Tennessee and Vanderbilt will meet for the 108th time Saturday in Neyland Stadium, which makes it the SEC’s fourth most frequently played series. The Commodores have played Tennessee more than any other team.

James Franklin had this to say about the series earlier this week, “People call it a rivalry. I don’t think it’s at that point. It hasn’t been as competitive as it needs to be to be considered a rivalry. But I know a lot of people are excited about this game. I think it’s good for the state (if it becomes a rivalry). I think it’s good for Vanderbilt. I think it’s good for Tennessee. I think it’s good for the SEC. You’d love for it to be a rivalry, and those games are fun because there’s so much riding on it.”

There’s no denying Franklin has led Vanderbilt to unprecedented success. The Commodores are bowl-eligible for the third consecutive year, a school first, and are 15-6 in their last 21 games. Vanderbilt defeated the Vols 41-18 in Nashville last year, ending a 14-game home losing streak to Tennessee.

Despite their recent success in the series, history supports Franklin’s statement that this isn’t a rivalry, at least not from a competitive standpoint. In fact, Vanderbilt hasn’t consistently competed with the Vols since the 1920s. Here’s a look at Tennessee’s historical dominance in the series, both in head-to-head matchups and in overall program accomplishments.

*The Vols were 2-19 against VU headed into the 1928 season before General Neyland led the Vols to a 6-0 victory over Vanderbilt. That win broke a 7-game VU winning streak in the series. Since then, the Vols are 71-10 against the Commodores.

*The Vols lead the series 73-29-5. Assuming the teams face-off every year, Vandy would have to win every game through 2057 to get even in the series.

*Since 1983, Tennessee is 28-2 against Vanderbilt. Since 1977, the Vols hold an 17-1 advantage over VU in Neyland Stadium.

*Vanderbilt hasn’t beaten Tennessee twice in the same decade since the 1950s.

*The Commodores claim 13 conference championships, 10 in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association—the last one coming in 1915. 
Vanderbilt’s last conference championship of any kind came in 1927, when they were in the Southern Conference. They joined the SEC in 1932 and have yet to win an SEC championship. The Vols have won 13 SEC championships, seven Eastern Division championships, and six national championships.

*Vanderbilt is 3-2-1 in bowls, which means the Vols have twice as many national championships as Vandy has bowl wins (6 to 3). The Vols are 25–24 in bowl games.

*Tennessee has never lost eight games in a single season. From 2000 to 2010, Vanderbilt lost at least eight games in a season eight times.

*All-time, the Vols are 803–360–53. while Vanderbilt is 578–583–50.