Getty The 2022 iteration of the Third Saturday in October was called the biggest game in Knoxville since 1998 by Paul Finebaum.
Given the way things played out during Week 6 of the 2022 college football season, the hype between the annual Third Saturday in October matchup between Alabama and Tennessee is reaching fever pitch. The Crimson Tide escaped Tuscaloosa with a 24-20 victory over Texas A&M that came down to the very last play, losing their No. 1 overall ranking in the polls and falling to No. 3 in the process. Tennessee, meanwhile, destroyed LSU in Death Valley in a true coming-out party for Josh Heupel’s improved Volunteers — who are now ranked No. 6 in the AP Poll.
While speaking about the matchup between the two historical interstate rivals on “SportsCenter,” SEC Network host Paul Finebaum called it the most anticipated game in Knoxville in nearly a quarter of a century. “(It will be) the biggest game in Knoxville probably since the national championship season in 1998,” Finebaum said to Matt Barrie.
Tennessee defeated Alabama 35-18 that year in what was the Volunteers’ fourth-straight victory, one ultimately part of both a seven-game win streak over the Crimson Tide from 1994 to 2001 and part of a stretch for the orange, smokey and white in which they won nine of 10 games.
Paul Finebaum on Tennessee’s Win Over LSU
In Tennessee’s wire-to-wire beatdown of Brian Kelly’s LSU Tigers on October 8, the Volunteers amassed over 500 yards of offense and averaged 6.5 yards per play. Quarterback Hendon Hooker alone was responsible for 295 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns.
Finebaum lauded both Hooker and Heupel during his October 9 “SportsCenter” appearance. “You alluded to Hendon Hooker — he’s the key to everything, and so is Josh Heupel, who I think has established himself as the premier play caller in America,” Finebaum said. “They have such a fast-break offense that it stifles teams, especially when they’re on the road, and they take the crowd out of it.”
Finebaum also gave props to the defense, who forced five turnovers against LSU in Week 6. “The Tennessee defense showed up yesterday, too, and that’s always been a concern, especially when they gave up a lead against Pittsburgh earlier in the year,” Finebaum said. “And they started to crumble two weeks ago against Florida. But that did not happen against a Brian Kelly-coached team. It was an amazing statement win for Tennessee, but they have bigger fish to fry [against Alabama].”
Finebaum on Alabama’s Win Over Texas A&M
Finebaum didn’t speak much about the Alabama-Texas A&M October 8 matchup other than to comment on the ending, which saw Crimson Tide defensive back Terrion Arnold break up a Haynes King pass to Aggies receiver Evan Stewart with the game on the line and the clock running out on 2nd-and-goal.
“Alabama taking a fall, and it took an ending they will be talking about in College Station for a long time,” Finebaum said. “Johnny Manziel, the most legendary Aggie ever, called the ending of the game ‘the worst play selection he’s ever seen.’ I’m sure [Texas A&M coach] Jimbo Fisher won’t be sending him Christmas cards.”
Manziel was highly critical of Fisher’s final play-call in the moments following Alabama’s nail-biting victory. “One of the worst calls I’ve ever seen in my life,” tweeted Johnny Football. “You have one play to beat the #1 team in the country and that’s what we run.”