'We're smoking at the end of this': Josh Heupel called his shot at halftime against Alabama
Josh Heupel called his shot at halftime Saturday, while addressing his Tennessee Football team on the way out of the locker room. The Vols were trailing rival Alabama 7-0, shut out in the first half for a third straight game, but Heupel lacked no confidence.
“We’re smoking at the end of this thing,” Heupel said, referencing the cigars smoked after wins by Tennessee and Alabama in the Third Saturday in October rivalry. “Let’s go.”
Josh Heupel to his team against Alabama down 7-0 at half:
— Vol Report (@AllVolReport) October 22, 2024
“We’re smoking at the end of this thing. let’s go.” 😤 pic.twitter.com/wPPt7Oewv5
HIs team didn’t make a liar out of him.
The Vols trailed three times in the second half but rallied each time, with a 16-yard touchdown pass from Nico Iamaleava to Chris Brazzell with 5:52 left in the fourth quarter serving as the go-ahead points and exclamation point.
No. 7 Tennessee (6-1, 3-1 SEC) won 24-17, beating Alabama for the second time in three years. The Vols won 52-49 at Neyland Stadium in 2022, using a 40-yard walk-off field goal from Chase McGrath to end a 15-year losing streak to the Crimson Tide.
On that night, Hendon Hooker threw for 385 yards and five touchdowns, with all five going to Jalin Hyatt, who had six catches for 207 yards.
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This time Tennessee held Alabama to just 314 total yards. The Crimson Tide went 3-for-14 on third down and gained just three total yards over its last four offensive possessions.
The Vols overcame three turnovers in the first half by rushing for 214 yards and finishing with 408 total yards. Iamaleava completed 14 of 27 passes for 194 yards, with one touchdown and one interception, and Dylan Sampson ran 26 times for 139 yards and two touchdowns.
“Man,” Heupel told The Vol Network’s Bob Keeling after the game, “there’s nothing better than having smoke in your lungs at the end of the night. Seeing our fans rush the field, it’s another moment in my life I’ll never forget. Seeing all our former players. Alontae Taylor, Darnell Wright, Alvin Kamara, to name a few. Then seeing our players’ faces as you organically crossed paths in the crowd. And getting to the locker room.
“Just a special group to compete and find a way to come out on the right side of the scoreboard. And these guys did it. The Third Saturday in October is college football as good as it gets. And there’s nothing better than being on the right side of that thing.”
