There was no better game across all of college football since the playoff era began in 2014 than what Tennessee football found itself in during the 2022 season.
That’s at least according to a ranking by Saturday Down South. It rated the Vols’ iconic 52-49 win over Alabama as the top match in this stretch, beating out bowl games and an SEC Championship. The publication dubbed the game ‘Hendon Hooker Hysteria’ due to the offensive explosion that took place inside Neyland Stadium.
It was wide receiver Jalin Hyatt that also took headlines, though. The Vol receiver caught a jaw-dropping five touchdowns on six receptions for a total of 207 receiving yards. This featured scores from six, 11, 60, 78 and 13 yards out.
However, the hero proved to be kicker Chase McGrath. After missing an extra-point attempt earlier in the contest, he fluttered a ball just inches over the upright on a 40-yard field goal that was tipped at the line of scrimmage. The result was fans pouring out of the stands onto the field, the uprights being torn town and tossed in the river and a losing-streak dating back to 2006 being cut.
The 52 points scored by UT were also the most scored in a game on Alabama since Sewanee put up 54 in 1907.
“Where were you when Hendon Hooker shredded Nick Saban’s defense, 100,000 Tennessee fans partied on the field inside Neyland Stadium, and Dixieland Delight rained down over a 52-49 Volunteer victory? Alabama was an 8.5-point favorite against a team that hadn’t beaten it in 15 years,” Saturday Down South’s article wrote. “But in just the second season under Josh Heupel, Tennessee put more points on the Crimson Tide than any team had since 1907…”
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The following season, the Vols couldn’t get the job done despite a strong start in Tuscaloosa. Tennessee went up 13-0 early and took a 20-7 lead into the half. Alabama would go on to score 27 unanswered points in the second half, though, to survive with a 34-20 win.
This would prove to be Nick Saban’s final appearance as the Tide’s coach during the rivalry as he retired after the season. The victory in 2022 was the only time the Vols managed a win over him during his tenure with Alabama.
In 2024, Tennessee grabbed a second-straight home win in the series, though. With Kalen DeBoer now coaching the Tide, the Vols were shutout in the first half and fell behind 7-0 at the break. UT fired back in the second half to take a 14-10 lead into the fourth quarter. The Tide took the lead back, but Nico Iamaleava connected with Chris Brazzell to take the lead and Tennessee didn’t give it back.
Afterward, fans once again left the stands to tear down the goal posts and celebrate with a field storming.
This year, the Vols will head back to Tuscaloosa. Tennessee hasn’t won in the series on the road since 2003. The last time UT won two-straight in the series was from 2003-04.
The 2025 edition of the historic rivalry, The Third Saturday in October, will be played on Oct. 18. There is no TV designation yet, but the kick-off time will fall somewhere between 3:30-8 p.m. ET.
