No. 11 Alabama's win over No. 17 Tennessee Saturday afternoon was a hard-earned one. After being smothered 20-7 by the Volunteers in the first half, the Crimson Tide rallied for 27 unanswered points and the victory.
It was, in short, the kind of win that might tempt one to light up a postgame cigar—as the winner of the rivalry has every year since the 1950s.
Alabama coach Nick Saban, however, has another way of celebrating—which he revealed in an interview after the Crimson Tide's win Saturday to the delight of quarterback Jalen Milroe.
"It's well-documented that you do not like smoking cigars. How are you gonna celebrate this one tonight?" CBS's Jenny Dell asked Saban.
"Well, I'll chew on one for awhile," Saban replied.
"Well, I'll chew on one for a while." - Nick Saban to @JennyDell_ on the victory cigar
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) October 21, 2023
And then you MUST un-mute to hear Jalen Milroe's laugh 🤣 pic.twitter.com/mldquoiw4K
Milroe erupted into laughter—so much so that he had to compose himself before answering questions.
The redshirt sophomore from Katy, Tex. completed 14 of 21 passes for 220 yards and two touchdowns against one interception in the win.