On the first Saturday in October 2024, what did the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Tennessee Volunteers have in common? (published 10-6-2024; article #493)

Photograph by M. Fearghail, 10/1/2023, 2:00 PM. Included in the 10/2/2023 article.

Introduction

Yesterday, the first Saturday in October, what did the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Tennessee Volunteers have in common? This sixteenth entry in the Sports topic section answers the question! The conclusion explains why the above photograph is included in this article.

On my mind are the recent ravages of Hurricane Helene, the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, tomorrow's first anniversary of Hamas' attack on Israel, and the ad nauseam politics of the current presidential election cycle. Draft articles on each topic are in the works. I hope to finish and publish them in a few days. Sports distracts us from those other profound and frequently frustrating topics.

Alabama Lost by Five Points to Unranked Vanderbilt

Yesterday afternoon, the #1 AP-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide was shocked by the unranked Vanderbilt Commodores in Nashville! The televised game started at 4:15 PM eastern time. My wife and I watched the Georgia-Auburn game, which started at 3:30 PM. We did, however, catch some of the Alabama-Vanderbilt game. I was amazed to learn that the halftime score was Vanderbilt 23, Alabama 14!

At times, I switched channels to check the score. I thought, “Surely, Alabama will find a way to beat hapless Vanderbilt.” After all, on Saturday, September 28, the then #4 AP-ranked Crimson Tide beat the then #2 AP-ranked Georgia Bulldogs in Tuscaloosa by seven points. That loss frustrated me. Georgia needs to stop sleeping through the first half and awakening in the second half.

Yesterday, in the second half, Alabama scored 21 points, but Vanderbilt scored 17. Vanderbilt beat Alabama by five points! The final score was Vanderbilt 40, Alabama 35.

A good summary of the game is found at “No. 1/2 Alabama Football Falls 40-35 at Vanderbilt,” Roll Tide, 10/5/2024. I enjoyed watching Vandy fans swarm the field and begin to tear down the goal posts. Vanderbilt was not hapless that day.

Tennessee Lost by Five Points to Unranked Arkansas

Last evening in Fayetteville, the unranked home team Arkansas Razorback upset the #4 AP-ranked Tennessee Volunteers. The televised game started at 7:30 PM. My wife, Molly (our ol' puppy), and I watched the game, until Molly's bedtime (about 8:30 PM) and my wife's bedtime (about 9 PM). I stayed up to about 11:30 PM, watching the rest of the game.

The halftime score was Arkansas three and Tennessee zero. In the third quarter, the Volunteers (Vols) scored two touchdowns to the Razorback's one, making the score Tennessee 14, Arkansas 10. I thought that Tennessee could hold on to win. I was wrong!

In the fourth quarter, the Vols could not score. The Razorbacks scored a field goal and a touchdown. (The two-point attempt failed.) The final score was Arkansas 19, Tennessee 14. Tennessee lost by five points.

The game is summarized at "#4 Vols Come Up Short in 19-14 Loss at Arkansas," UT Sports, 10/5/2024. I wish that Tennessee had been able to win the game. Instead of sadness, I had to smile and laugh to myself a little, as I watched Razorback fans cover the field and begin tearing down goal posts. Tennessee just did not play well enough to win.

For some reason early this morning, I remembered, when I was 11, that my parents, brothers, and I visited with Granny and Papaw Wood. Uncle John and Aunt Mae Livesay (Granny's sister), who lived within walking distance, had family visiting as well. It must have been around Thanksgiving in 1971. That December, Tennessee faced Arkansas in the Liberty Bowl in Memphis. I remember talking with the adults about the upcoming game. One of them said, “Tennessee better watch out for those Razorbacks. Those hogs can be pretty mean.” Why do I still remember that? Was I worried? On Monday, December 20, 1971, Tennessee defeated Arkansas in the Liberty Bowl in Memphis by one point. The final score was Tennessee 14, Arkansas 13. Source: Sports Reference: Tennessee Volunteers Bowls.

Conclusion

Yesterday, Alabama and Tennessee, top-five ranked Southeastern Conference (SEC) teams, were each defeated by five points by unranked conference teams! Have two SEC teams, ranked in the top five, ever lost before to unranked conference opponents on the same day? Never before. According to “Chaos hits AP Top 25 with 4 teams ranked in the top 11 losing to unranked opponents,” Associated Press (AP), by Josh Dubow, 10/6/2024, “This marked the first time that two SEC teams ranked in the top five lost to unranked conference opponents on the same day. . . .”

Why is the photograph of my Georgia Bulldogs yard flag included in this article? Yesterday, the #5 AP-ranked Georgia Bulldogs defeated the unranked Auburn Tigers, 31-13. At halftime, Georgia was ahead 14-3. It was a better start. Both teams scored touchdowns in the third quarter. In the 4th quarter, Auburn got a field goal, but Georgia scored a touchdown and a field goal. Georgia's offense and defense are not as good as they were last year. The team is still a work in progress. Still yet, it was a solid win at home for homecoming. Yesterday, top-five-ranked Georgia beat its unranked conference opponent. Top-five-ranked Alabama and Tennessee lost to their unranked conference matchups.

Our good neighbors across the road have up their Tennessee yard flag. I may change our yard flag, from Appalachian Irishman to Georgia Bulldogs. Chuck is another good neighbor. He's a polite Alabama fan. On one of our front porch rocking chairs sits one of Molly's toys, a small red elephant with blue ears. Georgia could face Alabama again in a championship playoff game.

Go Dawgs! Go Vols! Tennessee is my second favorite college football team, behind Georgia. I dislike Alabama. I like Chuck.