Alabama Football: A Tie Is Like Kissing Your Sister – 10 Crimson Tide Tie Games
By Ronald Evans
Alabama Football on The Third Saturday in October, Oct. 16, 1993
Final Score: Alabama 17 – Tennessee 17
Alabama football fans never need additional motivation to hate the Tennessee Vols. Hatred of UcheaT, Rocky Flop, Puke-Orange Nation is a component of Alabama football fan DNA.
Is it possible that Tennessee is Alabama football’s biggest rival? Speaking as one fan, my answer is when the Vols and Awbrun compete in any sport, either side winning is depressing – during those games I always root for 0-0 ties.
How far back can the anti-Volunteer Tide passion be found? Alabama antipathy to the Vols goes back at least to the fierce rivalry between Alabama coach Wallace Wade and Tennessee coach, General Robert Neyland. While the two coaching legends genuinely respected each other, beating the other man meant more to them than beating any other coach.
For those not knowing much about Wallace Wade, here is a choice description of Wade written by Alf Van Hoose of the Birmingham News, and published in the book https://www.amazon.com/Wallace-Wade-Championship-Years-Alabama/dp/159460231X
"“Wade, ‘The Bear’ long before Paul Bryant ever left Moro Bottom, Arkansas, because he coached and dealt with most people as if he’d been a grizzly who’d missed meals for weeks”"
And there is the other “Bear” and a Tennessee story. In 1935, Paul “Bear” Bryant played against Tennessee with a broken fibula. On crutches the week of the game, Bryant did not expect to play but an emotional locker room speech changed Bryant’s mind. Bryant had a big game in a Tide win.
On a warm fall Saturday afternoon at Legion Field in Birmingham, the No. 2 ranked Crimson Tide hosted the No. 10 ranked Tennessee Volunteers. Alabama football owned a 28 game winning streak and the Crimson Tide had not lost to the Vols in seven seasons.
Alabama was chasing back-to-back championships under Gene Stallings. Phil Fulmer was in his first season as the Tennessee head coach.
Antonio Langham intercepted Heath Shuler in the second quarter after Tennessee had taken a 7-3 lead. It was theLangham’s 17th career interception, a Crimson Tide record, breaking the old mark of 16 set by Harry Gilmer, Jeremiah Castille, and John Mangum. Langham finished his career with 19 interceptions for the Tide.
From the foot of Michael Proctor, Alabama led 9-7 at the half. The only points in the third quarter was a Volunteer field goal giving Tennessee a 10-9 lead heading into the last quarter.
At the start of the fourth quarter, Tennessee scored on a long run and pushed its lead to 17-9. Alabama had struggled to run the ball throughout the game. The Tide’s passing game with quarterback Jay Barker had been productive but Alabama could not reach the end zone.
Trailing by eight with less than two minutes to play, Barker connected on six passes for 81 yards. With twenty-one seconds on the clock, Barker scored on a sneak from the one-yard line. Tennessee l7-15 and the Tide had no option but going for a two-point conversion.
Alabama football coach Gene Stallings replaced barker with David Palmer at quarterback. Palmer was a quick-footed, unpredictable, mostly running QB and on occasion, a capable passer as well. Palmer delivered on a short run, tying the game 17-17.
The Tide played for tie, and got it. On that Third Saturday in October, playing for a tie was the only option.