The Tennessee Volunteers’ 24-17 win over Alabama on Saturday at Neyland Stadium was fueled by an electrifying home crowd, but some are questioning whether all that noise was entirely natural.
Alabama radio announcer Chris Stewart raised eyebrows during his broadcast by suggesting the crowd noise may have been artificially boosted.
After Alabama committed a false start in the first quarter, Stewart commented, “Second-and-16 is not what you’re looking for, especially with the noise level being what it is here … You’ve got 100,000-plus and they also pipe in crowd noise as well.”
The accusation quickly gained traction on social media, especially after former Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron backed up Stewart’s claim.
Responding to a post on X about the allegation, McCarron wrote, “100% they do,” signaling his belief that the Vols were using artificial noise to rattle the Crimson Tide.
Despite these claims, there has been no concrete proof to support the allegation that Tennessee violated NCAA rules by pumping in fake crowd noise.
Neyland Stadium was packed with a sellout crowd of 101,915 fans, who contributed to Alabama’s 15 penalties, including three false starts.
Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe acknowledged the role of Tennessee’s fans in the game’s outcome, praising them as “one of the greatest crowds in the country.”
Tennessee officials have strongly denied the accusations. A spokesperson for the university refuted the claims in a statement to the Knoxville News Sentinel.
Tennessee athletic director Danny White also took to social media, dismissing the allegation with a firm, “No, we don’t! Just 100K+ beautiful, booming, Big Orange voices!”
The notion that Tennessee might have artificially amplified its crowd noise has stirred controversy, but as of now, the claims appear unfounded.
Neyland Stadium has long been known as one of the loudest and most intimidating venues in all of college football. Saturday’s massive victory over Alabama further bolsters that reputation.
What are your thoughts on the allegations that Tennessee pumps in fake crowd noise?
Do you think they’re indeed cheating???
