It’s time for the Third Saturday in October, and we’re doing our part to get you ready for the Tide and the Vols. It’s not a big secret, but over the past nine seasons, Alabama has owned this rivalry. Here are nine facts about Bama’s nine in a row over UT.

1. Scoreboard: During Alabama’s nine-year winning streak, the total score is Alabama 302, Tennessee 109. Only twice has Alabama failed to top 28 points — in 2009, when a second blocked field goal from Terrence Cody preserved a 12-10 win, and last year, when Bama dodged a 19-14 bullet with a late TD drive. Meanwhile, over those nine years, the margin of Alabama victory has been 30+ points four times.

RELATED: 9 reasons Tennessee ends the losing streak

2. Previous UT/Bama streaks: Nine games isn’t the longest winning streak in the history of the rivalry. Alabama put together 11 consecutive wins over the Vols from 1971-1981. UT won seven consecutive from 1995-2001. The common thread of dominance?

Defense. During Bama’s run, UT topped 20 points only once, in 1973, when Bama won 42-21. During Tennessee’s rally, the Tide failed to top two touchdowns in four of the seven games, maxing out at just 24 points themselves.

RELATED: 10 reasons Alabama makes it 10 in a row

3. The WHAT Saturday in October? Seven of Bama’s nine consecutive wins have actually come on the fourth Saturday in October. Due to scheduling quirks, in the modern era, the game often doesn’t live up to its Third Saturday nickname. It hasn’t been a problem for Bama, as the streak has even gone as far into the calendar as Oct. 26 for 2013’s 45-10 thumping of UT.

4. Ground war: Normally, in a meeting of two football powerhouses, the ground game reigns supreme. That has been the case in the recent Alabama winning streak — although in 2015, UT actually outrushed ‘Bama, 132-117, but still lost. The last time UT outrushed Bama before that game? That was in 2006, the last time UT won.

Oct 24, 2015; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide running back Derrick Henry (2) carries for a touchdown against Tennessee Volunteers linebacker Darrin Kirkland Jr. (34) during the fourth quarter at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

5. Offense and an offensive offense: In the nine-game streak, Alabama has put up 500 yards of total offense three times (2007, 2010, 2012). Tennessee has failed to reach 500 yards during the streak, and three times has been held under 200 total yards.

6. The unranked Vols: This is just the second time during the streak that Tennessee will enter this game as a ranked team. It’s the first time they’ll enter as a top 10 team. The only other time they were ranked was in 2007, the first year of the streak. That year, the No. 20 Vols fell to unranked Alabama 41-17. Tennessee was coached by Phil Fulmer, Nick Saban was in his first year at Alabama, and Tennessee has not been favored over the Tide since.

7. The highly-ranked Tide: Since that 2007 game, Alabama has been ranked in the AP top 10 entering each season’s game. Last year’s No. 8 ranking is the lowest Bama has had during this run, and three times, Alabama faced Tennessee as the No.1 team in the nation.

8. The wildest game of the streak: The most controversial ending in Alabama’s winning streak? That’s easily the 2009 game. Tennessee was a 14.5-point underdog at Tuscaloosa, but scored a late touchdown to pull within 12-10, recovered an onside kick and drove to the Alabama 27-yard line.

Vols kicker Daniel Lincoln, who missed one kick and had another blocked earlier in the game, tried a last second field goal from 43 yards.

Defensive tackle Terrence Cody, who blocked the first kick, blocked the potential game-winner as well.

After the play — but with the ball still alive — Cody removed his helmet in celebration. That should have resulted in a 15-yard penalty and a 29-yard try for Lincoln to win the game. But it didn’t get called that way.

The hard luck UT head coach who lost? Some guy named Lane Kiffin. Speaking of coaches …

9. A streak long enough for a coaching revolution: So how long is a nine-year losing streak in coaching terms? Long enough to turn over the entire league. The only SEC head coach now who was an SEC head coach back in 2006 when Tennessee last beat Alabama was Ed Orgeron, who was in his second year at Ole Miss, and of course, is now the interim coach at LSU.

Some of the other head coaches of the time? Mike Shula at Bama, of course Phil Fulmer at Tennessee, Rich Brooks, Bobby Johnson, and Sylvester Croom. That has been a while!

The Vols, incidentally, are on their fourth coach during the streak: Fulmer (0-2), Kiffin (0-1), Derek Dooley (0-3) and Butch Jones (0-3).