National outlet lists biggest game in history of Tennessee-Alabama football series that many Vol fans would agree with

In the century-long saga of one of college football’s fiercest rivalries, a national outlet has weighed in—and Tennessee fans couldn’t agree more. According to a recent feature by Saturday Down South, the October 15, 2022 clash between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Alabama Crimson Tide has been named the greatest game in the history of the Tennessee-Alabama series.

The game, played in a jam-packed Neyland Stadium, wasn’t just a thrilling football spectacle. It was an emotional crescendo—ending a 15-year losing streak to the Crimson Tide and reigniting a program, a fan base, and a rivalry that had grown one-sided for over a decade.

“It had everything: ranked teams, future NFL stars, more than 100 combined points, and a game-winning field goal that will live forever in SEC lore,” wrote the outlet. “This wasn’t just the best game of the rivalry—it may be the best win in modern Tennessee history.”

While the “Third Saturday in October” has produced dozens of unforgettable clashes—from Bear Bryant’s defensive duels to Peyton Manning’s high-octane losses—the 2022 showdown checked every box:

• Top-10 matchup for the first time in Knoxville since 1989
• Over 101,000 fans in attendance, with national eyes glued on the broadcast
• A combined 52–49 score, featuring dramatic momentum swings and heroic individual efforts
• A walk-off field goal as time expired, capping a 15-game losing streak and sparking scenes of euphoria never before witnessed in Neyland Stadium

“There’s never been a release of emotion like that in Tennessee football,” said Vols radio analyst Pat Ryan. “That wasn’t a win. That was a liberation.”

For longtime Vol supporters, the game symbolized years of frustration finally turning to glory. Tennessee had been stuck in an extended rebuild through multiple coaching changes and missed bowl games. Alabama, meanwhile, was riding a historic dynasty under Nick Saban, turning the once-balanced rivalry into an annual drubbing.

But on that October evening, the tables turned.

Quarterback Hendon Hooker threw for 385 yards and 5 touchdowns—all to breakout star Jalin Hyatt, who finished with 207 receiving yards and rewrote the Tennessee record books in the process.

Even after Alabama surged ahead in the second half, Tennessee refused to fold. The Vols tied it at 49 with under four minutes to play. When Alabama missed a go-ahead field goal with 15 seconds left, Neyland began to buzz with possibility.

A few clutch completions later, kicker Chase McGrath lined up from 40 yards. The ball wobbled—but flew true. Time expired. Orange fireworks shot into the Knoxville sky. And the goalposts came down.

The outlet’s ranking wasn’t based only on Tennessee fandom. Nationally, the game was viewed as a watershed moment—not just for the Vols, but for college football as a whole.

• It broke Alabama’s 15-game win streak in the rivalry.
• It catapulted Tennessee to No. 3 in the national rankings, their highest since the late 1990s.
• It became the most-watched regular-season college football game of the year.
• And it made Neyland Stadium the epicenter of college football’s energy that weekend.

Heisman voters, NFL scouts, and national analysts all took note. Hooker became a Heisman finalist. Hyatt won the Biletnikoff Award. And Josh Heupel officially arrived as a coach capable of taking down the sport’s giants.

What set the 2022 game apart, according to the outlet, wasn’t just the stats or stakes—but the emotional weight.

Vol fans had waited 5,839 days to see their team beat Alabama. Generations of fans—students, alumni, families—had never experienced victory over the Crimson Tide. When McGrath’s kick went through the uprights, decades of heartbreak poured out all at once.

“The sound when that kick went through—it wasn’t cheering. It was screaming,” one fan told The Knoxville Sentinel. “I’ve never cried after a football game until that night.”

Fans stormed the field. They carried down the goalposts, marched them through Cumberland Avenue, and eventually dumped them into the Tennessee River—a cathartic act that went viral.

While the rivalry has produced many classics—such as:

• 1966’s 11–10 Tennessee win, ending Alabama’s 25-game win streak
• 1982’s upset win in Paul “Bear” Bryant’s final season
• 1995’s Peyton Manning-led romp in Tuscaloosa
• 2009’s “Mount Cody” blocked kick to save Bama’s title run

—none had the same mix of historical weight, national impact, and catharsis as 2022.

That’s why Saturday Down South put it at the top.

“In terms of atmosphere, importance, drama, and cultural resonance, 2022 Tennessee-Alabama stands alone.”

Though the Vols fell short of a College Football Playoff berth that season, the Alabama win rekindled belief. It ignited recruiting, boosted NIL momentum, and proved Tennessee could go toe-to-toe with any power in college football.

The ripple effects are still being felt:

• Top-10 recruiting classes in the 2024 and 2025 cycles
• A multi-year contract extension for Josh Heupel
• Stadium renovations, record-breaking merchandise sales, and a surge in national brand recognition

Perhaps most important: Vol Nation was fully reborn.

The 2022 Tennessee-Alabama game was more than a football contest. It was a reckoning, a release, and a reminder that the sport’s greatest moments come when tradition, emotion, and competition collide in just the right way.

The national outlet’s pick only confirmed what every Vol fan already knew:

That night in Neyland wasn’t just the greatest game in this rivalry—it was the greatest moment in modern Tennessee football history.

And maybe, just maybe, it was the start of something even bigger.