Alabama, Tennessee Bring Back Home-Colors Tradition for Rivalry Game
Alabama and Tennessee will both wear home uniforms in this year's Third Saturday in October rivalry game, reviving a tradition last seen in 1970, for at least the next two seasons.
The Alabama Crimson Tide and Tennessee Volunteers are reviving one of college football's most recognizable visual traditions, with both programs confirming they will wear their home uniforms in this season's edition of the "Third Saturday in October" rivalry, regardless of which team is actually hosting the game.
The agreement means Alabama will suit up in crimson and Tennessee will wear its trademark orange when the teams meet this season at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville. The arrangement will carry over to the 2027 matchup at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, where Tennessee will again wear orange on Alabama's home turf for at least the two-year run of the agreement.
It marks the first time since 1970 that both teams have worn their home colors at Neyland Stadium. The last time the two programs squared off in home jerseys on Alabama's side of the series was in 1969, when the game was played in Birmingham.
A Rivalry Rooted in Decades of History
Alabama and Tennessee have met every season since 1928, with the sole exception of 1943, when both programs paused play during World War II. This year's contest will be the 109th all-time meeting between the two schools, with Alabama holding a 61-39-8 edge in the all-time series.
University of Alabama Director of Athletics Greg Byrne credited cooperation between both athletic departments and the Southeastern Conference for making the throwback jersey arrangement possible.
"This series is built on decades of tradition, and we're excited to bring back a piece of its history beginning this season," Byrne said. "This required collaboration from both schools and the Southeastern Conference, and I'm thankful to President Mohler, Tennessee's administration, including AD Danny White, and the league office for their support and willingness to work together. We believe this will make an already special rivalry even more enjoyable for our teams and our fans."
Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer said the move underscores just how much weight the rivalry carries for fans on both sides.
"The Alabama-Tennessee rivalry is one of the most historic in all of college football," DeBoer said. "I know how much this game means to our fans, and the tradition and pageantry surrounding it is second to none. This will be another unique element that makes the 'Third Saturday in October' so special to both universities."
Why the Change Matters
Under standard college football convention, the home team wears its primary colors while the visiting team wears an alternate or "away" uniform, typically white, to avoid confusion on the field. Reverting to true home-versus-home colors for a road game requires special approval, since the visiting team must secure a uniform color that doesn't clash with its host. For a rivalry as old as Alabama-Tennessee, the crimson-versus-orange matchup has long been considered one of the sport's most visually striking scenes when both sides wear their traditional colors.
The "Third Saturday in October" nickname dates back to when the game was reliably played on that date nearly every year, cementing its place as a fixture of the college football calendar even as scheduling has shifted in more recent seasons.
For Crimson Tide and Volunteers fans alike, this season's game will offer a rare modern look at the rivalry the way earlier generations saw it, with both sidelines dressed in their true home colors regardless of who is playing host.
The rivalry is also known for its victory-cigar tradition, in which players and staff from the winning team light up cigars in the locker room after the game.
