The college football rankings will have a major shake-up come Sunday afternoon after the Tennessee Volunteers upset the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Vols QB Hendon Hooker’s big game leads to an upset over Alabama which ended in the Vols kicking a game-winning field goal as time expired.
The Vols look like they could be the real deal and make a run at the College Football Playoffs if they finish strong. Not only that but Hooker has also punched his card to New York City as a Heisman finalist.
Hooker lead the Volunteers to their first victory over Alabama since 2006 when Erik Ainge was the starting quarterback. Hooker continued on his steady pace throwing for 385 yards and five touchdowns, all five of which went to wide receiver Jalin Hyatt.
With his performance today, Hooker needs to firmly be in the Heisman consideration. After his performance against the Tide, there’s certainly an argument to put him at the top with the likes of CJ Stroud and Michael Penix.
It’s not every day you see a QB go out and do what Hooker did against a team like the Crimson Tide but he put it all on the line and got his team the victory.
Between the dual-threat ability of Hooker who added 56 yards on the ground and Jaylen Wright saving his best work for the fourth quarter this Tennessee offense looked deadly.
Head Coach Josh Heupel had his guys in top shape and got himself his first win against Alabama since signing with the Vols in 2021.
Heupel was the head coach of the UCF Knights from 2018-2020 and had a 28-8 record.
Heupel looks like he has Tennessee on the right track and will be competing for SEC championships for years to come.
Tennessee plays both Kentucky and Georgia before the end of the month which will truly show if they’re the real deal and deserve a place in the playoffs.
This could be the season an SEC team not named Georgia or Alabama makes the playoffs and will make Neyland Stadium the place to be down the stretch.
Could the Volunteers become relevant for the first time since they won the Cotton Bowl in 2005? Could Hendon Hooker be a Heisman finalist? The answer to both these questions is YES!