What does history suggest about the rivalry between first-year Alabama football coaches at Tennessee?

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Nearly 35 years later, Martin Houston remembers the “chaos” of the third week of October 1990. The Crimson Tide started 0-3 that season under first-year coach Gene Stallings, but managed wins against Vanderbilt and Southwestern Louisiana arrive before their trip to Neyland Stadium to face No. 3 Tennessee. Very few people expected Alabama to win. Still, the pressure was at a tipping point.

“People were calling for Stallings’ head,” said Houston, Alabama’s starting defensive back from 1989 to 1992. “If this had been in 2024, it would have been as bad or worse than (the ordeal) now, but back then it was also without social Media bad.

“Back then, and I don’t know if they do it as much now, we had these speakers and listened to Rocky Top all week. It was kind of chaotic, but it forced us to focus.”

What impressed Houston most in the week leading up to the game was the confidence the team had despite its record. It felt like it wasn’t living up to its potential, so there was no intimidation factor.

What took place on October 20, 1990 was one of the most legendary games in that series and one of several notable Alabama coaching debuts in that rivalry.

The score was tied with 1:35 left when Stacy Harrison blocked Tennessee kicker Greg Harris’ 50-yard field goal attempt. The ball bounced to the Tennessee 37-yard line, setting up Alabama kicker Philip Doyle’s game-winning field goal attempt three plays later. Alabama won 9-6, considered one of the biggest upsets in series history.

“We knew this was a turning point for the Tide,” Houston said. “Even though we lost two more games this year, it kind of laid the foundation for the next recruiting class. The next year we only lost one game and then (1992) we won it all. That was definitely a turning point where we knew we could be good under Coach Stallings.”

Even though things change, they remain the same in this rivalry. Tuesday was Alabama’s first day of on-field practice before Saturday’s matchup between the No. 7 Tide and No. 8 vols. Both teams are 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the SEC.

“Rocky Top” boomed through every corner of the complex from 6 a.m. onwards

“Everywhere — in the weight room, in the training room,” defensive lineman Tim Smith said. “They tried to play it in the locker room, but we turned that off.”

The turnover within the Alabama program since its last trip to Neyland in 2022 is another layer to this game. It’s an introduction to coaches like Kalen DeBoer and Kane Wommack, as well as players like Ryan Williams, Domani Jackson and more. This time last year, Nick Saban provided the perfect perspective to contextualize the meaning of the rivalry.

“There are stadiums named after the people who made this rivalry what it is,” he said.

Those guys, Paul “Bear” Bryant (.696) and General Robert Neyland (.684), had nearly identical winning percentages in this rivalry. Alabama leads the all-time series (59-39-7), and first-year Tide coaches hold a record of 8-8-1. The largest margin of victory: 51:0 by JWH Pollard (1906). The biggest defeat: 0:25 by Frank Thomas (1931).

There have only been six times in history that there has been a different winner in three consecutive seasons, most recently in 2021-23.

Like 1990, Alabama finds itself at a crossroads in this year’s edition. This year’s team is in a much better position record-wise and ranking-wise, but the pressure has been building since the loss to Vanderbilt and the scare against South Carolina. A loss would seriously jeopardize Alabama’s College Football Playoff hopes, but a win like in 1990 could be a starting point.

“When we beat Tennessee, the script flipped,” Houston said. “I think the same thing (this Saturday). Beat Tennessee and the script will be flipped once again for DeBoer and the haters, naysayers, crazy callers, etc. will be appeased.”

The story of this rivalry cannot be told without the memorable moments produced by Alabama’s first coaches. Another chapter will be written on Saturday. What is expected? If history is any indication: chaos.

Here are some notable moments over the years:

1901: Alabama 6, Tennessee 6

Fittingly, the first game between these programs ended in a tie and a rush onto the field in Birmingham, Alabama. It ended early when fans stormed onto the pitch following a controversial offside call and the referees failed to disperse the crowd. JL Broug scored for Tennessee and AW Stewart scored for Alabama.

1958: Tennessee 14, Alabama 7

Bear Bryant’s debut ended on a sour note after five fumbles (three recovered by Tennessee) and a narrow loss. Bryant coached the most games of any player in this series: 25 with a record of 16-7-2.

1983: Tennessee 41, Alabama 34

Ray Perkins’ debut resulted in one of Alabama’s most unlikely defeats, as a 27-17 third-quarter lead turned into a 41-34 upset. Of all the Alabama coaches who have beaten Tennessee at least once, Perkins has the lowest winning percentage (.250).

1987: Alabama 41, Tennessee 22

Like Stallings, Bill Curry’s first Alabama team finished 7-5, but also included a comfortable win over No. 8 Tennessee, which finished the season 10-2-1. The victory snapped a winning streak in the series for Alabama, as the team won seven straight games. Freshman Jeff Dunn threw for 229 yards on the day, including a 90-yard touchdown that set a program record.

Curry finished his Alabama career with a 3-0 record against Tennessee. He is one of four Alabama coaches who never lost to the Volunteers and the only one to do so after World War I.

1990: Alabama 9, Tennessee 6

One of the iconic moments in the history of this rivalry and Alabama program history. The irony is that while the Alabama players weren’t thinking about losing, they weren’t sure they were going to win either.

“We didn’t necessarily feel like they were going to make that field goal,” Houston said. “But we didn’t think we were going to do it with a win, if that makes sense. We thought the worst case scenario would be a draw. But we blocked the kick, set up for ours, and the rest is history.”

1997: Tennessee 38, Alabama 21

Mike DuBose’s debut was the final game of the series played in Birmingham and the start of a downward trend for Alabama in that series. Future NFL Hall of Famer Peyton Manning led the Volunteers to victory, and DuBose finished his tenure as one of three coaches to never beat Tennessee in multiple tries (0-4).

2003: Tennessee 51, Alabama 43 (5 OT)

Like DuBose, Mike Shula never beat Tennessee (0-4), but his debut was a classic. No. 22 Tennessee and unranked Alabama played the longest game in the rivalry’s history – nearly five hours and five overtimes. Ultimately, Tennessee only managed a few more plays to win.

But what happened a few years later turned that rivalry on its head.

2007: Alabama 41, Tennessee 17

Welcome, Coach Saban. Alabama was far from the greatest dynasty in modern history at this point. Still, Saban, John Parker Wilson’s career-high 363 yards and three touchdowns, and DJ Hall’s then-program-record 13 catches for 185 yards led Alabama to an upset of No. 20 Tennessee and the most lopsided win in the series since 1986.

Alabama had lost 10 of 12 to Tennessee before this Saturday, but then the Tide rattled off 15 straight wins, the longest streak in series history. Tennessee obliterated Saban’s perfect record with an epic 52-49 win at Neyland Stadium in 2022 that culminated in the goalposts being demolished.

Alabama hasn’t been back to Knoxville since, setting the stage for another exciting, high-stakes matchup. History shows that success follows the winner.

(Top photos of Nick Saban (left) and Gene Stallings: Andy Lyons / Getty Images, Jamie Squire / Allsport)