3 things to watch during the Third Saturday in October
Reading time: 4 minutes
Get those cigars ready.
One of the biggest rivalries in college football takes the field Saturday in Tuscaloosa and there is plenty on the line as each team hopes to make a statement to the College Football Playoff committee + make a move at the top of the SEC standings.
- What: No. 11 Tennessee Volunteers at No. 6 Alabama Crimson Tide
- When: 6:30PM | Saturday, Oct. 18
- Where: Bryant-Denny Stadium | Tuscaloosa, AL
- Watch: ABC
SEC Nation will be in town to kick off the rivalry weekend from campus but if you’re just staying in + want to watch the game from home, here are three things to keep an eye on throughout the night.
Former players in the building
As with any big game at Bryant-Denny Stadium, you can expect to see a handful of former Alabama players and you can be sure the TV cameras will help point them out along the way.
Two of those former players will be a part of the broadcast crew as Greg McElroy will be on the call for ABC. Former Tide safety Roman Harper will be on the SEC Nation set along with a being a part of the halftime show.
The school will also take time to honor the 10-year anniversary of the 2015 national championship team with several former players and coaches (including Nick Saban) expected to be in attendance.
2015 Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry is still playing in the NFL but the Baltimore Ravens are on a bye this week so don’t be surprised to see Henry pop up on your TV at some point during the night. Other players from that team could make an appearance as well including:
- Jake Coker
- Kenyan Drake
- Damien Harris
- O.J. Howard
- Marlon Humphrey
- Tony Brown
- Eddie Jackson
- Rashaan Evans
Don’t be surprised if some other players + celebrities find their way on to the screen as well. The sidelines are expected to be pretty packed for another top-15 SEC showdown.
Another high-scoring affair?
The over-under for Saturday’s game is currently set at 58.5, higher than it was set for the previous two editions of this rivalry game.
But we are now just three years removed from the highest scoring matchup in the rivalry’s history when Tennessee defeated Alabama, 52-49.
Last year’s 41 total points were the lowest scoring meeting since 2015. But this year could be a different story as both offenses have been some of the most efficient in the country up to this point of the season.
Tennessee currently has the highest scoring offense in the country with 48.2 points per game. Both teams rank in the top 15 of the country in passing yards per game and total passing touchdowns.
Expect to see plenty of big plays from both Ty Simpson and Joey Aguilar in this one.
Do you think the two teams will combine for more than 58.5 points Saturday?
Cigar smoke
One of the biggest traditions in this rivalry is the victory cigar for either team.
It started in the 1960s with Alabama being the first to light up victory cigars after ending a losing streak to the Volunteers but soon, it became a tradition for both teams. And although it’s a clear violation of NCAA rules and stadium rules, the tradition continues on with teams self-reporting the violations in honor of nostalgia.
And if somebody has a comfortable lead late in the fourth quarter, you may start to see people in the crowd start lighting up cigars. If the Tide are in the lead, you might even start to see a cloud of smoke slowing start taking over Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Once the clock hits 0:00, you’ll see coaches and players join in on the fun from the field and certainly from the locker room as well.
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