KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — It’s official. Tennessee is back. Chase McGrath’s knuckling 40-yard field goal as time expired split the uprights in the south end zone of a deafening Neyland Stadium to beat no. 3 Alabama 52-49 and spark a Saturday night celebration that has been a long time coming on Rocky Top.
In a game that will go down as one of the best regular season games in the history of college football, featuring 101 points, four lead changes and four ties, McGrath played the role of hero. The senior transfer from USC got redemption with the final kick after missing the first extra point of his career in the third quarter, which, for a time, looked like it might be the difference.
McGrath's field goal was set up by another former Trojan as Bru McCoy snagged a Hendon Hooker pass for 27 yards down to the 23. That was one play after Hooker hit Ramel Keyton for 18 yards after no. 6 Tennessee got the ball back at its own 32 following a missed 50-yard field goal attempt by Will Reichard that would have given Alabama the lead.
Even with just :21 left, there was no doubt Josh Heupel was playing for the win in regulation, putting his trust in Hooker, who got a midseason signature moment for his Heisman Trophy campaign with that game-winning drive.
Hooker did throw his first interception of the season in the third quarter, but completed 21 of 30 passes for 385 yards and five touchdowns to beat last year's Heisman winner Bryce Young — who was also sensational, with 455 passing yards and two touchdowns.
Hooker wasn't the only offensive star. Jalin Hyatt caught all five of his touchdown passes, setting the Tennessee single-game record for TD receptions in a game. Hyatt had a monster day with six catches for 207 yards, including scoring strikes of 36, 60 and 78 yards.
Tennessee's 52 points were the most given up by an Alabama defense since a game against Sewanee back in 1907. Heupel's up-tempo juggernaut of an offense left the proud Crimson Tide defense looking for answers as they raced up and down the field. Seven of the Vols' eight scoring drives took 2:00 or less.
And that final drive and kick delivered Tennessee its first win over Alabama since 2006, snapping a 15-game losing streak, the majority of which were lopsided. But this program is different with Josh Heupel at the helm.
Led by the nation's top offense, there was a legitimate belief amongst the 102,455 at Neyland Stadium that the Vols could win. The postgame field storming which led to the toppling of both goalposts — at least one of which was later paraded down Cumberland Avenue — was more about letting out the frustrations of 15 years of futility than it was a sign of an upset. Make no mistake, Tennessee earned this win.
And the Vols should be favored against every other team on its schedule, except for a trip to top-ranked Georgia the first week of November that will likely decide the SEC East champion.
Tennessee hasn't been to the SEC Championship since 2007, but this team has made it no secret that it has a goal of getting to Atlanta. It's a goal that no longer seems like a reach after beating the team that has won eight of the last 13 conference titles.
The Vols 6-0 start is its best since the BCS Championship season of 1998, and it opens the door that this team could also compete for a spot in the playoff and a chance at its own national championship. But Heupel, who won the national title as a quarterback at Oklahoma in 2000, knows that nothing can be won in October. It's his charge to keep a team not used to getting this level of attention level-headed and getting better for the big games ahead in November — and maybe even December or January.
But for the first time in a long time, the third Saturday in October gave Big Orange faithful a reason to puff their chests out and to celebrate.
Light up those cigars. Tennessee is back. And now the SEC and the entire country knows it.
