No. 11 Tennessee takes its momentum from an upset of Alabama into Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday for a 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff against South Carolina, an SEC matchup carried by ESPN and Disney+. The Volunteers enter at 6-1 off a 26-10 win over then-No. 13 Alabama, while the Gamecocks sit at 3-3 after a 38-19 road win over then-No. 15 Florida on Oct. 10.
Tennessee’s win over the Crimson Tide came with a cost beyond the scoreboard. The SEC fined the school $500,000 after fans stormed the field following the victory, according to Sporting News. The Vols forced two turnovers in the first quarter against Alabama and got 147 passing yards from quarterback Keelon Russell despite an offense that managed just 93 yards in the first half, per that report. More on the fine and its fallout is available in Tennessee’s $500,000 field-storming penalty.
Tennessee Vs South Carolina Preview: Game Information
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 24
- Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
- Venue: Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia, South Carolina
- TV/Streaming: ESPN, Disney+
- Matchup: No. 11 Tennessee Volunteers (6-1) at South Carolina Gamecocks (3-3)
By The Numbers
- Points per game: South Carolina 37.7, Tennessee 33.4
- Total offense per game: South Carolina 474.7 yards, Tennessee 405.1 yards
- Rushing yards per game: South Carolina 232.3, Tennessee 217.1
- Passing yards per game: South Carolina 242.3, Tennessee 188.0
- Third-down conversion rate: South Carolina 47.67%, Tennessee 36.17%
- Turnover differential: Tennessee plus-3, South Carolina minus-3
- Total takeaways: Tennessee 13, South Carolina 5
- Total giveaways: South Carolina 8, Tennessee 10
- Sacks recorded: Tennessee 30, South Carolina 16
South Carolina Outlook
South Carolina’s offense puts up 37.7 points per game, fifth-best in the SEC, built around a rushing attack that leads the conference at 232.3 yards per game. Quarterback LaNorris Sellers has thrown for 1,338 yards with a dual-threat profile that combines arm strength with the ability to escape pressure, according to Sports Illustrated.
The Gamecocks defense allows 25.5 points per contest, a number that will be tested against a Tennessee offense that has scored at least 24 points in four straight games. South Carolina’s turnover margin sits at minus-3 on the season, with eight giveaways against just five takeaways, a split that has shown up in losses to Mississippi State, Alabama and Kentucky.
Edge rusher Dylan Stewart, back from a suspension, delivered five tackles, four of them solo, along with a sack and two forced fumbles in the win over Florida, per Sports Illustrated. His pass rush is expected to be a factor against a Tennessee offensive line that has allowed 18 sacks this season.
Tennessee Outlook
Tennessee’s defense has been the engine behind its 6-1 start, piling up 30 sacks and forcing 13 takeaways through seven games, both figures well ahead of South Carolina’s totals. That unit held Alabama to 10 points last week and will now face a South Carolina offense averaging nearly 475 yards per game.
The Volunteers lean on the ground game, averaging 217.1 rushing yards per game, with a passing attack producing 188.0 yards per game on 63.6% completion accuracy. Tennessee’s offense has totaled 29 touchdowns this season and a plus-3 turnover margin, a stat line that has carried the team through a difficult SEC stretch. Breakdowns of how the Vols’ defense has performed under coordinator Jim Knowles this season are detailed in Tennessee’s defensive surge, and the program’s path through recent SEC tests is covered in the Auburn vs.
Tennessee preview and Tennessee vs. Arkansas preview.
Key Matchup
Tennessee’s defensive front, which has generated 30 sacks this season, faces an offensive line tasked with protecting Sellers, who has already absorbed 10 sacks for South Carolina. How well the Gamecocks protect their quarterback will determine whether Sellers can operate his dual-threat game against a defense that forced two first-quarter turnovers in its win over Alabama.
On the other side, South Carolina’s run defense must slow a Tennessee ground attack averaging 217.1 yards per game while also accounting for receiver Nyck Harbor, a 6-foot-5, 239-pound target who leads the Gamecocks with 278 receiving yards and is considered a threat on deep passes and in the red zone, per Sports Illustrated.
Players To Watch
LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina
Sellers has thrown for 1,338 yards and 12 touchdowns against four interceptions. His dual-threat skill set, combining arm strength with mobility, gives South Carolina a chance to move the ball against a Tennessee defense that ranks among the SEC’s most disruptive.
Dylan Stewart, EDGE, South Carolina
Stewart’s return from suspension coincided with a five-tackle, one-sack, two-forced-fumble performance against Florida. His pass-rush production will be a factor against a Tennessee line that has surrendered 18 sacks this season.
Nyck Harbor, WR, South Carolina
Harbor’s size at 6-foot-5 and 239 pounds, paired with a track background, makes him South Carolina’s top deep-ball and red-zone target with a team-leading 278 receiving yards.
What To Watch
Tennessee looks to build on its upset of then-No. 13 Alabama and push its record to 7-1 in SEC play, while South Carolina aims to string together consecutive wins after its road victory over then-No. 15 Florida. The Vols’ takeaway-heavy defense against a Gamecocks offense built on red-zone scoring and explosive rushing will shape how the game is decided. Tennessee’s next scheduled matchup follows this road trip to Columbia.
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