When the college football schedule came out this fall and we all saw that Lane Kiffin would be returning to Tennessee as Ole Miss head coach, you knew that Neyland Stadium would be crazy. Kiffin of course spent one season in Knoxville, a season that essentially ended in a riot, when he elected to leave UT to take the USC job.
So yeah, we knew tensions would be high. What we didn't know was that another damn near riot would break out at Neyland Stadium on Saturday night.
Only that's exactly what happened.
For those who missed it - and how could you - tensions were already high in the stadium, when, late in the game, Tennessee was driving down 31-26, with the chance to score and take the lead. However, they got stuck in a 4th and 24.
Then, when all hope was lost, quarterback Hendon Hooker hit a deep pass, and appeared to convert it.
However, the refs ruled the receiver short and it ended the drive with a turnover on downs.
It was the final straw for UT fans who were frustrated all night with Kiffin - from calling three timeouts before the end of the first half, players falling down with injuries and questionable refereeing all night.
And it resulted in a damn near riot breaking out at Neyland Stadium.
So what was that, that nearly hit Lane Kiffin? A golf ball.
Yes, a fan brought a golf ball into the stadium, and threw it at Lane Kiffin.
Things eventually got so crazy, that the Tennessee band and cheerleaders actually had to be evacuated - from their own stadium.
After all the mayhem it took damn near a half hour to calm fans down and clear the field, only for the game to end in the most ridiculous play possible: With all three of its timeouts, Tennessee actually was able to get the ball back and drove into Ole Miss territory with a chance to win the game.
Instead, for some strange reason, Joe Milton tried to run the ball on the final play, ending the game.
Oh, and if you think things calmed down at that point, think again - as Kiffin nearly got pelted with what appeared to be a full water bottle on the way out.
There's an old saying that "it just means more in the SEC."
And it was never truer than on Saturday night.
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