Andy staples pod:
Andy: the Alabama Tennessee game overshadows how incredible of a Saturday we had.
[they talk through other games]
Andy: let's talk about Josh Heupel and his victory. That game was just incredible. Tennessee jumps out to the big lead. Alabama comes back, it's back and forth. It looks like Alabama is gonna take over and win. Tennessee finally gets a stop, Tennessee doesn't play for overtime. Then their kicker, who by the way was a member of USC's 2017 PAC 12 champion team - that's how old he is, will never have to buy a drink in the city of Knoxville again. Kicks the knuckleball through. The goalposts come down.
[talk about goalposts]
Andy: Tennessee. The new hotness. We said on this show all week that this was Tennessees chance to prove that they belong, instead of just taking the next step. No, no, they've taken like 4 steps. Now they have to make sure they don't trip up against Georgia. But this makes Tennessee Georgia the biggest game of the season, and nobody would have said that coming into this season.
Ari: I think it's kind of funny that Alabama still controls it's destiny to get to the sec championship game. Kind of stinks when you think about what's happening here. I think we all have faith that Saban will figure it out. But Tennessee doing what it did, I think it's so easy to jump to playoff discourse and is Tennessee good enough to win a championship. Really, I think this is secondary to what this means to this program, to its build, to its legitimacy, to all the things it's been trying to shake for so many years. Is that fair to say? That it's almost house money at this point?
Andy: it is absolutely house money. I don't think anybody went into the season thinking they were gonna win the East or win the sec championship. That certainly is a possibility now. Now this says they can win the East. They can absolutely win the SEC. Everyone is gonna spin their playoff scenarios of oh if they lose by this much and that team wins. Let's not even worry about that now!
Ari: there's plenty of time to talk about that.
Andy: let's talk about... these people were, in January 2021, when they fired Jeremy Pruitt, everybody went in the transfer portal. Freezing Cold Takes had a field day after this game with the posts about people trashing the Heupel hire when it was announced. Turns out Danny White hired the right guy for the job. What Josh Heupel has done at Tennessee is special. I think now the world sees how special that is.
Ari: yeah, I'm having trouble contextualizing it. I don't even know if it's possible. We've spent a lot of time talking about Leipold at Kansas, but to beat Alabama in year 2 on your own field, and to do it by dropping 50 on them.
Andy: right, this was not a fluky win. Alabama did play badly and had a lot of penalties.
Ari: and that's what happens when you play in a stadium like that by the way
Andy; and Alabama has had a couple of games already where they didn't play well - Texas and A&M.
Ari: even if you thought Bama was mortal. Mortal Alabama rolling into Knoxville and losing to this Tennessee team at this point in their build is inconsequentially important. It's immeasurable. It's insanely important. I think I used some words wrong, but I can't describe it.
Andy: beating Alabama, whether Alabama is flawed or not, is still one of the best teams in the country
Ari: Tennessee was AWESOME. Every time it seemed like ok here comes the Alabama death blow. Then the uh oh scoop and score games over. It seemed like Tennessee was back in the redzone or running in a 60 yard TD after every punch. The idea of defense and everything that it takes to win a championship is all secondary. The thing is, a Tennessee team that is mentally weak does not punch back at all the things Bama did. Alabama kept punching and punching and punching. Down 28-10.
Andy: and Bryce young is a freaking magician.
Ari: he is. [talk about him for a bit]. But dude. Tennessee was resilient.
Andy: and the Josh Heupel talk does not feel like Mel tucker talk from last year. This would be like if Mel Tucker had beaten Ohio state last year instead of getting destroyed by Ohio state last year. It's a big difference.
Ari: this was testimony. This was the thing you were building toward. This is the end of the road for Tennessee. Beating Alabama is the last boss.
Andy: if you beat alabama, you can beat everybody 1 on 1
Ari: who is the last boss in Tyson's punch out? Tennessee just knocked out Mike Tyson.
Andy: here's the thing, Hooker looked so comfortable and he's playing without his best WR. He looked absolutely unflappable. He looks like a guy you'd say I absolutely want to play with that guy. I'd follow him anywhere. It really shows because Alabama's pass rush can really unnerve QBs. Hendon Hooker, even when they got near him, it didn't matter. He always knew what to do, he always seemed calm and comfortable.
Ari: dude the fact of the matter is, when he fumbled that ball and Alabama scooped and scored it, a weak man goes into himself and curls up in a ball. I know I would have. The fact that they were able to win a game after that was stunning. Stunning stunning stunning. Should he be the heisman frontrunner? Maybe over stroud.
Andy: look, the heisman and playoff scenarios will all get figured out. We don't have to figure that out now. Let's celebrate the game he had. The game Hyatt had. He had 6 catches for 207 yards and 5 TDs. Against ALABAMA.
[they agree Hyatt hotels need to call him for NIL]
Andy: the Bama fans complained about the refs
Ari: every time I saw the game, Tennessee was scoring on 60 yard plays, so I don't know what they're talking about. I have to ask you, 1-10 how surprised are you?
Andy: 9. I picked Alabama to cover, I did say I wouldnt be shocked if Tennessee won, even if young didn't play. But after that scoop and score I was SURE Alabama was going to win. Positive. And then when Tennessee gets the ball back on that last possession, and you see Hooker come out. I'll tell you what it felt like, was Bryce young coming out on the last drive vs Texas. It felt like watching deshaun Watson come out for the last drive against Alabama. Where you're like, wow this guy just know what's gonna happen now. And I don't know how it was gonna happen, but I had confidence that he would make it happen.
Ari: you fell in love with him a year ago
Andy: against ole miss, and he was getting the crap knocked out of him, but you could see this guy, something about him. I had him on our show and you can just tell this is someone that people gravitate to. Bryce young has the same thing. [talks about Young]. That QB matchup, we are not worthy of that. Both those poor defenses got shredded at times. Would it be the same thing if they met in Atlanta? I don't know, but here's the thing, we are asking that now. In the third Saturday of October we are asking that question. It's not just Bama or Georgia. Now there's Tennessee, and they have a chance. A team we thought would never get out of the dumpster, as little as 18 months ago.
Ari: do you know tennessees talent composite ranking? 19. And this is the first year I think a team outside the top 8 talent rankings has a chance to win it all. Maybe I'm crazy. But they are legitimate national title contenders now.
Andy: if you can beat this Bama you can beat anyone. They went to lsu and destroyed them. We have to consider Tennessee a title contender
Ari: I have to say this. I was watching the aerial shots of that stadium. TCU, the other big game, was not even 1/5 as loud as neyland. I cannot imagine that atmosphere. I longed to be there. I know we have a lot of conversations about playoff expansion and conference expansion and all these other things, but I think we owe it to ourselves to bask in the glory of the spectacle of what that game was, and for that city.
Andy: there were goalposts in the Tennessee river. There were goalposts on Cumberland ave
Ari: If you weren't there, you missed one of the best DAYS EVER. There are times with games you are like oh I wish I was there. With this game, I really do feel like I missed out. I have FOMO, like real FOMO
Andy: just the catharsis for Tennessee
Ari: it at least ties Michigan Ohio state last year. How long have people in Tennessee been craving a semblance of relevancy? A semblance of respect? Think about all the things they've been through, the coaches, the NCAA, the Grumors, the Schiano situation, everything that went on there, even back to kiffin. To have one of the greatest games and moments on tv that this sport could possibly have. Let's soak that in before we talk about anything else. Just that moment is what makes this sport so incredible. I am so happy for these people because they deserve that.
Andy: this was one of those days in Knoxville. Those people will remember that forever. It looked amazing. It was the perfect college football environment. The sheer joy of those people.
Ari: and now tennessee is a fixture in all college football conversations going forward. We will have to talk about them every week.
Andy: they are RELEVANT. They've always been that but they are VERY relevant now. And now they have a golden opportunity.
eating piss ants.
