Crimson & White & Orange Roundtable

The whole staff over at Third Saturday in Blogtober are your hosts this week, and we've put together a special joint session between the members of the Big Orange Roundtable, and the Crimson & White Roundtable websites, with Third Saturday the common link between. They're your source for all things Crimson & Orange this week, so you'll want to check there early and often for a wide array of opinions and analysis on this week's showdown, as well as plenty of hatred brewing in the comments already.

The questions are the same for all members on both sides this week, so away we go with the SESB answers:

Both teams at some point or another have been described as an Evil Empire. If your team is the Death Star, what is it’s planet-destroying weapon?

The Vols right now appear to be the Return of the Jedi version, in need of obvious repairs and in a frustrating state of rebuilding...so to the outward eye, it would appear that we don't have a planet-destroying weapon right now.

However, if we're going into "It's a trap!" mode this week, it'll probably be because of...

Eric Berry.

It has to be him, right? He's the only thing on this team that seems to fit with the word "destroying". With Gerald Jones slowed, maybe Lucas Taylor could have something flashy in him, or perhaps Denarius Moore will go deep again...but if there's one guy on the field who can make a game-changing difference for the Vols, it's Eric Berry. He's the SEC's all-time leader in interception return yardage in just 21 games. He's capable of delivering the knockout blow on the opposition's best player (see: Moreno, Knowshon or Donovan, Tyler). He's approaching mythical status in Knoxville...and helping turn the Tide would only add to his legend.

And who knows...maybe, just maybe, the Vols can go into fully armed and operational mode against the Tide this week.

What is it’s two meter wide exhaust port?

Nick Stephens.

I like Nick Stephens. I love him when you put him next to Jonathan Crompton. So far he's done exactly what he's been asked to do.

But Stephens is simply still very young and very raw, and limits what the Vol offense can do. Our talented backs and veteran offensive line are getting very tired of eight and even nine man fronts at times, because Stephens isn't respected. And I hope that one day soon that changes, because I do think eventually this kid can grow into a really nice option at quarterback. But right now, his inexperience limits us more than anything else, which makes us more vulnerable than anything else.

Ask Alabama fans what it was like to try and beat the Vols with Spencer Pennington.

Everyone is looking forward to Eric Berry vs. Julio Jones. What is the next matchup you’ll be keying on in this game?

Tennessee's defensive line vs. Alabama's offensive line.

The Tide are very strong up front and pushed the Vols around last season in Tuscaloosa when they weren't at full strength. The Vols are getting better d-line play now than they were last season, and are coming off a great performance against Mississippi State. The tackles have been solid and there are four viable options at end playing well right now.

If the Vols can get pressure on John Parker Wilson the way they did on MSU's quarterbacks, it enhances the already good potential that the talented secondary can get a pick. Forcing bad decisions against a determined and methodical Alabama offense can take them out of their rhythm. Allowing the safeties and backers to play in coverage by getting enough pressure from the front four will help the defense immensely.

Conversely, if Alabama can drive on the Vols the way Georgia did, both on the ground and through the air, and the defense has to stay on the field all day, it's bad news for Tennessee all around. The key to success starts up front with Ayers, Bolden, Williams and Brown against a great offensive line. Tennessee has to make its presence known.

The Tide and Vols will scrap it out under the lights at Neyland. Do you like this arrangement and does the later kickoff time provide an advantage to either team?

I don't think it's advantageous to either team...I personally always like the 3:30 CBS game because it means you're the biggest one of the day, plus I have to drive back to Virginia immediately following which is always a killer on night games.

But the orange looks better under the lights, and there's something even more special about seeing it mixed with that crimson in Neyland. So I'm excited about the late start...it's a full day of football enjoyment before going to war at 7:45.

Since the Tide had a bye week and the Vols didn’t bother to play that weekend either (zing!) we’re going to say this is the Third Saturday in October just to justify the name of one of the greatest rivalries in college football. In three thousand words or less, turn over the kettles of white-hot liquid hate upon thine enemy.

An interesting observation: I think the difference between Alabama and Florida for Vol fans is respect - you respect the history and tradition of the rivalry with the Tide, you just flat hate the Gators.

I also think it's the reverse dynamic for Alabama between Auburn and Tennessee: a measure of respect mixed in for Auburn, but flat hatred for the Vols, thanks most recently to the on and off the field exploits of Phillip Fulmer.

When Florida comes to town, I want blood. When Alabama comes in to Neyland, there's a momentary pause...it never fails, when you look around just before kickoff and see that beautiful mix of orange and red, when you hear those first strains of Yea Alabama, when fall is in the air and the ghosts of Bear and Neyland hover over the playing field...it never fails, just before kickoff, to make me smile.

And then the ball is teed up, and the hatred ensues.

For my generation at age 27, Alabama is a horrible childhood nightmare. I was 14 when Peyton Manning and Phillip Fulmer put it to bed. And from there, Alabama was seven years of utopia. It didn't feel any less special when the rebuilding Vols beat Alabama in 2000. It still felt right.

A year earlier, I was in Tuscaloosa for the first time when the Vols beat Alabama 21-7 in the last Third Saturday that was nationally relevant for both teams. And maybe it was a jerk thing to do, but I walked every step down that long spiral from the upper deck at Bryant-Denney with my right hand held high and all five fingers extended, one for each year (at that point) the Vols had beaten the Tide consecutively. And I felt those glares of hatred from the Bammers all around me...but I also knew that they knew that there was nothing, absolutely nothing, they could say. I knew it because it was the way I felt every day of my childhood until I was 14. And now I'm worried that I might feel that way again after Saturday.

This rivalry is built on streaks, and the last six years with a 3-3 split have felt different. In today's SEC you probably won't see streaks like those of old again on either side. But I need Tennessee to be even with Alabama.

All the things I don't like about Alabama fans are the same things I found myself doing and being when we had the upper hand on them: self-righteous, sanctimonious, arrogant and just mean. You never really dismissed the Tide because of who they were, but you just pretended like you did because you knew it would piss them off. I have a "WE OWN ALABAMA" t-shirt (thanks, Fernando Bryant). And if we win on Saturday night, and our band strikes up that song, there's a 100% chance that I'll yell every word of Rammer Jammer at the visiting fans that sit just below me. Because I had Rocky Top sung back at me by Alabama fans every year of my youth. And I'll never get over it.

We trade hatred of equal portions. But nonetheless, what makes this rivalry special is still those few moments before kickoff, when we all look around and remember how special it really is, that these are the two most tradition-rich programs in the SEC, how Tennessee and Alabama really need each other to define themselves...and how there's only one Third Saturday in October.