Tennessee’s win over Alabama in 2022 isn’t just highly regarded in Knoxville.
The Vols’ thrilling, 52-49 triumph over the Crimson Tide at Neyland Stadium, which ended a 15-year losing skid for Tennessee, is considered one of the best college football games of the last 25 years, according to one outlet.
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The Athletic recently ranked the game 12th in its 25 best games of the 2000s as part of a series that ranks the best coaches, players and games of the century.
It was the only game involving Tennessee to make the rankings.
The 121st edition of the “Third Saturday in October” earned high marks for what was at stake in the game and the cinematic finish.
The Vols were in the middle of resurgence under second-year head coach Josh Heupel.
After more than a decade of dormancy, Tennessee entered its annual clash with the Crimson Tide unbeaten and had just walloped LSU in fabled Death Valley the week before.
The Vols jumped up to No. 7 in the AP Top 25 earlier in the week, while Alabama was No. 2 amid a typical 6-0 start.
Tennessee, which last beat the Crimson Tide in 2006, had little success in the series after Nick Saban took over at Alabama in 2007.
Outside of a couple of close finishes in 2009 and 2015, the Crimson Tide had dominated. But anticipation built before the two teams squared off in 2022.
The Vols’ up-tempo, high-flying offense was well on pace for a record-breaking campaign that year and looked the part early.
Tennessee darted to a 28-10 lead in the first half, but Alabama stormed back to even the score in the third quarter.
That’s when the shootout began, both teams trading scores until a Vols mishap—the kind that had cost them in so many big games before—happened.
Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker, who had been nearly flawless going into the fourth quarter, botched an exchange with running back Jaylen Wright and the ball fell to the turf.
Dallas Turner picked it up and took it the other way for a go-ahead touchdown that gave Alabama the lead.
The Vols didn’t go away, though. Hooker went back down and completed his fifth touchdown pass to Jalin Hyatt to again tie the game at 49-49.
Alabama had a chance to take the lead again in the final minute, but Will Reicard missed a 50-yard field goal attempt and Tennessee got the ball back.
Hooker led a textbook drive against the clock. He linked up with Ramel Keyton for a first down around midfield, then Bru McCoy hauled in a pass to stop the clock with one second left.
It was Chase McGrath’s turn. The Vols’ kicker, who had missed an extra point earlier in the game, connected from 40 yards out, just clearing the cross bar on a wobbly kick that sent Neyland Stadium into a frenzy.
Within seconds of the ball going through, fans poured over the walls and onto the field. Both goalposts came crashing down and one ended up in the Tennessee River.
For the Vols, the win was proof that the program was oficially back among the SEC elite. Tennessee went on to finish with 11 wins for the first time since 2001 and beat Clemson in the Orange Bowl.
Alabama was left with a thin margin for error and its loss at LSU weeks later knocked it out of the College Football Playoff.
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