Quite an odd debate has formed in the wake of Tennessee football’s 24-17 victory over Alabama on Saturday evening. Does Tennessee pipe crowd noise into Neyland Stadium?
The debate originates from Alabama play-by-play radio announcer Chris Stewart making the claim in the first quarter of Saturday’s matchup. Danny White and the Tennessee athletic department vehemently refuted the claim on Monday but that hasn’t stopped the debate.
Someone asked former Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron about his thoughts on the debate on X (Twitter) Monday afternoon and he backed up Stewart.
“100% they do,” McCarron responded.
Comically, there’s a community note under McCarron’s post saying there’s no evidence or proof that Tennessee pumps in crowds noise to Neyland Stadium.
100% they do
— AJ McCarron (@10AJMcCarron) October 21, 2024
The crowd noise had a major effect on the matchup with Alabama committing 15 penalties for 115 yards including four pre snap penalties on offense. Penalties weren’t the only area where the crowd had an impact on the game.
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“It was so loud on the last couple drives they couldn’t get their pass protection set,” Tennessee linebacker Arion Carter said postgame.
Over the last three seasons, Tennessee is 17-1 at Neyland Stadium with its lone loss coming against No. 1 Georgia last November. Included in those 17 wins are a pair of victories over both Florida and Alabama.
McCarron played quarterback at Alabama from 2019-2013 and was the starter from 2011-2013 where he helped lead the Crimson Tide to the 2011 and 2012 National Championships and finished second place in the 2013 Heisman Trophy ceremony. Alabama didn’t lose to Tennessee during McCarron’s college career as part of a 15-game winning streak in the series under Nick Saban.
The Mobile native went on to play 10 years in the NFL as a backup quarterback and is now dipping his toes into sports media including appearances on the McCready and Siskey Podcast.
9 Responses
That’s funny coming from a QB that cried like a baby. I wonder if Vanderbilt piped in noise as well ?
Been following SEC football for 60 + years and in that time the only Team in The SEC that makes laughable excuses for their loss is Alabama!!!
If it’s not crowd noise it’s the refs, Jalen Milroe played no better than a junior high player.
Give the teams you lose to the credit they deserve!!!!
Suck it up.
First of all McCarron is an idiot. If you walk from the field to the top of Neyland it gets quieter as you walk up. Btw… that’s toward the sound system. There is only crowd noise with a focus on the field. The loudest spot is at the QB. The quietest is upper deck… near the speakers… nothing coming out of those. Again, McCarron is an idiot
Total BS we just L🧡VE OUR VOLS. They like it loud and we get loud for them.
Regardless of whether they do or they dont, bama played terrible..and no, im not a vols fan…Roll Tide
Wow! This is a new low in excuses for why the VOLS beat Bama. Get over it.
Neyland stands go straight up. Noise stays in.
I’ve been a VFL for nearly 4 decades. The majority of that time we were absolutely dominated by the tide and it was just accepted that we were not on that level but aspired to get there. At no point during that long stretch when the Vols were barely ever even competitive did I fictionalize excuses. The team that has the best talent, game plan and performance scores more points. It’s not rocket science obviously or Bama would never have been successful. Suck it up, the empire has collapsed and the SEC is above average across the board. Did Vandy also trick the tide into losing ? Pathetic
It’s the cries of the dead they keep in the stadium!