The Third Saturday in October is the Alabama–Tennessee football rivalry, an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Crimson Tide of the University of Alabama and the Volunteers of the University of Tennessee. The respective campuses are located approximately apart. It is known as the Third Saturday in October because the game was traditionally played at such date prior to the 1992 football season, when the Southeastern Conference (SEC) split into its East and West divisions. From 1995 to 2015, it was only scheduled for that date six times, though it was again scheduled for that date from 2016 through 2019 and in 2022. Alabama leads the series 58–39–7. At 39 wins, Tennessee has more victories over Alabama than any other program in college football. Series history The first game was played in 1901 in Birmingham, a 6–6 tie. From 1903 to 1913, Alabama dominated the series, only losing once and never allowing a touchdown by the Volunteers. Beginning in 1928, the rivalry was scheduled on its "traditional" date. Robert Neyland, Tennessee's coach and namesake of the present Tennessee stadium, began challenging Alabama for their perennial spot on top of the conference standings. It was officially given the name Third Saturday in October 1939. Both Robert Neyland and Bear Bryant made the rivalry heated during their tenure at Tennessee and Alabama. The Alabama–Tennessee game has been played in three locations: Birmingham, Alabama; Knoxville, Tennessee; and Tuscaloosa, Alabama. In the first four (1901–1908) meetings, the game was held in Birmingham, Alabama. In 1909, the home and home series began, though most of Alabama's home games against Tennessee were played in Birmingham. The teams did play in Tuscaloosa a few times through 1930. The game was not played in Tuscaloosa from 1930 until 1999. Alabama leads the series in all three venues: for games contested in Birmingham, 21–14–6; in Knoxville, 27–21–1; and in Tuscaloosa, 10–4. Tennessee won the most recent game, played on October 15, 2022, 52–49, snapping a 15-game losing streak. Alabama and Tennessee both have 12 shutouts in the series. Victory cigars In the 1950s, Jim Goostree, the head athletic trainer for Alabama, began another tradition as he began handing out cigars following a victory over the Volunteers. Both teams continued the tradition for some time, though kept it secret due to NCAA rules concerning extra benefits and tobacco products. Alabama publicly restarted the tradition in 2005, though