All for Tennessee
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Tennessee football has played Alabama 10 other times with both teams in top 10

By Caleb Calhoun

Oct 23, 1999; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Tennessee Volunteers running back Jamal Lewis (31) leaping into the end zone against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 23, 1999; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Tennessee Volunteers running back Jamal Lewis (31) leaping into the end zone against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports /
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It’s one of the oldest series in college football. However, historically, when Tennessee football faces off with the Alabama Crimson Tide, one team is up while the other team is down, which is why this has been a series of streaks. Certainly that’s been the case the last 15 years with Alabama having Nick Saban.

Well, Josh Heupel finally seems to be doing his job to get the Vols back up to that standard, and when these two face off Saturday, it’ll mark just the second time this century with both teams in the top 10. Alabama is No. 3 in the AP Poll and No. 1 in the Coaches Poll. UT is No. 6 in the AP Poll and No. 8 in the Coaches Poll.

That makes this the highest combined ranking for both teams in the history of this series, and it’s only the 10th top 10 matchup. It’s only the 15th time both teams come into this game undefeated and the fourth time they are both undefeated in the top 10. Here is a ranking of all 10 matchups with Tennessee football and Alabama in the top 10.

Saturday marks the 11th game between Tennessee football and Alabama with the Volunteers and Crimson Tide both in the top 10.

Oct 15, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joshua Dobbs (11) passing against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the first quarter at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 15, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joshua Dobbs (11) passing against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the first quarter at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports /

839. Final. 10. 829. 49

Oct. 15, 2016

Yes, the last matchup between the Vols and Alabama in the top 10 was certainly forgettable. UT started the year 5-0, just like this one, and had gotten to No. 9 in both polls. They lost on the road to the undefeated Texas A&M Aggies in double-overtime ahead of this game, but they stayed at No. 9 in the AP Poll.

Alabama came in ranked No. 1 across the board and 6-0. They were clearly the better team, but the Vols only lost to them 19-14 on the road the year before, and Joshua Dobbs was a senior and an elite dual-threat quarterback. It didn’t matter. Rocky Top was no match.

Part of this was the Vols being so banged up, but Alabama brought them back down to earth, destroying them 49-10. This was part of a midseason collapse by Tennessee football, as they lost a third straight to a bad South Carolina Gamecocks team after that, finishing 9-4 after starting 5-0, and it was part of the unraveling of Butch Jones.

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