Kalen DeBoer looked rattled as Alabama took a delay of game on third-and-11, and Tennessee says its crowd set a college football record on that play

Tennessee fans at Neyland Stadium hit a verified 130.3 decibels during the rivalry game against Alabama on October 17, setting a new record for college football. The mark surpassed the previous high set at Beaver Stadium in 2007 during a matchup between Penn State and Ohio State.

As reported by BroBible, the noise peaked in the third quarter as the visiting Crimson Tide needed to execute on offense. Alabama faced a third-and-11 with less than five minutes left in the quarter. Broadcaster Sean McDonough noted the crowd was “louder than it’s been all day” as the stadium erupted.

Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer appeared stressed on the sideline as the situation unfolded. The team was hit with a delay-of-game penalty as the stadium anthem “Rocky Top” played.

Tennessee pulled away from Alabama after halftime

Neyland Stadium already had a reputation as one of the most imposing places to play in college football, and the verified record adds to that status. The pressure of a hostile environment can push visiting teams into unforced errors, especially with over 100,000 fans in the stands. Tension between fans and visiting players can also go beyond noise, as one Alabama fan shoved a Georgia linebacker after a game in Tuscaloosa.

The Volunteers won the game 26-10 in front of a capacity crowd of 101,915. They carried a 12-10 lead into the second half and put the game away with two unanswered touchdowns.

The matchup, known as the Third Saturday in October, pitted the No. 14 Volunteers against the No. 6 Crimson Tide, with Alabama holding a 60-40-7 lead in the all-time series heading in. The win gave Tennessee its third straight home victory over Alabama in the rivalry. According to the school, the record reading came right after defensive lineman Tyree Weathersby sacked Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell, and the crowd topped 120 decibels on 105 separate occasions during the game. Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel praised the home crowd afterward, calling it the best fan base in America.

The previous unofficial record at Neyland Stadium was 137 decibels, recorded during a game against Georgia in 2023. That number was never officially verified, leaving the 130.3 decibels reached against Alabama as the highest verified crowd noise reading in the sport.