Tennessee's Title Hopes Intact After Toppling Alabama Yet Again, Sends Another Smoky Statement From Knoxville

KNOXVILLE, TN - For the second time in three years, the goalposts, at least one set, headed out of Neyland Stadium and for a destination that is currently unknown. Once again, Josh Hepeul celebrated at midfield following the game, letting out a massive ‘Go Big Orange’ before jumping around with other Tennessee fans, and lighting his cigar in the wake of Tennessee's 24-17 victory over Alabama. 

Entering the fourth quarter on Saturday night in Knoxville, there was a sense of enthusiasm that had almost turned to nervousness from the more than 100,000 fans inside Neyland Stadium. Maybe it was the Vols' defense coming up clutch once again, holding Alabama to 75 yards rushing, or maybe it was Nico Iamaleava connecting down the field with a receiver on what felt like the 5th or 6th attempt of the night. 

There aren't enough words to summarize what this game means to both fan bases, so I won't ask you to read them all. But this one isn’t like any other, which Nick Saban pointed out on Saturday morning during College Gameday. 

This one will be remembered for a very long time around these parts, as fans stormed the field once again after their Vols knocked-off No. 7 Alabama in a game that came down to the Tennessee defense coming up big. Let's be honest, this was a game that felt ugly, and it looked ugly in the first half. Three turnovers, missed field goals, penalties and offensive output that was non-existent, fans should feel very grateful for that second half of football. 

But at the end of the night, as fans tore down both goal posts, lit cigars with Josh Heupel at midfield while dancing to ‘Dixieland Delight’, there was a sense of rejuvenation in the air. Maybe it was the cigar smoke, but expectations are high again in Knoxville for this team to continue on this path towards the playoffs. 

I wondered myself if the Vols had it in them to stop the Alabama offense, but then I realized that this Tide offensive line is currently on the struggle bus, with no stops in sight. 

For tonight, none of it matters, because that's a conversation for the next few days. 

Tennessee defeated No. 7 Alabama on Saturday night in another classic. Photo: Trey Wallace

Tennessee Offense Finally Answers The Bell, Fans Rejoice

If you were questioning the Tennessee offense as this game dragged on in the first half, I'd imagine you were losing your mind in the process. For the folks clamoring for Nico Iamaleava to hit one of his receivers down the field, you had to wait a while. 

Nothing about this offense looked like a squad that could compete for a national championship. But its defense does, and on this night, the D proved that this could be the way Tennessee makes a run in late December. 

Sure, the Vols gave up 239 yards through the air to Jalen Milroe, but they also intercepted him twice, and forced Kalen DeBoer to try and get creative with some of his play-calling. 

But it was Nico Iamaleava that answered the bell in the fourth quarter, leading Tennessee to 17 second-half points, while hitting Chris Brazzell on the biggest pass of the night, that just so happened to be for a touchdown. 

Tennessee defeated No. 7 Alabama on Saturday night in another classic. Photo: Trey Wallace

‘This Group Believes’: Tennessee Continues Climbing In College Football

If you're watching this Tennessee football program, I can bet the growth is not hard to see. I can promise you that opposing teams in the SEC were worried about the Vols returning to the constant conversation in the current landscape. 

When you put it all together, there are going to be times when you stumble along the way. This was evident a few weeks ago at Arkansas, when Tennessee lost a game that it shouldn't have. This is just the path that some teams have to take to get to their goal, and Josh Heupel has Tennessee headed in the right direction. 

It doesn't matter that Nick Saban isn't on the sidelines for Alabama any longer, because whenever you win a game in this series, it means something to the players that previously walked on the field inside Neyland Stadium, along with the folks that have poured their heart into this rebuild behind-the-scenes. 

"There were obstacles in this program that we had to navigate, as a program, I feel we are just getting started," Josh Heupel said postgame. 

Tennessee defeated No. 7 Alabama on Saturday night in another classic. Photo: Trey Wallace

As the cigar smoke once again filled the air in Knoxville, it could only mean one thing. The Vols had beaten Alabama once again at home, and sent a statement to the rest of college football that they weren't done because of a loss to Arkansas.  

If anything, the Vols offense finally woke up in the second half on Saturday night, and that should once again worry folks about this Tennessee team. 

I'm not saying it was pretty. But winning in the SEC, and beating Alabama, that's what you call a good night at Tennessee. And it feels as though the Tide has shifted in this rivalry, just a bit.