By: Kate Carneal and Camden Lippert

For fifteen years, Tennessee football has been fighting for a victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide. On Saturday, October 15, history was made as the Volunteers defeated Alabama (52-49) in front of their home crowd. 

The win shocked the college football world. The excitement caused fans in the stadium to take the goalposts and throw it into the Tennessee River, requiring the school to pay a 100,000 dollar fee. Mt. Hebron senior Andi Mackey recounted the crazy scene after watching the game on live television. 

“I loved when the fans threw the goalposts into the river after the game,” she said. “Even though that’s not a play, it made the game so much more enjoyable.” Some people were very disturbed by the fact that fans did this, but University of Tennessee president Randy Boyd loved how much school spirit there was.

Mt. Hebron high school senior Jenna Miller was stunned by the game’s result. 

“I thought it was amazing that Tennessee was able to pull through like that,” Miller said. “The whole game kept me on the edge of my seat.” 

Most fans didn’t have much faith in Tennessee to defeat Alabama considering they hadn’t beaten them in over 15 years. This game has also angered Alabama fans, who are annoyed at Tennessee fans for their manic reaction to the victory.

The game was filled with jam-packed action. “The best play of the game was when the Alabama linebacker Dallas Turner picked up a handoff and carried it 11 yards into the end zone to put Alabama up 49-42 with seven minutes left,” Miller recounted.

Mt. Hebron senior Lucy Smith watched the game as well and also completely agrees about the craziness of the game.

“No one was expecting Tennessee to win,” says Smith. “That made the game so exciting.”

This is huge for students and fans of the Tennessee Volunteers. Country artist Morgan Wallen even wrote a song about the win, since he was there supporting the team along with other artists like Kenny Chesney, Kelsi Ballerini, and Thomas Rhett. 

This game is making some future college students want to attend a school with a big football community. Students like Mackey would like to attend a school big on football. 

“I think that college football games are so fun,” she said. “I could only go to a school that is big in football.” 

Though Tennessee will have quite the price to pay, the Tennessee vs Alabama football will go down in history as one of the biggest upsets in college football history.