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No. 11 Tennessee loses at South Carolina: Immediate Takeaways

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No. 11 Tennessee went into Columbia, S.C., and left with a 27-24 loss. The Vols nearly overcame a big first quarter deficit for good, but too many mistakes allowed South Carolina to stay in the game and capitalize. Below are my immediate good and bad takeaways of the game.

Tennessee showed it can take a punch

Down 14-0 on the road in a hostile environment, the Vols adjusted. LaNorris Sellers and the Gamecocks beat Tennessee’s aggressive defense with quick throws early, scoring on their first two possessions.

But Tennessee settled in behind its run game and defense, answering with an 18-play, 75-yard touchdown drive before Xavier Gilliam’s pressure forced a TJ Metcalf interception that set up the tying score. After South Carolina went back ahead 17-14, a targeting call on Vicari Swaim fueled Tennessee’s go-ahead drive. The Vols closed the half on a 21-3 run.

The Vols’ run game saw different contributors

DeSean Bishop sparked the turnaround. With Tennessee down 14-0, the Vols leaned heavily on him, and everything opened up from there. Even when a penalty wiped out a 35-yard touchdown pass to DaSaahn Brame, Bishop kept the drive alive and finished it with a 1-yard touchdown run.

He wasn’t the only one moving the ball, though. Javin Gordon made the most of his carries, giving Tennessee a second option that kept South Carolina’s defense from keying on Bishop. The Vols also spread the scoring around, with Bishop, Brame and Mike Matthews each running for a touchdown in the first half. Matthews’ wildcat score put the Vols ahead before the break. Bishop finished with 120 yards and a touchdown on 32 carries.

Defensive adjustments were effective until...

Tennessee finally broke through for a sack on Sellers, as Mariyon Dye shut down South Carolina’s first drive of the second half. The Vols began to penetrate and dial up pressure on Sellers, and went on to sack Sellers a total of five times. However, South Carolina took advantage of Tennessee mistakes and gave a push late in the fourth quarter, where contain was lost and Sellers led the drive to tie it with his legs. Sellers went on to finish with 96 yards and two touchdowns on the ground on 18 carries.

Tennessee had too many penalties

Tennessee’s flags came too often and at the worst possible times. Multiple touchdowns came off the board, and pre-snap penalties on both sides of the ball kept handing South Carolina free yards and second chances. The Vols finished with 12 penalties for 90 yards. That isn’t winning football, and it was the biggest reason Tennessee left Columbia with a loss.

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