Tennessee vs Alabama football game bringing back orange, crimson jerseys

Tennessee and Alabama will wear orange and crimson jerseys, respectively, in their “Third Saturday in October” rivalry football game for the first time since 1970.

The schools announced the two-year agreement on Aug. 19, in conjunction with the SEC.

The traditional uniform matchup will return when Tennessee hosts Alabama at Neyland Stadium on Oct. 17, 2026. The Vols will be in orange, and the Tide will don Crimson. They will wear the same color combinations in the game at Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium in 2027.

The rivalry game’s return to technicolor has been a long time coming.

The last time Tennessee wore orange jerseys and Alabama wore crimson jerseys in the same game was on Oct. 17, 1970, in Neyland Stadium. Since then, the home team has typically worn its colored jerseys while the visitor has worn white uniforms.

“The Third Saturday in October stands alone in college football, and we are excited to restore one of its most iconic traditions as both teams wear their home jerseys,” Tennessee athletics director Danny White said in a school release. “I’m grateful to Alabama AD Greg Byrne and his staff for their shared commitment to bringing this experience back to the fans of one of the sport’s greatest rivalries.”

Orange vs. crimson jerseys have rich tradition in rivalry

Orange and crimson jerseys created the classic look of the rivalry for decades in signature games.

The 1951 game was first televised sporting event in SEC history. The Vols won 27-13 en route to a national title under their iconic coach, Gen. Robert Neyland.

The 1967 game was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated. The Vols won 24-13 at Legion Field en route to the SEC title.

“The Third Saturday in October is special to our fans, players and VFLs, and bringing this tradition back adds another meaningful element to such a historic college football rivalry,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said.

The 2026 game will be the 109th meeting between Tennessee and Alabama. They’ve played every season since 1928 except for 1943 because of World War II.

The 2027 game will mark the first time that Tennessee wears orange jerseys in Bryant-Denny Stadium. The teams played at Legion Field from 1932-97.

"This series is built on decades of tradition, and we're excited to bring back a piece of its history beginning this season," Byrne said. "This required collaboration from both schools and the Southeastern Conference, We believe this will make an already special rivalry even more enjoyable for our teams and our fans."

Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing atknoxnews.com/subscribe.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee vs Alabama football game bringing back orange, crimson jerseys