the series that dates back to 1901. No other team has defeated Tennessee so many times, and no other team has defeated Alabama so many times: Auburn is 35-42-1 versus its Iron Bowl rival.