George MacIntyre’s second career start turned into a memorable night for Tennessee, and the freshman quarterback made sure he knew exactly what it meant.
Tennessee knocked off Alabama inside Neyland Stadium again, with MacIntyre steering the Vols’ offense in a 21-of-31, 197-yard outing that included no touchdowns and one interception. Afterward, he talked about the moment, the response after the mistake and the way Tennessee finished the game.
MacIntyre called the win “a dream come true, for sure,” and said he felt the weight of growing up watching this rivalry unfold. He described waking up early to watch GameDay all day before settling in for Tennessee-Alabama, and said he was grateful the Vols could deliver a win “for our fans and our state.”
He also said Tennessee handled the game plan the right way, noting Alabama stayed “really soft on the outside” and deep to prevent shots over the top. In his view, the Tide wanted the Vols to keep snapping the ball and string together long drives. Tennessee eventually did exactly that, especially after halftime, when MacIntyre said the offense cleaned up penalties and the little execution issues that had been costing them.
The interception didn’t derail him. MacIntyre said his background dealing with adversity helped him reset, and he pointed to the broader toughness of the team as well.
He mentioned DaSaahn (Brame) as an example, saying Brame dropped a touchdown early but still finished as one of Tennessee’s leading receivers and made plenty of plays. MacIntyre said the offense believes it always has “one more punch,” and after that pick on the first play of the drive, his mindset was simple: “the only way is through.”
He also broke down how Tennessee’s quick passing game helped wear Alabama down. MacIntyre said getting the ball out fast can tire out a defense, especially with the Bama D-line banged up.
He felt the Vols caught them on tempo even when they weren’t fully in tempo, and credited Tennessee’s offensive line for grinding through the year while playing heavy snaps and dealing with injuries. He said the run game has become central to the team’s identity, especially in the closing sequences when Tennessee leaned on DeSean (Bishop) to chew clock and finish with the ball.
MacIntyre made a point to single out freshman receiver TK Keys, saying he “Couldn’t be more proud of TK.” He said Keys had worked through injuries early in his time at Tennessee, earned his way into those moments, and showed his composure late. MacIntyre highlighted two fourth-quarter plays, including a third-down catch and a contested slant against tight coverage, and said Keys came through with “ice in his veins.”
When asked about the weight of the rivalry growing up, MacIntyre said the biggest thing was gratitude - gratitude to be in the spot to play in front of Tennessee’s home crowd and home state. He also referenced the cigars tied to the rivalry, saying he remembered people saying they had cigars sitting in a box for a long time waiting to be smoked, and was glad the last three times Alabama has come to Neyland, fans have been able to buy new cigars and light them.
As he left the field, MacIntyre said the emotion was simple: “Just happy.” He added that his grandmother, who passed away last September, was the biggest Tennessee fan he knew, and said he wished she could have been there to see it. He finished by saying he knows she’s looking down smiling.
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