The Third Saturday in October

College football week 8, pony up.

Oct 17, 2025

Well well well you hungry hippos, let’s talk football.

One thing I’ll say for sure, we’re about halfway (I am not fact checking this so just keep it moving) through the season and I have no idea what will happen from here. Will Texas inch their way back to become a top contender? Will Florida fire Billy? (When I talk about men I just love reducing them to one name, because why not). Will Notre Dame lose the gorgeous father-of-six that is Marcus Freeman? How many more private planes does Herbstreit’s pup plan to be on? WITH NO COLLAR - rich dawg 🐶. Does the exchange of money being flung across state lines and board rooms make the season feel more charged? Or more faux? Or both? Is there more pressure on the line for the kids - REMEMBER THESE ARE COLLEGE KIDS - to perform because they have a price tag attached? Is that what’s generating the coaching turnover we’re seeing? Pressure from the Board of Trustees who send 8am emails that carry the weight of a thousand ships? Let’s discuss.

Here’s what hot:

TENNESSEE (11) v ALABAMA (6)

WHO WILL SMOKE THE CIGAR?

OK you yanks reading this (as in the people I love dearly) there’s a rich history between these two teams which is this: at 40 wins, Tennessee has more victories over Alabama than any other program in college football. And at 59 wins, Alabama has more victories over Tennessee than any other program in college football.

And to make it about me, remember I wasn’t frolicking around Disney Land growing up, I was in RV parking lots watching my dad and brother light up cigars after Tennessee games thinking to myself, “I can’t wait to leave this town.” And can you believe, reader, I now spend my time manipulating you into loving SEC football? All roads lead this southern belle back to home.

Back to Bama - known as “The Third Saturday in October,” the matchup is characterized by streaks, aka Alabama’s 15-game winning streak from 2007 to 2021, which was famously halted by Tennessee’s 52-49 victory in 2022. One of my best friends ex-boyfriend is a huge Tennessee fan, this was smack dab in the middle of the break up, felt personal. Shout out to you, Pat.

Additional lore is the aforementioned lighting of cigars. This tradition was solidified in 1961 after Alabama beat Tennessee for the first time since 1954 (see again here’s another 7 year streak) when the AD at the time Jim Goostree (incredible name) walked into the locker room post game and lit a cigar. Goostree would pack a couple boxes of Tampa Nugget cigars in the event of Alabama winning. If they lost, he would return them to the drug store and get his money back, a frugal king. The University of Alabama also officially self-reports it to the NCAA as a secondary violation (given post game the entire stadium lights up), though the organization has surprisingly allowed the tradition to continue with no issue.

This is indeed January 15, 1967 Kansas City Chiefs’ Len Dawson enjoys a Fresca and a cigarette during halftime of the first NFL Super Bowl (Photo by Bill Ray—Time & Life Pictures).

The photo above appeared in The Corolla (Alabama’s student-published yearbook) in 1959, with the players apparently hiding their smokes from the cameras. In the early years of Bryant’s tenure, Crimson Tide players would also occasionally smoke victory cigars after other big wins, such as Georgia Tech. (Georgia Tech is looking to start 7-0 for the first time since 1966………… In order to do this, our sweet little yellow jackets need to beat Duke at home this weekend. Not impossible, not impossible. Buzz buzz I guess).

Back to Alabama - Saturday will be a something that’s for sure. Tennessee has won two of the last three games, both in Knoxville and both with dramatic endings. This game is in Tuscaloosa, Bama is on a little roll after beating Georgia, Vandy and Missou and with Ty - BIG DADDY - Simpson really finding his footing. Tennessee does have the top scoring offense in the FBS whatever whatever, pray for me at 7pm. ♥️

INDIANA ON THE UP

OK I am all of a sudden rooting for Indiana for two reasons:

This TikTok
Curt Cignetti (Head Coach since 2024) worked with Saban during 2007 to 2010 seasons and my parents moved into their home in Tuscaloosa, AL when Cignetti + fam moved on to IUP).
They’ve got this chip-on-your-shoulder mentality. Lots of “Are we really going to root for Indiana? Can they really do it?” and their win last Saturday against Oregon solidifies that yes, in fact they can do it.

HEAD COACHES ARE GETTING 🚩FIRED 🚩

Penn State, Arkansas, UCLA, OSU (Gundy), Florida (potential), UNC (probably) — so far there’s been seven head coach firings in the Power Four conferences this year and we’re only on week 8. Last year there were three coaches fired during the season. Of course post season - coaches are zooming around joining different staffs but midseason firings? Where’s the pressure coming from? Does the price tag attached to these athletic departments serve as a grip boosters and boards have on Head Coaches?

To be honest coaches leaving programs - even programs with a ton of history and winnings has never been a big deal - however, mid season? Gundy was the Oklahoma State head coach for 21 years and was fired in September. In September!! Mack Brown was let go from UNC last year probably the day after regular season ended, but he still got the ability to finish the season out. I’m not a Gundy Lover but seeing these other coaches get crossed off feels a bit much. I’m watching college football for the love of the game, not to see men get exiled from their teams. But hey! I’m just a girl.

Addendum: I have read about head coaches buy outs and I feel much less sorry for them.

LSU (10) v VANDERBILT (17)

I can’t believe we’re still talking about Vanderbilt (I feel the same about Georgia Tech and a dash of Oregon as well). Vandy is the betting favorite against LSU which feels like a reallllllly dire omen. This tells me everyone is forgetting with LSU’s history and Ed Orgeron.

@dailymailsportusa Orgeron runs on Red Bull 😂 Just casually admitting he regularly consumed between 12 and 15 Red Bulls a day is diabolical. 🎥: Pardon My Take/YouTube #edorgeron #redbulls #collegefootball #lsufootball #sports

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One thing scares me and it’s LSU when they’ve got Rizz.

The Commodores (Vandy) hasn’t been favored against LSU since 1948, and haven’t been favored against a ranked opponent since 1978 — making Saturday the first time in the last 177 (ok?) games against a ranked opponent that Vandy won’t be the underdog.

The Tigers 🐯 are still lurking in the top 10, but the offense has been a little less bombastic than expected. However! Nothing pisses off a team more than betting on their little brother opponent and that’s exactly who Vanderbilt is to the LSU football program.

Also, was recently in Nashville for family, thrifted a Vanderbilt Law sweatshirt and promptly left it in the airport. Doesn’t look good for Vandy, does not look good if you ask me…..

Honorable Mention:

I definitely should have said something about USC v Notre Dame but I simply cannot read any more about football. Rooting for the Fighting Irish, obviously. 🍀
The 1.2B private equity firm trying to wedge their way into the big 10 and Michigan Board of Regents saying, No 💙💛.
There was a Vanderbilt player in glasses I spotted when they played Alabama - and turns out I LOVE HIM - and low key MLB players look great with glasses too? Go off King, rooting for you. 🤓🤓🤓
I found out that Jordan Hudson made Bill Belichick’s website, which was made on Squarespace. She also approved the logo for Bill’s ‘Coach’ show.
The guys behind every football account in the SEC are out here with docu-series quality of content, look at this piece of art. First comment has my heart, behind every sports fan is their best friend who went to Scad - hey carla ❤️
Now you know: no more tortillas thrown on the field in Lubbock, OK? Texas Tech’s AD made an announcement for a fine and a 15 yard penalty for every tortilla tossed on the field. Absolutely wild sentence.