After 15 years of misery against rival Alabama, Tennessee football proved this year's team is different. In front of a raucous crowd at Neyland Stadium, the Volunteers defeated the Crimson Tide 52-49, with a last-second field goal capping off an instant classic. The Volunteers' stunning win came as the biggest surprise from a Saturday full of chaos.

Following the big win, Tennessee finds itself in a spot where it hasn't been in a long time, on top. The Vols, already ranked sixth in the AP Top 25 Poll, will likely jump up to the top three when the new rankings come out on Sunday. They have also become an even more popular College Football Playoff pick, with all 13 of ESPN's voters projecting them to make it.

The Vols may be the biggest breakout team of the year, but they have all the makings of a legitimate CFP contender. Let's go over a few of the reasons why Tennessee is a huge player in the College Football Playoff race.

3. Big wins for Tennessee football

Any CFP contender needs some big wins to prove its legitimacy, and Tennessee has them in spades. The Vols have four wins over ranked teams this season: Pittsburgh, Florida, LSU and, of course, Alabama. The first three wins have lost a bit of luster due to those teams losing other games since, but that Alabama win is as premium as they come.

The resumes of other top teams pale in comparison to that of Tennessee's. Ohio State and Georgia, the two title favorites right now, have only one ranked win each, beating Notre Dame and Oregon, respectively. Michigan and Ole Miss also have only one ranked win, while Clemson and UCLA have two.

The only undefeated team that even comes close is TCU, which has three ranked wins. Much like the Vols, the Horned Frogs have had a couple of their big wins lose a bit of prestige, namely Oklahoma and Kansas. That leaves Oklahoma State as TCU's best win, which is nowhere near as impressive as Tennessee's win over Alabama.

Looking ahead, the Vols have even more chances to boost their resume coming up. A home matchup with No. 22 Kentucky on Oct. 29 will be a good opportunity, but the real prize is a week later. On Nov. 5, Tennessee travels to Athens to face No. 1 Georgia in a game that will likely decide the SEC East.

The Vols already have the best set of wins of any College Football Playoff contender this season. If they can add a win over the defending champs on top of that, there's no denying that they belong in the dance.

2. Josh Heupel

Following a disastrous 2020 season and off-field controversies, Tennessee fired head coach Jeremy Pruitt, and athletic director Phillip Fulmer retired soon after. The Vols hired UCF's Danny White as their new athletic director, who decided to bring Heupel along with him. Some fans were skeptical of the hiring at first, but he has proven all the doubters wrong so far.

To look at the impact Heupel has had, look no further than Saturday's game. Alabama erased an early 18-point deficit and took the lead with less than eight minutes to go. Rather than buckle, the Vols just went out there and responded to the adversity, and that doesn't happen without good coaching.

Another way to look at Heupel's impact is in who Tennessee has beaten. In the last three weeks, the Vols have beaten Florida, LSU and Alabama, three of their biggest rivals. Between 2007 and 2021, they were a combined 1-33 against those teams, and Heupel beat all three of them consecutively.

This Tennessee football team is very different from those in the past, and Heupel is a huge reason why. He is an easy favorite for Coach of the Year, and the sky is the limit with him at the helm.

1.  Hendon Hooker and the offense

As another point to Heupel's credit, Tennessee's offense has been debatably the best in the nation this season. The Vols sit near the top of the FBS in many offensive stats, including first in total yards, second in scoring, and fifth in passing yards. Those stats are all the more impressive considering who Tennessee has played this season.

Undoubtedly, quarterback Hendon Hooker has been the biggest star of the offense this season. With a 70% completion percentage, 15 touchdowns and only one pick, Hooker is easily one of the leading Heisman contenders this season. He even had a true Heisman moment on Saturday, doing his best Patrick Mahomes impression by leading the Vols down the field for the game-winning field goal.

As good as Hooker is, the talent around him has also been spectacular. Wide receiver Jalin Hyatt had a historic day on Saturday with six catches for 207 yards and five touchdowns. Jaylen Wright and Jabari Small have been a great duo at running back, combining for 750 yards and 11 touchdowns this season.

No one has found a way to slow down the Vols this season, not even Nick Saban. Until someone does find that way, Tennessee isn't losing.