Victory Cigars Expected for Alabama-Tennessee Game

The Alabama–Tennessee rivalry’s victory-cigar tradition is set to return when No. 6 Alabama visits No. 14 Tennessee on Oct. 17, with the winning team—and often its fans—celebrating with cigars. The custom dates to 1961, when Alabama trainer Jim Goostree handed out cigars after the Crimson Tide beat Tennessee 34-3, and it became a familiar postgame ritual. Tennessee got its own chance to celebrate after ending a 15-game losing streak to Alabama with a 52-49 win in 2022. Cigar shops in both cities prepare for increased demand, including Tuscaloosa’s R&R Cigars, which says it supplies Alabama’s victory cigars; the tradition has continued despite rules prohibiting tobacco use on the field and in locker rooms.