Tennessee comes into South Carolina having weathered a treacherous four game stretch, going 2-2 against Florida, Georgia, Texas A&M and Alabama. On paper the Gamecocks may present somewhat of a breather for the Volunteers, but past play between these two programs would indicate otherwise.
Vegas has Tennessee as nearly 13-point favorites over South Carolina, but historically this matchup has been tightly contested. Since 2012, the average margin of victory between the two teams has been 2.75 points, or less than a field goal.
Last season's 27-24 Tennessee victory was no exception. With 32 seconds remaining in the game, a fumble by former South Carolina tight end Jerell Adams crippled a potential game-winning drive for the Gamecocks.
South Carolina's new two-quarterback system, which coach Will Muschamp and offensive-coordinator Kurt Roper unveiled in the Gamecocks' 34-28 victory over UMass last weekend, will be tested against an SEC defense for the first time. The offense featured a tandem of freshmen under-center, with Jake Bentley handling the majority of snaps and Brandon McIlwain being prioritized in short-yardage situations. Bentley connected for a pair of touchdown passes in his collegiate debut.
Tennessee will unleash junior defensive end Derek Barnett, one of the country's elite pass rushers, on South Carolina's young quarterbacks. Barnett enters Saturday's game with six sacks and 11.5 tackles for a loss.
"Derek Barnett is a guy, number nine, that obviously jumps off the film," Muschamp said in his weekly press conference. "As far as the way he plays — he's an extremely good rusher, and really plays the run well."
Winning the turnover battle will be critical for both teams. Tennessee quarterback Joshua Dobbs is dangerous in the pocket as a passer, but also possesses the ability to roll out to make things happen as a runner. However, throughout his career at Tennessee he has traditionally been handicapped by the interceptions he is prone to throwing, and this season he currently leads all SEC quarterbacks with nine picks.
The Gamecocks have needed to force a combined eight turnovers in their last two victories.
Veteran outside linebackers Bryson Allen-Williams and T.J. Holloman have evolved into the focal point of South Carolina's defense. Against UMass they combined for 15 tackles, an interception, a sack and a forced fumble. South Carolina's defense has been vulnerable at times against strong ground games, so the Gamecocks will depend heavily on Williams and Holloman to help mitigate the impact of Tennessee's bruising running back Jalen Hurd.
Coach Will Muschamp is 4-0 against Tennessee as a head coach. Facing the Volunteers for the first time at South Carolina, he will put that streak on the line with a 7:15 p.m. kickoff on Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium.