Tennessee Vols football is a road trip away from the bye week, but it's a tricky game at South Carolina on Oct. 24 at Williams-Brice Stadium.
Tennessee (6-1, 3-1 SEC) pummeled Alabama 26-10 last week at Neyland, with the Vols defense dominating in the second half.
South Carolina (3-3, 1-3) was off last week after an upset win at Florida on Oct. 10.
The Vols are one of four teams with one SEC loss, with Georgia, Kentucky and Ole Miss the others.
Here are Knox News' staff predictions for Tennessee-South Carolina:
Tennessee-South Carolina expert predictions
Adam Sparks, UT beat reporter: Tennessee 24, South Carolina 20
Don’t be surprised if South Carolina jumps out to an early lead amid a loud home crowd. But Tennessee shouldn’t panic. The Gamecocks blew big leads in losses to Mississippi State and Kentucky. The Vols will follow their winning formula of recent weeks by playing lockdown defense and running the ball well in the second half. George MacIntyre must limit turnovers. If he can’t do that, UT loses. If he can, UT pulls out a close road win.
Emmett Siegel, UT beat reporter: Tennessee 24, South Carolina 21
This is a major trap game for Tennessee on the road after an emotional win, but its defense should travel just fine. The matchup may be decided by who's better between Vols running back DeSean Bishop and the Gamecocks' run defense that ranks third in the SEC.
Cora Hall, UT beat reporter: Tennessee 27, South Carolina 13
The Gamecocks' defense hasn't exactly been much to write home about in SEC play, and they're unlucky enough to face Tennessee right as its offense is starting to come together. The Vols' defense will anchor them, and DeSean Bishop will fuel the offense to a big road win.
Stephen Thompson, UT beat reporter: Tennessee 35, South Carolina 14
George MacIntyre, more comfortable in his third start, should be able to throw the ball easily against a Gamecock defense that’s allowed a 72.5% completion rate, 290.5 passing yards and 3.3 passing touchdowns per game vs. SEC opponents. This will be the Vols’ best offensive performance since the Sept. 19 vs. Kennesaw State.
John Adams, columnist: Tennessee 26, South Carolina 16
In an unpredictable SEC season, team performances have varied drastically from one Saturday to the next. Based on that trend, Tennessee could be next in line to take a tumble after a big win. But amid all the SEC’s inconsistency, UT’s defense has remained steadfast.
Something else to consider: Tennessee has been coming on strong in the second half; in South Carolina's last five SEC games dating back to last season, it has lost leads of 27, 16 and 17 points.
Gentry Estes, Tennessean columnist: South Carolina 27, Tennessee 17
I’m sorry, UT fans, but the timing and setup of this game just feel awful to me for Tennessee. The Vols are coming down from a huge win, while the Gamecocks are coming off a bye week and playing at home, where UT … well … you saw what happened in 2022.
Wynton Jackson, sports reporter: Tennessee 28, South Carolina 18
How can Tennessee avoid becoming the next Ole Miss, Florida or Oklahoma - teams who fell flat immediately after a big upset win? A consistent running game, and a top-flight defense. The Vols displayed both in their rout over Alabama, and they'll rely on it again entering another week with a question at quarterback.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee football vs South Carolina picks: Should Gamecocks be favored over Vols?
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