With VFL Peyton Manning and noted Georgia fan Luke Bryan hosting ABC’s 2022 Country Music Awards on Wednesday night, there was sure to be some antics relating to the college football world.
And sure enough, there was.
During the opening of the show, Bryan asked Manning his favorite country music song.
“Well, I’m glad you asked that,” Manning said. “Because my favorite country song is also a dance craze that is currently sweeping the nation. Hey, guys in the truck… hit it!”
Cue Rocky Top.
The big surprise though, to pay off the dancing tease from Manning, was internet sensation Zeb Ross, known for his viral clogging. Prior to the Alabama game in Knoxville, Ross visited Neyland Stadium and brought his famous dancing skills to the Vols’ historic stadium.
Any chance Peyton has to slip in Rocky Top, he'll take it.
Watch live now on ABC #CMAawards pic.twitter.com/HZQv0nzDA4
— Omaha Productions (@OmahaProd) November 10, 2022
More from RTI: Tennessee’s Path To The College Football Playoff
The video of Ross dancing inside of Neyland has over six million views on Twitter.
Vols by a billion pic.twitter.com/XHauUvSy2u
— grit (@GRITknox) October 14, 2022
Ross danced all around the CMA stage as Manning was cracking up in the background. The production then panned over to a few stars in the crowd, including noted Tennessee fan Morgan Wallen, who was also in attendance for the Alabama game in mid-October.
Luke Bryan, though, was not enjoying it. Just a few days ago, before the Tennessee-Georgia game in Athens, Bryan was brought out onto the College GameDay set in Athens as the celebrity guest picker.
Considering Manning was also the successful GameDay picker for the Alabama game, both of the CMA hosts are 1-0 for their team on the season.
Tennessee, with the music of Rocky Top included, has been all over the scene in the last few months after skyrocketing throughout the college football season.
The Vols’ three games against Florida, Alabama, and Georgia had a respective average viewership of 5.57 million, 11.56 million, and 13.06 million. The latter two are the most-watched college football games of the season.
In addition, Tennessee also drew the most official Twitter team account interactions in the month of October with over 5 million engagements.
These two make a great team! Keep watching @LukeBryan and Peyton Manning host the #CMAawards on @ABCNetwork! pic.twitter.com/ITa6eTzJJ8
— CMA Country Music (@CountryMusic) November 10, 2022
