SEC Network's Cole Cubelic evokes Luke 'Fluff' Ratliff to start Alabama football broadcast

SEC Network broadcasters Tom Hart, Jordan Rodgers, and Cole Cubelic all wore plaid suit jackets for Saturday's football game between Alabama and Mercer University. 

To acknowledge the similar jackets, Hart said they all had jackets from the "Wimp Sanderson collection." 

Sanderson was the Alabama men's basketball coach from 1980-92 and was known for wearing plaid suit jackets. 

Cubelic responded to Hart and said, "Fluff would be proud of us."

Luke "Fluff" Ratliff was an Alabama fan that died April 2, 2021. Ratliff frequently wore plaid suit jackets to Alabama men's basketball games. 

Saturday's Alabama vs. Mercer game is the first Alabama home football game of the 2021 season. 

Alabama, ranked No. 1 in the USA Today Sports AFCA Coaches Poll, comes into the contest 1-0 overall. Alabama beat the Miami Hurricanes 44-13 on Sept. 4.

Mercer University enters the matchup 1-0 overall. On Sept. 2, the Mercer Bears beat Point 69-0. 

Entering Saturday, Alabama leads the all-time series 3-0 vs. Mercer University. 

Here's more Alabama football news:

• Luke Ratliff:Alabama basketball lost its biggest fan with the passing of Luke Ratliff, and I lost a friend | Hurt
• Cole Cubelic:SEC Network's Cole Cubelic tries (and fails) to catch pitches from Alabama softball's Montana Fouts on SEC Nation pregame show
• Luke Ratliff:Alabama basketball superfan Luke Ratliff dies: Four things to know about 'Fluffopotamus'
• TV, live stream:How to watch Alabama football vs. Mercer Bears on TV, live stream

Drew Cronic is the Mercer University Bears football head coach. Nick Saban is the Alabama Crimson Tide football head coach.  

Erik Hall is the lead digital producer for sports with the USA Today Network. You can find him on Twitter @HallErik.