Vols upset Crimson Tide on late FG
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — After 15 years of being a rival to Alabama in name only, Tennessee snapped a humbling losing streak, stamped itself a championship contender and celebrated in spectacular fashion.
Chase McGrath made a 40yard field goal as time expired to give No. 6 Tennessee a 52-49 victory over No. 3 Alabama on Saturday.
As soon as the kick knuckleballed through the uprights, some of the more than 100,000 fans stormed the field to join the party as the Volunteers (6-0, 3-0 Southeastern Conference) ended a 15-game losing streak to the Crimson Tide (6-1, 3-1).
Fireworks went off over Neyland Stadium and it glowed orange as the song “Dixieland Delight” by the band Alabama — a Crimson Tide favorite — blared over the stadium speakers.
And it didn't take long for the goal posts to go down.
“This is college football at its absolute best,” Vols coach Josh Heupel said.
Hendon Hooker drove the Vols 45 yards in 18 seconds to set up the winner. Jalin Hyatt caught six passes for 207 yards and a Tennessee-record five touchdowns.
Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, a game-time decision because of a sprained right shoulder two weeks ago, completed 35 passes for 455 yards and two TDs.
Hyatt's fifth TD catch tied it at 49 with 3:26 left in the fourth.
Young drove the Tide into the Tennessee territory in the final minute, but Alabama stalled at the 33 with three straight incomplete passes. Will Reichard's 50yard field goal attempt for the lead was wide way right.
With only 21 seconds left, overtime seemed likely, but Hooker wasn't done and did the Heisman Trophy winner one better.
Hooker completed two passes for 45 yards, the second a 27yard strike to Bru McCoy that gave Tennessee a chance for a makeable field goal — and McGrath came through to give the Volunteers its biggest victory in years.
Tennessee had not beaten a top-10 teams since 2006 against Georgia. That was also the last time the Vols beat Alabama.
A season later Nick Saban became Alabama's coach. As the Tide has become college football's greatest dynasty with six national titles, Tennessee has burned through coaches and been mired mediocrity.
Now, in his second season in Knoxville, Heupel has Tennessee looking like a legitimate national title contender behind a transfer quarterback from Virginia Tech.
A week after Alabama held Texas A&M out of the end zone on the last play of the game to dodge an upset, the Tide went down. The Vols scored the most points against an Alabama team since Sewanee put 54 on the Tide in 2007.
The Tide also had 17 penalties for 130 yards, the most during the Saban era, according to ESPN.
Tennessee's up-tempo offense jumped out to a 21-7 firstquarter lead and led 28-20 at halftime. All four touchdown drives took over two minutes.
Young threw for 205 yards and a touchdown in the first half, while Hooker had 166 yards and two scores. Young wasn't sacked, but was knocked down five times in the half.
Alabama fumbled Tennessee's only punt. The Vols recovered and scored four plays later.
Two key Tennessee players also weren't available.
Wide receiver Cedric Tillman, who sustained a high ankle sprain against Akron, didn't play despite having surgery to speed up the recovery process three weeks ago. This was his third missed game.
Jaylen McCollough, a fouryear starter at safety, was arrested for aggravated assault last weekend. He had played in all 41 games since his freshman year with 32 starts.