Finally, another third Saturday in October for Alabama-Tennessee

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Posted 6:05PM on Thursday, October 19, 2006

ATLANTA - It's back to the third Saturday in October for one of the Southeastern Conference's biggest rivalries Alabama versus Tennessee. When the conference split into divisions in 1995 it didn't end the Alabama-Tennessee series, but it did change the playing date which had been on the third Saturday of October from 1928 through 1994. There's been only one such meeting since the 2001 game won by the Big Orange 35-24. It finally seems normal again the Tide and Vols meeting on the same weekend when baseball's World Series gets under way. It will be interesting. It definitely will have more scoring than last year's 6-3 Alabama victory in Tuscaloosa. The Tennessee offense is setting the pace in the SEC, led by the steady play of quarterback Erik Ainge. Alabama's offense appears to be coming along, featuring the nation's No. 2 tandem in receiving yards DJ Hall and Keith Brown. And, Kenneth Darby is coming off two consecutive 100-yard plus rushing efforts. The Vols, an 11-point favorite, have won nine of the last 11 meetings, chopping into Alabama's 44-37-7 series lead. That trend continues. Tennessee 24-17. Elsewhere around the SEC this weekend, with No. 19 Florida and Kentucky having open dates: Mississippi (plus 17) at No. 15 Arkansas: This victory and three more in the conference will put the Razorbacks in the SEC championship game. This loss and one more in the conference would open the door for Auburn to get the trip to Atlanta. What will this be a victory or a loss for the Hogs? That's an easy question to answer. Arkansas 31-13. Tulane (plus 32) at No. 8 Auburn: It may be a surprise for many that Tulane leads this series 17-13-6. However, the teams haven't met since 1955 when the Green Wave was a member of the SEC. Most of the games in the series were played in New Orleans, and this will be only the second trip to Auburn for the Greenies, who won that 1950 game 28-0. Things have changed since then. Kenny Irons and the Tigers will roll. Auburn 42-7. Mississippi State (plus 18.5) at Georgia: Both sets of Bulldogs are riding losing streaks of one sort or another. Georgia has lost two consecutive SEC games at home. State has lost 22 consecutive SEC games on the road. But Georgia, which leads the series 15-5, has won its last eight meetings with MSU, and this will make nine. Georgia 28-14. Fresno (plus 32.5) at No. 14 LSU: This will be the first meeting between the teams. Fresno will discover that the Fighting Tigers are pretty good despite a couple of losses. LSU 56-10. South Carolina (minus 3.5) at Vanderbilt: The Commodores own only two victories in 15 games with the Gamecocks, who are coming off an open date that should leave them ready to continue their mastery of Vandy. South Carolina 14-10. Last week's totals: 4-2 straight, 1-3 vs. spread. For year, 51-7 straight; 28-22 vs. spread.