Josh Heupel shouts out several players, reacts to postgame scene at Neyland Stadium

No. 6 Tennessee pulled off the upset over No. 3 Alabama this weekend defeating the Crimson Tide 52-49 and snapping a 15-game losing streak against them. The Vols rose to the occasion, with several players having phenomenal individual performances leading to their win, but head coach Josh Heupel admits that it all starts with quarterback Hendon Hooker.

“The ability to finish a half or a game the way that we did offensively today and the games that you were speaking about, it starts with your quarterback. Him being able to be decisive, take care of the ball, you have to have trust in him,” Heupel said.

Hooker finished the game with 385 yards in the air, 56 on the ground, and five touchdown passes that were all exclusively thrown to wide receiver Jalin Hyatt. The duo had an electric performance, but were the only ones who contributed to the win.

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“Five guys up front doing a phenomenal job protecting, tonight that defensive line is as good as anybody in the country,” Heupel added. “And then guys out on the perimeter making plays, I mean Ramel Keyton, huge catch, Bru (McCoy) setting it up, and how about Chase McGrath?”

Keyton and McCoy had two huge catches on Tennessee’s final drive of the game to set up McGrath for a game-winning, 40-yard field goal. Which not only secured the win, but allowed him to get redemption missed an extra-point attempt earlier in the game.

“Obviously in the middle part of the football game one that he wants to have back, I went over and talked to him on the bench and he gave me the look like get away from me, I’m good, I don’t need you to talk to me, you know what I mean?” Heupel laughed and asked. “He’s a competitor and for him to go out and finish tonight that way is fitting, so really proud of that.”

McGrath’s game-winner sent Neyland Stadium into pandemonium, as fans stormed the field, cigars were lit on the field, and a goalpost was torn down and taken out of the stadium.

“The scene after the game, our administration had a plan and were gonna try to make sure that our team was safe, our staff were safe. Man what an unbelievable scene, like as that thing ends and shoot I’m running out in the middle of the field but you can see the swarm of orange coming down, the orange out was phenomenal tonight. But God the energy from our fans man, student body, our entire stadium it was electric man,” Heupel said.

The presence of Tennessee’s fan base was definitely felt during and following the game, but Heupel said that even before the game the energy was there, on a day that Volunteer fans will remember from beginning to end for quite some time.

“Vol Walk is always the most unique thing in college sports in my opinion, until you experience it, it’s just words, but it truly is. Tonight’s Vol Walk is unlike anything I could ever imagine,” Heupel said. “The sea when I turned left with my kids was so deep, and what an awesome night for Vol nation.”