Tennessee Football’s Neyland Stadium has returned to form over the last two years. What was once a fraction of the memory that most had of the glory days, Neyland Stadium has been brought back to the top-tier status in all of college football.
While the Volunteers only sold out one game during Josh Heupel’s first season at the helm in 2021, Tennessee was a massive draw during its illustrious 2022 season. Tennessee finished the 2022 season with an average of 100,532 fans per home contest, good for fifth in the nation and second in the SEC to LSU.
Tennessee sold out Neyland Stadium (101,915) in six of their seven home games last season. The victory over Florida, the historic game-winner to topple Alabama, and the Dark Mode game against Kentucky stick out as a few examples of Tennessee’s peak energy inside the stadium.
One Georgia lineman has felt that, too.
Junior offensive lineman Tate Ratledge spoke on “Real Talk Georgia” this week and made comments that might stir some conversation in Athens, Georgia.
“No offense to Sanford or Georgia fans, but Neyland Stadium is the best stadium in the SEC,” Ratledge said on Real Talk Georgia via an On3 Sports video. “112,000? And it’s a bowl? Right on the river?”
More from RTI: Tennessee Football’s Forgotten Man Entering 2023 Season
While 112,000 may be a bit of an exaggeration, Ratledge is highlighting one of the aspects of the stadium that Tennessee fans are most proud of – the Vol Navy. Located just on the edge of the winding Tennessee river passing through Knoxville, Neyland Stadium overlooks the water and the countless boats that park themselves on gameday. And now, with certain parts of the stadium renovation complete, a pair of striking V-O-L-S letters sit brightly atop the stadium to welcome in opposing fans from both sides of the river.
Georgia did defeat Tennessee fairly handily, 41-17, in Rutledge’s first game in Neyland Stadium during the 2021 season. The 2022 game in Athens was undoubtedly one of the most rocking environments from the season last year, but Vol fans are already eager to bring that game back to Knoxville this November. It’s funny to think about Ratledge’s likely stronger opinion had he been in a close four-quarter game and not one that was essentially over in the first half, too.
Sedrick Van Pran, another Bulldogs offensive lineman, was quick to throw in a rebuttal to his Georgia teammate.
“I disagree with that,” Van Pran said. “Forget the numbers. Sanford, when we played at Tennessee, was definitely louder than we we played at Tennessee.”
Ratledge, though, had an answer himself.
“Imagine if our fans were in that stadium though?”
What do you think? Is Neyland Stadium the best football venue in the Southeastern Conference? Sound off in the comments below.
In the meantime, check out the video from Real Talk Georgia below.
