Unnecessary Roughness
Brandon: The epicenter of College Football on October 15, 2022 was Knoxville, Tennessee. When the clock hit 6:30, and it was tied 42-42, and they panned outside the stadium and the sunset was like this deep beautiful orange. That day was made to happen. Tennessee 52, Alabama 49. One of the great college football games in recent memory. This was a test moment for Tennessee. Can you pass this test? For 15 years you've lost to Alabama, for 15 years you've struggled to matter in the grand scheme of things. Well now, the story of the 2022 college football season will not be told without the Tennessee Volunteers. Whatever happens to them from now on will have a huge impact on the way this season shakes out. The Tennessee Volunteers, for the moment, are very, very back.
Kayce: I wouldn't even just say for the moment. I understand that they still have half a season left, and they still have to play Georgia, and we have to see what happens in the SEC East. Tennessee Football is back because now the narrative about what has happened for the last 15 years is dead. Josh Heupel was someone that everybody laughed at. Now this team looks like they actually believe that it could be 1998 again. They always say it, and people make fun of it, but the way that this team is playing and the way that the fans feel about this program right now, it actually feels legit that they feel they could be as good as they were in 1998.
Brandon: Several things about the Tennessee Volunteers. To me, it's not the fact that they won. I'm not just impressed that they won the football game, I'm impressed how they won the football game. First of all, they came out and stuck it to Alabama and got a lead. Even when they had that 28-10 lead, we knew Alabama was gonna bounce back, we knew Bryce Young was too good. We knew that they would get off of the mat, and they did. Alabama took the lead twice in the 3rd and 4th quarters, and there was a moment that it was 35-35, and Tennessee put the ball on the ground, and Alabama scored and that was it. Tennessee scored the last 10 points of the game. Tennessee had moments where it looked inevitable, Alabama was gonna win the game, Tennessee looked dead in the water. Hendon Hooker picked everybody up. Josh Heupel picked everybody up. They dusted themselves off and went and won a f*****g football game. The way they won it was more impressive than the fact that they won it.
Kayce: Agreed, and it also shows you how conditioned our brains are watching Alabama play. Because both times that they took the lead, everything looked right for them, and everyone is like ok here we go again. Everyone is like ok it's over. And Tennessee, down to the last minute of the football game, did not let that happen. Literally down to the last few football plays did not give up, and that's how it ended in regulation. When Alabama missed that field goal with however much time was left--
Brandon: Fifteen seconds!
Kayce: Hey you could have paid me all the money in the world and I woulda said this one's definitely going to overtime. There's no way Tennessee is going to finish this in regulation, ITS ALABAMA. And what did they do? Hendon Hooker led them down to kick a game winning field goal.
Brandon: That's one of the impressive things that is so impressive about Josh Heupel. They came to win this football game, they didn't come to have a nice day, they didn't come to get a moral victory. Nick Saban made the decision to kick a 51 yard field goal with 15 seconds left to win the game. A decision he had to make. But you missed it and left Tennessee with just enough time to get in field goal range and that's exactly what they did. Tennessee said "we are going to the house" and they had two long passes, got in range, kicked a 40 yard field goal, won the football game. That's what Hendon Hooker did, that's what Josh Heupel did, and that is a new day for Tennessee Football because they have gotten close to Alabama a few times, and we've seen Alabama get off the hook twice this season, against Texas and A&M. They didn't get off the hook here because Tennessee was not going to let it happen. Hendon Hooker. He's the great story. He is way near the top of the Heisman standings right now in my mind. He has been a godsend for Tennessee and he is one of the most important players in college football. He took his team by the boot straps and went and won a football game.
Kayce: he had such a great September, which feels like forever ago. He has continued to build on that. Its not just Hooker, but Hyatt. FIVE touchdowns.
Brandon: The man had SIX catches for five touchdowns.
Kayce: this Tennessee offense is so electric. It is across the board. Hendon Hooker is so much fun to watch. This game being 52-49 - points points points. That's another reason this game was so good. You see these instant classic games, the SEC games we grew up watching, it's a low scoring defensive battle. In this game you've got Hendon Hooker, is squarely at the top of the Heisman standings, you've got Bryce Young who is on the other side, the winner from last year. This is the best quarterback game in college football that I've seen in a really long time. Not only was it a really high scoring game, it was two really talented guys. The fact that we're talking about Hendon Hooker being compared to a Heisman trophy winner tells you everything you need to know about this Tennessee offense. They are unstoppable right now.
Brandon: Hendon Hooker stared down a Heisman winner, and he won the game. We also saw a reawakening of an entire fanbase. Tennessee has been beaten down. They were down just two short years ago. Now they've had Gameday twice this season, CBS was there today, we saw the big orange sunset, 102,000 people there standing there the whole time, crowd full. How many other big games did you look at this weekend and there were empty seats? Not in Neyland Stadium. It was the ultimate scene in college football. It brings me to the man of the hour. We talk about Hendon Hooker Heisman, Hyatt played great. Today was about Josh Heupel as much as it was about anybody. 18 short months ago Tennessee was in the wilderness. THey were floating up Tennessee River. They were not doing great. They got rid of Jeremy Pruitt, they had allegations, they had to get through ALL of this crap. And they went out, we were lead to believe that no coach would take the job, they "settle" for Josh Heupel is what everyone thought. Nobody was really impressed, including me. I laughed at them. They went out and got UCF's AD and UCF's coach? For Tennessee? A team that views themselves at the top? Well, guess what, ain't no idiot like me laughing now. 20 games into his tenure he's got them in the top 5, he's just delivered the biggest win there in two decades. They are squarely on the map, and Josh Heupel did it, no matter what idiots like me had to say.
Kayce: they did it so quickly. In 2020, we were sitting there making fun of Pruitt and McDonalds bags. And now you look at it and this is the guy that they feel can bring them back. I feel like they finally have the guy that they believe in.
Brandon: This is the only guy who has been able to do it. When a guy comes in, you get that new coach honeymoon. Heupel hasn't let it wear off. He took down Alabama, forever honeymoon. He did what Tennessee fans always said was possible. "Oh we'll be back" and everyone's like no you won't, no you won't, no you won't. Well, Josh Heupel delivered.
Kayce: Give him a lifetime contract.
Jack: This is their biggest win since... forever
[they all talk about the goalposts for a while]
Kayce: Incredible. This only happens in college football.
Brandon: Tennessee has put Alabama at a very interesting point. To me, what I saw Tennessee do to them, that's not Alabama.
[talk about how un-Alabama that Alabama looked]
Brandon: Well guys, I hope you're ready. Because we have unleashed the hell that is the Tennessee fanbase.
[later]
Brandon: Tennessee Football won the weekend. Specifically, Josh Heupel. I didn't believe in you, I kind of snickered when you were hired. I thought you were another in a long line. 18 months later I'm wrong. Tennessee is back. Tennessee 20 years ago was where Alabama is now, not for as long, but they were there. And they are back. You guys won the week.
Kayce: it's all Tennessee. I'm taking Hendon Hooker. He's so efficient. Look at the Heisman race. They won the game, he skyrocketed up the Heisman list. To me it is Stroud, Young, Hooker all at the top.
Katie: every bartender and bar owner in Knoxville had the night of their life.
