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How To Watch: No. 11 Tennessee at No. 6 Alabama in The Third Saturday in October

IMG_3593by: Grant Ramey10/13/25GrantRamey
Bryant-Denny Stadium
(Alabama Athletics)

Tennessee Football goes back on the road Saturday night, renewing the annual Third Saturday in October rivalry against Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa. Kickoff between the 11th-ranked Vols (5-1, 2-1 SEC) and sixth-ranked Crimson Tide (5-1, 3-0) is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time on ABC.

Tennessee won 24-17 at Neyland Stadium last season and has won two of the last three, starting with the 52-49 win in Knoxville in 2022. The Vols led 20-7 at halftime in Tuscaloosa in 2003, but Alabama rallied with 27 unanswered points in the second half to win 34-20.

“Third Saturday in October,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said during his press conference on Monday. “Great historical game, rivalry game and I know it’ll be a great environment against a great football team and looking forward to it … this is why you come to Tennessee to play in a game like this, a great rivalry game with Alabama.”

How to Watch: No. 11 Tennessee at No. 6 Alabama

When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time | Where: Bryant-Denny Stadium

TV: ABC (Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy, Molly McGrath)

Radio: WNML 99.1 and WIVK 107.7 FM in Knoxville (Mike KeithRamon FosterBrent Hubbs, Jayson Swain). The Vol Network radio broadcast can be heard on local affiliates across the state of Tennessee.

Vols opened as 8.5-point road underdog at Alabama

Tennessee opened as an 8.5-point road underdog for Saturday night’s game, according to odds released by BetMG on Sunday.

Tennessee is 3-3 against the spread this season, covering a 13.5-point spread against Syracuse, a 39.5-point spread against ETSU and as a 3.5-point underdog against Georgia. The Vols failed to cover a 38.5-point spread against UAB, a 7.5-point spread at Mississippi State and a 10.5-point spread against Arkansas.

The over has hit in four of five Tennessee games this season: 51.5 vs. Syracuse, 58.5 vs. ETSU, 50.5 vs. Georgia, 69.5 vs. UAB and 63.5 at Mississippi State. The total for the Arkansas game was 69.5.

The Third Saturday in October

Alabama, which has not lost at home to Tennessee since the 51-43 five-overtime thriller in 2003, leads the Third Saturday In October rivalry 59-40-1, a streaky series that dates back to 1901.

Tennessee has won two of its last three against the Crimson Tide, dating back to the 52-49 win at Neyland Stadium in 2022. That win snapped what was a 15-game winning streak for Alabama in the rivalry. 

The Vols won seven straight between 1995 and 2001 and 10 of 12 between 1995 and 2006. 

Tennessee’s 41-14 win in 1995 was the first for the Vols over Alabama since 1985. It was a four-game winning streak for Tennessee between 1982 and 1985 and 1967 and 1970 and 11 straight for Alabama between 1971 and 1981.

Alabama went 5-0-1 against Tennessee between 1961 and 1966 and Tennessee went 5-0-1 between 1955 and 1960.

“Understand the rivalry,” Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said on Monday, “it’s a lot of fun for our fans and goes back, obviously, generations. We understand how big of a deal this game is to them. We understand how big of a deal this game is to us right now in the season that we’re in, and that’s really what we’re focused on.”