The victory cigar is an Alabama-Tennessee tradition going back, off and on, about 50 years. Tobacco stuff and extra benefits are technically NCAA violations, so the winning team reportedly just goes ahead and does it, then self-reports it to the governing body.
This year, after a 49-10 victory made it 10 in a row over the Vols, some Tide players headed back out onto UT’s field to puff in the autumn air.
Alabama players take their cigars out of the locker room and onto the field. pic.twitter.com/s4CM8yWdiv
— Charlie Potter (@Charlie_Potter) October 15, 2016
The big fellas got in some good shots in the middle of the field ...
Proud to be apart of this o-line y'all did y'all thing! #TrenchMafia 438 yards rushing is no accident! #TheFatBoys pic.twitter.com/E7yJruVqED
— Alphonse Taylor (@SHANKK50) October 15, 2016
... but the locals had about enough of all that before too long. (This video has since been deleted, but showed stadium security shooing Bama wide receiver Calvin Ridley and others off the field.)
RTR @Anderson_365 @EJackson_4 pic.twitter.com/HdJnesdYVW
— Calvin RidleyⓂ️ (@CalvinRidley1) October 16, 2016
The greatest recent moment in Third Saturday cigar history is still this pic of Derrick Henry and Nick Saban from last year, though.