This is an opinion column.

Blame it on Nick Saban. All of it. The Third Saturday in October started to go wrong for this state’s SEC institutions long before kickoff when Pat McAfee’s suddenly fun uncle managed to insult both sides of the Iron Bowl rivalry.

Perhaps trying to outdo the rodeo clown next to him on College GameDay, Saban spouted the outrageous old-timers’ myth that the Tennessee game means more to Alabama than the Auburn game.