The Third Saturday (Fourth this year) in October: Vols fans praying to party like it’s 1982

This matchup has many similarities to the 1982 upset from Johnny Majors’ Vols team. Can Pruitt’s Vols channel some of 1982?

By: Dave in Tuscaloosa

Photo: Michael Patrick/News Sentinel-Knoxville

Johnny Majors in 1982 after taking down the great Bear Bryant.

As the clock ticked down, the scoreboard shined the glorious result Tennessee fans had waited so long for. Strangers who were made temporary family by the simple fact that they wore the familiar Tennessee Orange in the confines of Neyland Stadium threw their arms around one another, and with tears streaming down their cheeks, yelled over and over, “We did it!  We did it!  Go to hell, Bear!”  Within thirty minutes of the end of the game, “We Beat Bama” bumper stickers began to emerge around Neyland and the 56th edition of the “Third Saturday in October” was history.

The date was October 16, 1982. Mighty second-ranked Alabama, coached by the legendary Paul “Bear” Bryant, rolled into Knoxville full of confidence a week after downing Joe Paterno’s third ranked and undefeated Penn State squad on national television the week before in impressive fashion, pulling away in the second half to down the Nittany Lions, 42-21. (Quick side note...Penn State would go on to win the rest of their games and claim the National Championship in ‘82). Next for the Tide was Johnny Majors’ Tennessee Volunteers, who were unranked and stood at 2-2-1 (overtime did not exist in ‘82). Bama had taken down the Vols eleven straight times, and the end result of this game seemed to be a forgone conclusion.  

However, the day belonged to the Vols as they overcame two 10 point deficits and handed the Tide a stunning 35-28 defeat. Tennessee would finish with a 6-5-1 record, but it didn’t matter...the mighty Tide had been defeated at long last. For Alabama, the boys in Crimson and White would stumble to an uncharacteristic 8-4 final record. More importantly and shockingly, this would be the final season for the man nicknamed the Bear, as the legend retired after the season, thus ushering in a gradual slide for the Tide into a decade of mediocrity. 

Photo: Reddit user u/adwoaomd

Bear should have known he was in trouble when he saw those pants.

On Saturday, the Tide will roll into Neyland Stadium for the 94th edition of the classic rivalry with more than a few storylines that mirror the 1982 Tennessee upset. The Tide stands undefeated, ranked second, coming off a huge win over a third-ranked team (Georgia, 41-24), and has another iconic coach seemingly at the top, or pretty darn close, of his game looking to add yet another win in the series that has been heavily tilted in Bama’s favor (Alabama has won 13-straight against the Vols). Tennessee, sitting at 2-2 (remember, they were 2-2-1 in 1982) and seemingly down and out after a demoralizing defeat, enter the contest unranked and are being given little chance to break the streak. Could Vols fans feel the adulation the Orange Nation experienced 38 years ago once again this Saturday?

For the upset to happen, a lot has to occur. The Vols started the year strong with impressive victories over South Carolina and Missouri, and heading into a week three tilt with Georgia, many thought Jeremy Pruitt’s squad was getting ready to turn the corner. A valiant first half against the Dawgs saw the Vols leading Georgia 21-17 and gave credence to that thought. However the Vols would be shut out 17-0 in the second half and ultimately bowed to the Dawgs 44-21. And then last week’s debacle against Kentucky occurred, complete with yet another benching of fifth year senior quarterback Jarrett Guarantano (completing a respectable 63% of his passes with 4 touchdowns and 3 interceptions) and questions about the direction the program is headed began to arise again...some Vol fans, no doubt, continue to wish they had a Johnny Majors on the sidelines.   

Offensively, nothing incredible has stood out for Tennessee so far this season, yet there is talent. The Vols average 329 yards and 24 points per contest. Sophomore tailback Eric Gray has averaged 5-yards per carry and senior wideout Josh Palmer has shown he can get open down field, averaging 15.9 yards per catch with three touchdowns. Defensively, the unit has given up an average of 362 yards and 29 points per game...enter a collective “ugh” from Vols fans here. The Orange Nation may need to find a way to conjure the magic of that day in 1982 for them to have a shot in this one.

Photo: T.G. Paschal, BamaCentral

Meet your new (Mac) “Daddy”, Vols!

Conversely, the Tide rolls into Knoxville averaging a staggering 561 yards and 49 points per game, which is the second highest total in the nation behind only Texas’ 50 points per game total. Junior quarterback Mac “Daddy” Jones has entered the Heisman conversation as he is completing 78% of his passes for 12 touchdowns against just 2 picks. Tailback Najee Harris benefits from not only being incredibly talented, but also from a veteran offensive line that is starting to carve holes large enough for small vehicles to pass through. The nation’s best receiving corps resides in Tuscaloosa, with Waddle, Smith, and Metchie leading the way. Zone, press coverage, it doesn't matter. The trio continues to create separation against any and all packages designed to slow them down. Such production has produced key first downs to keep drives alive, with spot-on deep completions that fall in the dazzling category mixed in just for good measure.

So, could the magic of 1982 make an appearance at Neyland Stadium this Saturday?  I believe in Jeremy Pruitt and his staff to continue to build a solid program that will contend for SEC titles in the future, and impressive recruiting continues to fill the Vols roster with talent and depth (according to 247 Sports, the Vols currently have the 9th ranked class in the nation for 2021 with 26 commits). The time seems right for a major victory for the Vols, and the parallels between 2020 and 1982 certainly exist with the door for a Tide letdown wide open. Yet, Alabama has shown that they don’t even entertain going through that door, as Saban and his staff do a masterful job of preparing the boys in Crimson and White the same way, no matter the opponent, each week as shown by their stellar 93-0 record against unranked opponents (Bama Trivia: When was the last time the Tide fell to an unranked opponent? Answer...2007, Sir Nick’s first year at the helm, when Louisiana-Monroe strolled into Bryant Denny and stunned Bama 21-14). 

Tennessee needs a massive Crimson Tide letdown in order to pull the upset. I do expect the Vols to make this one competitive, and the Bama D is still a work in progress, giving up 458 yards and 29 points per game. The Vols will be hungry after laying an egg against Kentucky, but Bama is Bama, they will overcome a Vol surge, and assure the Third Saturday in October’s result is not a repeat of 1982.

Alabama 47

Tennessee 24