Overview
- The agreement was reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel and published broadly on Wednesday, Aug. 19, that both teams will wear home jerseys for the 2026 and 2027 matchups.
- The report says the arrangement was coordinated by Alabama AD Greg Byrne, Tennessee AD Danny White, Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer, Tennessee coach Josh Heupel and the SEC office.
- The 2026 meeting is scheduled as a Week 7 game in Knoxville and will mark the 109th meeting between the schools with Alabama expected to wear crimson at Neyland Stadium for the first time since 1970.
- The decision revives a pre-1970 practice when both teams wore home colors and comes as the rivalry has seen recent shifts in competitiveness after long Alabama runs and Tennessee wins in 2022 and 2024.
- The change is meant to enhance game-day pageantry for fans and will place orange for Tennessee at Bryant-Denny Stadium in 2027, though the reporting so far rests on limited sources and awaits formal written confirmations from the schools and the conference.