Two weeks ago I had the pleasure of shooting the Battle at Bristol, #9 Tennessee vs. Virginia Tech for Nigel Kinrade Photography. I haven’t been that excited for a shoot in a long time- it was the largest American football game in history, and perhaps the most unique. It was more than just the attendance, 156,990, that inspired awe; it was also the incredible feat that was required to turn a half-mile racetrack into a football field. In 19 short days, 102,000 square feet of artificial turf and 180,000 pounds of silica and rubber were used to create the field. 450 truckloads of rock and sand were hauled in to raise and level the infield. Oddly enough, it was not the first time the Last Great Colosseum hosted a football game. In 1961, The Washington Redskins played an exhibition game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Virginia Tech seemingly dominated in most major stats, however they lost the turnover battle- coughing up the ball five times, which was their undoing. After starting off the game in a 0-14 hole, Tennessee finished the game by scoring 31 unanswered points and went on to win 45-24.