South Carolina has a chance to do something it hasn’t done in a while when Tennessee comes to Williams-Brice Stadium on Oct. 24: win a second straight SEC game.
That alone gives this one some juice. Shane Beamer’s Gamecocks are coming off a 38-19 win over then No.
15 Florida, a result that snapped an eight-game conference losing streak and sent South Carolina into its open week with some momentum. Now the test gets much bigger.
No. 11 Tennessee rolls in at 6-1, 3-1 SEC, coming off a 26-10 win over No.
13 Alabama.
The kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, and the matchup has a clear hook: the SEC’s two best rushing teams going head-to-head. South Carolina is averaging 232.3 rushing yards per game, while Tennessee is right behind at 217.1.
There’s also a quarterback wrinkle Tennessee still hasn’t fully answered. Josh Heupel has not announced a starter for the South Carolina game, though sophomore George MacIntyre is expected to play.
MacIntyre started against Alabama and helped lead the Vols to the win, but he wasn’t the original guy. Freshman Faizon Brandon won the job out of camp and started five games before hurting his shoulder.
Brandon was available against Alabama but did not play.
The Gamecocks have reasons to feel better about themselves than they did a few weeks ago. Their defense showed up against Florida, and edge rusher Dylan Stewart delivered a career day after serving a one-game suspension. He returns to a South Carolina front that already looked solid and now has a chance to be even more disruptive.
That matters because Tennessee’s offensive line can be vulnerable. Texas offered a blueprint with 10 sacks in its win over the Vols.
South Carolina also gets a favorable comparison in the ground game. The Gamecocks have been stronger statistically against the run, while Tennessee holds the edge in pass defense. But the Vols have the SEC’s worst passing offense, which makes that side of the equation less intimidating than it might sound.
On the other side, Tennessee’s defense remains the part of the team that travels. The Vols are allowing 280.4 yards per game, fifth fewest in the SEC, and their pass rush is loaded.
Tyree Weathersby has 6.5 sacks, which ranks fourth in the country. Xavier Gilliam is right behind him with five, and Mariyon Dye has four.
The biggest individual challenge for South Carolina may be Tennessee running back DeSean Bishop. He’s No. 3 nationally with 837 rushing yards and has 10 touchdowns, tied for fifth among running backs. If the Gamecocks are going to control this game, they’ll have to slow him down.
There is a path here for South Carolina, though. Tennessee just delivered a huge win over Alabama, and road games after emotional highs don’t always go smoothly. South Carolina is also coming in off a statement win and an open week, with Beamer’s team getting extra time to reset.
This one figures to stay tight for a while. The prediction here is that the teams trade scores in the first half before South Carolina takes over late in the fourth quarter.
South Carolina 24, Tennessee 17.
In Other News...
South Carolina Has A Real Chance To Shake Up Tennessee
A little more than halfway through the season, South Carolina is getting a real spotlight game at Williams-Brice Stadium, and the matchup has started to draw attention beyond Columbia. With the game set for an ESPN broadcast in Week 8, the Gamecocks are about to get a chance to show whether their recent work on the ground and on defense can travel into one of the biggest stages on the schedule.
David Pollack, the former Georgia linebacker turned college football analyst, thinks this is the kind of spot where South Carolina can shake things up against Tennessee. His read is rooted in the same formula that has given the Gamecocks a path in close games: a strong running attack and a defense capable of making life difficult. Whether that adds up to an upset is still the question, but it is enough to make this one worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolina Defense Faces Its Real Test After Florida Turnaround
South Carolinas defense finally looked like itself again against Florida, and the numbers backed up the eye test. The Gamecocks got three sacks, forced a fumble and came away with multiple interceptions while holding the Gators to 19 points, a noticeable step forward after a stretch in which the unit had been searching for answers. Players and coaches pointed less to any schematic overhaul than to cleaner execution and a better sense of accountability.
Now comes the real measure of whether that turnaround can stick. Tennessee brings a strong running offense into the matchup, which means South Carolinas front and tackling discipline will be stressed in a different way than they were against Florida. If the Gamecocks can carry over the same effort and consistency, they may have something more lasting than a one-game fix. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolina May Have Found A Freshman Anchor Up Front
South Carolinas offensive line has found an early stabilizer in Darius Gray, a freshman who has already become hard to keep off the field. He has started all six games this season, showing the kind of versatility coaches covet by handling both tackle spots while helping anchor a rushing attack that has been among the SECs best.
Grays steady play has now earned him a spot on On3s Midseason True Freshman All-America team, and the numbers back up the eye test. Pro Football Focus has him graded among the top pass protectors at his position among true freshman offensive tackles, a promising sign for a unit that still has room to grow as the season moves along. [Read more 🡒]