South Carolina comes out of its bye week with no shortage of reasons to wish it had played last Saturday instead.
The Gamecocks were off while chaos rippled through the sport, and given how often they’ve been cast as the underdog, that kind of weekend might have suited them. There’s also the simple fact that they had just turned in such a strong performance at Florida that the break arrives at an awkward time.
Still, the schedule is what it is, and now No. 11 Tennessee comes to Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday for South Carolina’s eighth game in eight weeks.
The challenge starts on the ground for USC. Tomiwa Durojaiye and Kelby Collins - or Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy, who is healthy but whose workload is anyone’s guess - are the first line of defense against Tennessee’s DeSean Bishop, the engine of the Volunteers’ offense. If Bishop gets loose, the day can get long in a hurry.
The other side of that trench battle is just as important. Tennessee’s Tyree Weathersby and Xavier Gilliam have combined for 11½ sacks, part of a defensive front that leads the country in sacks and just smothered Alabama last week. South Carolina’s offensive line has given LaNorris Sellers plenty of clean pockets this season, and that needs to hold up again if the Gamecocks want their offense to stay on track.
One of the more intriguing chess matches will be Kendal Briles against Jim Knowles. Knowles is the talk of Knoxville after Tennessee’s win over Alabama, and he’s got his sights set on much more than that.
Briles, meanwhile, has done a strong job this year even when South Carolina’s passing game hasn’t always helped him out. He can only scheme so much when the quarterback misses throws or receivers let passes slip through their hands.
But if the offense executes, it’s Briles’ design that has to put everyone in the right spots.
That makes this game feel like a referendum on what happened in Gainesville. Was that Florida victory the spark that can rescue the season?
If South Carolina keeps stacking wins, then yes. The back half of the schedule, which looked brutal before the year, now feels much more manageable.
Beat Tennessee, and the Gamecocks would move into a stretch of three games in which they’d be favored each time, with memories of last season’s surge starting to creep in. In 2024, a 3-3 record at the midpoint gave way to six straight wins.
But if the Gamecocks fall flat, especially on offense, the mood changes fast. Not just because Tennessee’s defense is tough, but because a lifeless outing would drag USC right back into the same frustrating stretch that preceded the Florida game.
Final prediction: Tennessee 24, South Carolina 16
The number has already shifted, moving from Tennessee by 3 to South Carolina by 2½. That doesn’t mean much on its own - Florida should be enough proof of that.
The feeling here is that this is the type of game South Carolina can absolutely talk itself into winning, especially at home with momentum in hand. But the Gamecocks also tend to let these moments slip away, particularly when they’re coming off a lift and the stakes feel manageable.
So the ingredients are there. The prediction just isn’t.
In Other News...
Shane Beamer Finally Honored A Gamecocks Tradition Fans Love
For nearly five decades, Edna Ratcliff has been part of the routine around South Carolina football, standing outside her home and waving a Gamecock flag before every home game. The 85-year-old superfan has become one of those familiar figures fans around the program know well, a steady presence through all kinds of seasons and weather.
In 2024, Shane Beamer made sure the team noticed her in a different way. He stopped the Gamecocks buses to thank Ratcliff and her family personally, then invited them aboard to greet the players. Beamer also used the moment to remind his team to appreciate the kind of support that shows up year after year, and it was a fitting nod to a tradition that has long meant a lot to South Carolina fans. [Read more 🡒]
Shane Beamer Faces A Defining SEC Test At Tennessee
South Carolina finally snapped its eight-game SEC losing streak with a win over Florida, but there is no time to settle in. The Gamecocks head to No. 11 Tennessee for a matchup that feels like a real measuring stick for where Shane Beamers team stands in the league, especially with both programs bringing strong rushing attacks and a few lingering questions on both sides of the ball.
Tennessee has not officially announced its starting quarterback yet, though sophomore George MacIntyre is expected to get the nod, which only adds another layer to a game already shaped by matchups up front. For South Carolina, the challenge is clear: carry the confidence from the Florida win into a tougher road test and see whether the breakthrough was a one-off or the start of something more stable in SEC play. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolinas Biggest Tennessee Question Starts With LaNorris Sellers
South Carolina comes out of its bye week with a familiar kind of SEC measuring stick waiting at home, and a big part of the conversation starts with LaNorris Sellers. Offensive coordinator Kendal Briles said the quarterback appears to have regained confidence, which is exactly the sort of development the Gamecocks need if they want to make the Tennessee matchup more than just another tough Saturday on the schedule.
Tennessee arrives with momentum after a strong win over Alabama, but the Volunteers have also shown some inconsistency in earlier games, which is why this one feels wide open enough to matter. For South Carolina, the question is whether Sellers can carry that renewed confidence into a game that will ask plenty of him, because how he handles the moment could go a long way toward shaping the night. [Read more 🡒]