Alabama Arriving to Tennessee Game With Pregame Cigars Has College Football World Buzzing

The No. 7 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide take on the No. 11 ranked Tennessee Volunteers in a highly anticipated SEC matchup. With the Crimson Tide struggling in their last two games, many believe the Vols have what it takes to pull off the win.

Regardless, it should be a fun contest, as both programs are led by exciting quarterbacks. Jalen Milroe has proven to be a consistent dual-threat option for Alabama, while freshman Nico Iamaleava continues to show steady improvement for Tennessee.

All signs are pointing to a close game. However, the Crimson Tide turned heads well before the 3:30 p.m. EST kickoff when they arrived at Neyland Stadium.

A short clip that has been making its rounds on social media revealed at least one Alabama player with a pregame cigar in his mouth while walking toward the locker room. Typically, cigars are a celebratory activity, so it's odd to see one before the game even starts.

The college football world simply couldn't believe it. Some think Alabama might be overlooking Tennessee in its Week 8 matchup. Meanwhile, others can't help but praise the clip, as they love the attitude a pregame cigar possibly represents.

"Alabama ready to get exposed by Tennessee," said one fan .

Another fan asked , "Did they just jinx themselves?"

"A bold statement! Alabama's attitude has definitely changed," admitted one individual .

This user claims , "Bold considering how they've played the last [two] weeks."

"It’s a team still focused on kicking a**. Bama by 7," stated a Crimson Tide fan .

Alabama made the switch at head coach after Nick Saban opted to retire during the 2024 offseason. The Crimson Tide replaced the 72-year-old former coach with Kalen DeBoer, who led the Washington Huskies to a title run last season.

The Crimson Tide has played well, for the most part, under DeBoer. However, they did suffer a massive upset earlier in the season after losing to the Vanderbilt Commodores 35-40. DeBoer's team followed that performance up by narrowly defeating the South Carolina Gamecocks 27-25.

They certainly have some issues to solve but Alabama is firmly in the mix for the College Football Playoff. A win over Tennessee would be huge for the Crimson Tide, as it could quiet the exponentially growing critics.

Related: Nick Saban Reveals Alabama's True Rival That Isn't Auburn