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Josh Heupel has had a chance to be in some special rivalries in both his playing career and his coaching career.
As a quarterback for Oklahoma, he was apart of the Red River Rivalry between the Sooners and Texas. He was also a member of Oklahoma’s coaching staff.
Now, Heupel gets to participate in the Third Saturday in October, one of the most exciting matchups in college football between Tennessee and Alabama.
Heupel has been on both the losing side and, more recently, the winning side of the rivalry, and he knows how special it is. On Wednesday, Heupel talked about the similarities between the 2 big rivalries.
“Yeah, this is a special one. The proximity of everybody, the importance that it has always had,” Heupel said during the SEC coaches teleconference. “It’s different than that game in that, that game is always played at a neutral-site, so it’s a little bit different, but it makes it extremely special because you are bouncing back and forth between being home and on the road, too. This rivalry is extremely special. Not only for college football, but for these two programs, too.”
Heupel is looking for back-to-back wins this Saturday. It won’t be easy, but the Vols have confidence and momentum heading into the game. Regardless of the result, it’s going to be a fun one.
