That was my kind of a Third Saturday in October GameDay! Pass the cigars around, make so much noise the visitors allege fake noise was being piped into Neyland Stadium. Fans decide to rush the field again…was surprised they did it this year but unlike over in Nashville, they did in numbers that completely covered Shields-Watkins Field. I admit I did it two years ago. Finally broke the Saban streak at Bama, 15 games were way too many for Vol fans to tolerate and finally time to celebrate the win that stopped it.
Jumping on the field from the north end zone was a bit of an ordeal for an ol’ Vol fan like me. I didn’t want to leave an ACL dangling in the process. So with a long line behind me waiting to hit the field and blocking any escape route and with a soft field to land on, I decided on the leap, buckle the knees and roll on the soft turf. The leap, buckle & roll approach worked efficiently and I entered the smoky party on the sacred Neyland Stadium turf that was well under way. Another Vol fan approached me with a spare stogie. I had come to the game totally unprepared for that aspect of a win over Bama celebration. He promptly lit it up for me and I thoroughly enjoyed my time on the field celebrating beating Saban for the first time at Alabama and breaking a nauseating long losing streak.
That was 2022 and I felt like that celebration was overdue and warranted. Fast forward to 2024, I felt like the Vols could beat Bama and actually felt like they would after watching Bama’s struggles against Vandy and South Carolina. The Vols had struggled the two previous weeks also but I felt on their home field, Bama was going to find it difficult to extend their new win streak over the Vols to two games. In other words, I felt like the Vols were finally on the same level with Bama and beyond the need to rush the field after a win over the Tide.
As for the game itself, another electric atmosphere in Neyland Stadium. Alabama coach reportedly had said he didn’t think crowd noise would bother his team. If he is still in Tuscaloosa in 2026, I’m reasonably confident he will not make the mistake of repeating that comment before the Tide’s next trip to Knoxville. Very first Bama series, false start penalty on play 2 for 5 and then an ill-timed snap fumble for a loss. That sequence adds up to an auspicious start of three and out on Bama’s first possession. That was the beginning of a long day for Bama on penalties as they would go on to incur 15 penalties for 115 yards. Fortunately for them, Tennessee decided to make it a race by incurring 11 penalties of their own costing the Vols 95 yards.
The key stat of the day, Vols ran the ball 43 times for 214 yards, 5 yards per carry, while Bama mustered only 75 yards on 34 attempts, 2.2 yards per carry. Along with that lopsided stat comparison, the Vol defense kept Bama quarterback Jalen Milroe uncomfortable from the opening whistle. Even when he had time, he appeared to hear footsteps by missing open receivers, often sailing the ball high.
Vol QB Nico Iamaleava was also harassed by the Tide defense and was kept in check along with the Vol offense for another goose egg first half. That’s a bad habit that must stop. Two straight games that the Vols march crisply down the field with their opening possessions and then turn the ball over in scoring position. Fortunately Nico and the Vol offense woke up in the second half for 24 points. Clutch plays by both Vol offense and defense combined to shut the door sending Bama home with its’ second straight loss at Neyland.
Tennessee had multiple players step up with big, some even game changing, plays during the course of the 60 minutes Saturday. The layout TD catch by Chris Brazzell II was a thing of beauty. There’s no question Tennessee has some elite receivers on the team. Could they benefit if Nico puts just a little more air on some longer throws that gives them a better chance of tracking the ball down compared to the straighter line throws that are sailing long?
Vols now have two weeks to tune things up for the home stretch starting with a home night game against Kentucky. What used to be an easier part of the schedule with the November games now looks formidable with the Kentucky game and two SEC road trips to UGA and the surprise team of the 2024 season, Vanderbilt. Mississippi State comes calling at Neyland as well in a game that shouldn’t be overlooked as they stayed within 10 of UGA in Athens a couple of weeks ago. A non-conference game against UTEP is thrown in to round out the schedule but this November is anything but a break on the schedule this year for Tennessee.
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The roughly 20+ year period between times when we knew we were a national top 10 power and now, where we are starting to grasp the possibility of being a true national power again has spanned either one or two generations–depending on how long a generation is measured. Tennessee went thru either 5-7 presidents, untold number of chancellors, athletic directors and head FB coaches. I didn’t count this time. Alumni, donors, fans, season ticket holders and hanger-ons never gave up on the realistic hope and expectation that if we could get everybody aligned: the right president, chancell0r, AD, donors and Head Ball Coach, the good times would begin rolling. They now have. I hope now that game attendees won’t feel the need to rush the field, every other year when we beat bama or “the mighty gators” at home. One exception: When we beat uga, next year at Neyland, go for it!—-please excuse the run on grammar/sentences!