It’s a celebration that only occurs every third Saturday of October.
Since 1961, the winner of the Tennessee-Alabama game pulls out victory cigars and lights up immediately after the final whistle. They smoke in the stands. They smoke on the field. They smoke in the locker rooms.
NCAA rules have got nothing on SEC tradition.
On Saturday, it was Tennessee’s turn to enjoy the sweet taste of smokey victory as the No. 11 Volunteers defeated the No. 7 Crimson Tide, 24-17, handing Alabama its second loss in three weeks.
This one puts Alabama’s playoff campaign on the absolute brink if not outright ending it. It also puts Tennessee right back in the hunt with another signature win.
But those are all problems for later. For now, it was simply time to spark up in Neyland Stadium and seemingly everyone in orange couldn’t wait to partake.
We’ve got Tennessee fans smoking cigars in the stands 😅 pic.twitter.com/0nkmK3Jrgi
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 19, 2024
Vols fans smoke victory cigars as No. 11 Tennessee takes down No. 7 Alabama in Knoxville. 🏈 pic.twitter.com/tx9mUC8sAf
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 19, 2024
Cigar smoke already filling the air in Neyland Stadium. Vols haven’t had many chances to smoke cigars in this series over the past two decades. This is two times in a row in Knoxville. pic.twitter.com/mVTSGKSNfe
— Chris Low (@ClowESPN) October 19, 2024
Josh Heupel escorted off the field, cigar in hand. #Vols pic.twitter.com/JhSfmI05Wg
— Sam Rothman (@samrothman_) October 19, 2024
