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UT-Bama rivalry steeped in streaks

With Alabama going for 13 consecutive wins over Tennessee, this old rivalry continues its streaky history.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — One of the oldest rivalries in the South ain't what it used to be.

When Tennessee and Alabama kick off Saturday night in Tuscaloosa, the top-ranked Crimson Tide are heavily-favored to claim a 13th straight victory over the Vols.

The current streak is already a record in the longtime series. Yet, extended streaks of dominance by one team are found throughout the history of the UT-Bama rivalry.

When Tennessee and Alabama played against each other for the first time in 1901, it was not on the third Saturday of October.  The first seven games in the series were played Thanksgiving Day in Birmingham.  The schools were evenly matched with a 1-1-1 record after the first three games.  Then Alabama reeled off seven consecutive wins before Tennessee broke the streak in 1914.

When Tennessee and Alabama revived the rivalry in 1928, the Vols promptly won four out of the next five games.

Bama bounced back in the early 1930s by going five games without losing to Tennessee.

The series was full of back-and-forth winning streaks and void of southern hospitality.  In 1938, an elevator operator at a Knoxville hotel refused to take anyone from the Alabama team to the correct floor.

According to a 1938 article in the Knoxville News-Sentinel, an Alabama team member asked elevator girl Helen Gody to stop on the fifth floor.

"We don't stop at five," said Gody. "Nearest I can let you off is six."

Credit: WBIR
1938 article from the Knoxville News-Sentinel recalls a Knoxville elevator operator who would not take Alabama team members to the correct floor.

Robert Neyland's dominant teams elevated their play in 1938 and beat Alabama three straight years.

The General was recalled for military service in 1941. Alabama defeated Tennessee three time and tied once during World War 2.

Neyland resumed his role as head coach in 1946 and retired after the 1952 season.  During this time, the Vols only lost to Alabama once in 1947.  The General never lost during this time to an up-and-coming head coach at Kentucky named Paul "Bear" Bryant. 

RELATED: Feb. 2018 - Historic Vols football film found in home movies

From 1946 to 1960, Alabama only managed two victories over Tennessee. 

Bear Bryant took over the Tide in 1958.  Alabama did not lose to Tennessee from 1960 through 1966.

UT reeled off four straight victories from 1967 through 1970.

Bryant then defeated Tennessee 11 consecutive years from 1971 through 1981.

The last time the Bear coached against Tennessee, he lost.  Bryant's final season was 1982 and the Vols defeated second-ranked Alabama 35-28.

1982 began another four-game winning streak, this time for Johnny Majors and the Vols.

Bama then rolled for eight consecutive years without losing to Tennessee.

In 1995, sophomore quarterback Peyton Manning helped turn the tide. Tennessee defeated Alabama 41-14.  

From 1995 through 2006, Phil Fulmer's Tennessee teams beat Bama 10 times.  An article in the Knoxville News Sentinel after the 1998 victory claims the rivalry "ain't what it used to be" and claims Florida has usurped the Crimson Tide as the most-hated team on the Tennessee schedule.

Fulmer's win in 2006 is the last time Tennessee defeated Alabama. Nick Saban took over as head coach in Tuscaloosa in 2007 and has never lost to Tennessee.

Now Alabama is on the longest run of success in a historic series full of long streaks, and backhanded complaints that the rivalry ain't what it used to be.

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