The Alabama-Tennessee rivalry dates back to November 28, 1901, with their first game played in Birmingham, Alabama, ending in a 6-6 tie. Alabama holds a slight advantage in the series with a 60-39-8 record over Tennessee, including a dominant 15-game win streak from 2007 to 2021. On Saturday night, Tennessee traveled to Columbus for their College Football Playoff first-round matchup against Ohio State, which was widely regarded as the most anticipated game of the round. However, like many of the other first-round games, it turned out to be less competitive than expected. Ohio State features two former Alabama players: Caleb Downs and Seth McLaughlin. McLaughlin, a former Tide center and Remington Trophy winner, has been sidelined since a torn Achilles tendon during practice before the Indiana game. He was seen on the broadcast multiple times with a cigar, a tradition that dates back to the 1961 Alabama-Tennessee game. That year, Alabama broke a five-game losing streak to Tennessee, and athletic director Jim Goostree distributed cigars to celebrate the win. What was initially meant to be a one-time gesture evolved into an annual tradition between the two programs, known as “The Cigar Game.” Despite criticism of McLaughlin for the Tide’s offensive struggles last season, it’s clear that, as Siver points out, Alabama’s spirit remains with him when it comes to defeating Tennessee. With the win, Ohio State has now set up a rematch against No. 1 Oregon in the Rose Bowl, a game Oregon won in the closing seconds during the regular season.