Alabama just made a change that will only elevate the Crimson Tide’s rivalry with Tennessee come the third Saturday in October
The third Saturday in October is going to have a whole different look this year, and honestly, it’s a change that Alabama should have made a long time ago.
The Third Saturday in October just got a lot more fun. As reported by On3, both Tennessee and Alabama will wear their home jerseys for this season’s rivalry matchup at Neyland Stadium, meaning crimson and orange will share the field in one of college football’s most iconic settings.
In my opinion, this is long overdue. As much as college football and the SEC continue to evolve their schedules, with conference teams now facing three permanent opponents every year, this rivalry isn’t going anywhere. The Third Saturday in October is a benchmark, a calendar-circling event for everybody in college football, but certainly for fans of the Tennessee Volunteers and the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Why both teams wearing home jerseys matters
Having both schools represented with their dominant colors on the field is a great move. When Alabama marches into Neyland Stadium, they are running into one of the most raucous, most contentious environments that exists. That’s true for college football, and I would argue it extends to North American sports as a whole. Adding the visual element of crimson against orange only amplifies what is already an electric atmosphere.
Credit goes to both programs here. Alabama made the decision to rock their home crimson on the road, and Tennessee, as the home team, had final say over the jersey situation. The Volunteers allowing the Crimson Tide to do this signals mutual respect for the weight of the rivalry. Both schools understand what this game means to their fanbases, and leaning into the pageantry is the right call.
A huge game on the horizon
This is going to add another element to what is shaping up to be a massive game in just a matter of months. The SEC schedule changes have brought plenty of debate about which rivalries will survive and which will fade, but the third Saturday in October has never been in danger. Both programs treat it as a tentpole event, and now the look on the field will match the intensity in the stands.
College football thrives on tradition, and both Tennessee and Alabama are embracing that here. Crimson and orange under the lights at Neyland Stadium is exactly what this rivalry deserves.
