In the third quarter of the University of Tennessee’s football game against the University of Alabama, fans in Neyland Stadium broke college football’s sound record as noise levels reached 130.3 dB for a total of seven seconds.
According to WKRN, there have been more than 100 “unique sound events reaching over 120 dB” at Neyland Stadium. The record was scientifically verified by UT Health Sciences Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology, and it was reported that 130 decibels is just five decibels above where pain begins and 10 decibels under the sound of a jet engine.
The moment when the sound record was made came with four minutes remaining in the quarter when a Tennessee player sacked the Alabama quarterback. The Vols went on to win the game 26-10.
"Louder than it's been all day," ESPN play-by-play announcer Sean McDonough said on the broadcast. "And that's saying something."
The new record surpasses college football’s previous scientifically verified decibel event set in 2007 at a game between Penn State and Ohio State. At that time, fans reached 127dB for two seconds.
A non-scientifically verified decibel measurement from 2023 claims that Neyland Stadium has previously reached 137 dB when Tennessee played Georgia. And in 2022, fans reached 125 dB in another game against Alabama.
According to Knox News, Neyland’s noise levels reached over 120 decibels on 105 separate occasions throughout Saturday’s game.
“Just want to start by saying thanks to our fans,” UT coach Josh Heupel said postgame. “I knew it would be, but elite atmosphere. Part of the game for four quarters. Phenomenal atmosphere. Great win."
