Tennessee heads to Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff against South Carolina, with the game set for ESPN. The No. 11 Volunteers enter at 6-1 after last weekend’s 26-10 win over Alabama, and they’ve already handled two road trips this season, beating Georgia Tech 45-24 and Arkansas 24-17.
Josh Heupel met with reporters Monday and made it clear Tennessee isn’t treating this like just another SEC Saturday. South Carolina, he said, is a team that has been playing at a high level, and the challenge only grows with the Gamecocks coming off a bye week.
"Obviously, going to South Carolina this week. Facing a football team that's playing really well," Heupel said.
"You look at their ability to go on the road two weeks ago against Florida and come away with the win. Played extremely well all three phases of the football game.
Understand the environment, what we're getting into. We need to prepare, be elite in our preparation.
"Them having a bye week last week, an extra week on us. We've got to make up that ground in our preparation and practice well to get ready and go play smart football on the road here to get a win."
Heupel also used his weekly press conference to remind his team that last week’s result won’t carry them into this one automatically. In his view, the league doesn’t give anyone much room to breathe, especially when the margins are so thin.
"I've said it to our football team. I think I've said it in here a couple times.
Every week is a new season inside of this league. That's whether you're playing at home or on the road.
The margins are just, they're small, they're tight. A play here, a call there make a huge difference.
So, you've got to be on the right side of it in your preparation.
"Certainly, understanding what you're getting into. The fact that they've got an extra week with the bye last week.
Physically, they'll be as fresh as you can be at this point in the season, extra week of preparation, road environment. We've pointed to all those things with our team this morning."
South Carolina’s defense got its own spotlight, too, with Heupel pointing directly to Dylan Stewart and the Gamecocks’ edge players. Tennessee, he said, will have to be sharp up front because of how disruptive that group can be in both phases.
"Extremely athletic on the edges. Not just Dylan, but their edges have the ability to make a dramatic impact on the football game.
That's in the run game, it's in the pass game, obviously, with the ability to apply pressure to the quarterback. They've been really good against the run, not giving up many yards, not giving up many yards per carry.
It'll be another big test for us up front."
Heupel also said he spoke with his team Monday about the kind of atmosphere they’re walking into and the mindset required to handle it. The message was simple: know the opponent, understand the setting, and be ready in every way.
"I did this morning.
What was the conversation like with the team, what were the things you were emphasizing?
"Understand the type of environment you're getting into. Understand the approach of your opponent, and you're stepping into a ring. You better understand your opponent and be prepared to be your physical, mental and emotional, at your peak."
In Other News...
South Carolina Has A Real Chance To Shake Up Tennessee
A new wrinkle is building around South Carolinas Week 8 matchup with Tennessee, and it starts with an unexpected boost from the outside. David Pollack, the former Georgia linebacker turned college football analyst, sees the Gamecocks as a live upset threat when the Volunteers come to Williams-Brice Stadium, pointing to South Carolinas running game and defense as the kind of combination that can tilt a big SEC night in Columbia.
The setting only adds to the intrigue, with ESPN set to televise a game that already has the feel of a measuring-stick moment for South Carolina. Tennessee will bring the name brand and the expectations, but Pollacks read suggests the Gamecocks have the pieces to make this a far tougher road environment than many would expect, especially if their physical style travels the way he thinks it can. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolina May Have Found A Freshman Anchor Up Front
Freshman offensive lineman Darius Gray has already become one of the more interesting early developments for South Carolina this season. Named to On3s Midseason True Freshman All-America team, Gray has started all six games while bouncing between both tackle spots, a notable workload for a first-year player on an offensive line asked to keep the Gamecocks moving in the SEC.
Grays value has shown up in more than just durability. He has helped anchor a rushing attack that has been among the leagues best, and Pro Football Focus has him graded as one of the top pass protectors among true freshman offensive tackles this season. For a South Carolina front still taking shape, that kind of early reliability is exactly the sort of foundation coaches hope to find, even if the long-term ceiling remains only partly in view. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolina Defense Faces Its Real Test After Florida Turnaround
South Carolinas defense finally looked like itself again against Florida, and the improvement showed up in the kind of plays that change games. The Gamecocks got to the quarterback for three sacks, forced a fumble, picked off multiple passes and held the Gators to 19 points, a sharp step forward after a shaky stretch that had put the unit under the microscope.
Now comes the tougher part. Tennessee brings a strong running offense into the matchup, which means South Carolina has to prove the Florida turnaround was more than a one-game reset. The players and coaches have pointed to cleaner execution and better accountability as the reasons for the bounce back, and the real question is whether that same standard holds up when the Vols start leaning on the ground game. [Read more 🡒]