No. 11 Tennessee heads to Columbia, S.C., on Saturday afternoon looking to carry the momentum from a statement win over Alabama into another SEC road test - and it won’t come against a South Carolina team that’s short on confidence after a bye week and a much-needed win of its own.
The Volunteers are 6-1 overall and 3-1 in the SEC after last Saturday’s 26-10 win over then-No. 6 Alabama, a result that gave Tennessee its first victory over an AP Top 25 team since beating No.
7 Alabama 24-17 two seasons ago. It also extended Tennessee’s run of success against the Crimson Tide to three straight home wins in the Third Saturday in October matchup.
That latest win was built at the line of scrimmage. Tennessee piled up 347 total yards while holding Alabama to 201, limited the Crimson Tide to 54 rushing yards on 26 carries and sacked Keelon Russell five times.
DeSean Bishop did the heavy lifting on the ground, finishing with 159 yards on 32 carries and both Tennessee touchdowns. Bishop is the nation’s only rusher with 800 yards and 10 touchdowns.
“Usually, your run game’s going to continue to grow and improve as the physicality goes through the course of the game,” Heupel said on Monday of the ground attack taking pressure off first-time starting quarterback George MacIntyre.
Now the challenge shifts away from Knoxville. Tennessee’s last trip to Columbia went badly in 2022, when South Carolina beat the then-No. 5 Volunteers 63-38 behind Spencer Rattler’s 438 passing yards and six touchdowns.
Heupel made it clear Monday that the Gamecocks are not to be taken lightly, especially after their 38-19 win at Florida two weeks ago and a bye week last Saturday.
“Obviously, going to South Carolina this week, (we’re) facing a football team that’s playing really well,” said Heupel. “You look at their ability to go on the road two weeks ago against Florida and come away with the (38-19) win. … You know, them having a bye week last week, an extra week on us, we got to make up that ground in our preparation and practice well.”
South Carolina enters at 3-3 overall and 1-3 in SEC play after opening conference action 0-3 and sitting last in the league. But Shane Beamer’s group got a boost from that road win in Gainesville, and the coach said Tuesday he expects Tennessee to bring a physical, run-first approach.
“Every year we’ve played them, it always starts with (our) ability to stop the run,” said Beamer. “They’ve always had really fast tempo, wide splits and throwing it all over the field.
This year it’s a little more 12 personnel with two tight ends. … They still utilize tempo.
They’re one of the faster teams in the country. Maybe (just) not as much.”
Beamer said the Gamecocks have to meet Tennessee’s style head-on.
“They’re a downhill run team,” Beamer added. “Watch their receivers in the run game: They are trying to kill people.
Not just get in there and block you, they are coming in there to try and kill you. And I say that in a respectful way.
“Maybe (they’re) winning a little bit differently this year and playing a little bit different style wise.”
In Other News...
Tennessee Just Lost Another Key Piece Up Front
Tennessees offensive line had been trending in the right direction before Donovan Haslam went down in the first half against South Carolina, giving the unit a little more stability after recent games with fewer sacks allowed. Haslam had settled in at right guard, and his presence helped the Volunteers keep building around an up-front group that had started to look more settled.
His upper-body injury forced another in-game shuffle, with Shamurad Umarov stepping in as Tennessee had to adjust on the fly. For a line that had finally found some traction, losing a key interior piece in the middle of a game is the kind of setback that can quickly change the feel of the entire offense. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Fans Will Not Like One Detail About This South Carolina Game
Tennessee heads into its trip to South Carolina with a little extra baggage from the recent history between these teams. The Volunteers have not forgotten the 2022 loss in Columbia, and the setup for this one already has a familiar edge to it, with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN and the matchup carrying more weight than a standard SEC date on the calendar.
The line has only added to the frustration for Tennessee fans, since South Carolina is favored by 2.5 points despite the Vols being ranked higher. There is also a layer of unease attached to the officiating after referee David Smith, a former Alabama quarterback, was on the crew for that 2022 game in Columbia, which makes this weekends meeting feel like more than just another road test. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Matthews Gave Tennessee The Jolt It Desperately Needed
A change of pace from the usual script gave Tennessee exactly the spark it needed in the first half against South Carolina. Mike Matthews, already an important part of the passing game as a junior wide receiver, took a Wildcat snap and turned it into a rushing touchdown, helping the Volunteers grab their first lead of the afternoon by halftime.
Matthews had already shown this season that he can finish drives as a receiver, with three touchdown catches to his name, but this one added a different layer to his value. For a Tennessee offense that needed a jolt, the play was a reminder that Matthews can impact the game in more than one way, and that kind of versatility can matter as the Vols try to steady themselves in a tight spot. [Read more 🡒]