Gameday Guide: South Carolina vs. Tennessee game details, TV info, depth chart
South Carolina led going into the fourth quarter but couldn’t hold on against Florida. Now comes a trip to a vulnerable Tennessee team. What you need to know:
What time do the Gamecocks play?
Who: South Carolina (3-4, 2-3 SEC) at Tennessee (2-5, 1-3)
When: 4 p.m. Saturday
Where: Neyland Stadium (102,455)
TV: SEC Network (Taylor Zarzour, play-by-play; Matt Stinchcomb, analysis; Alyssa Lang, sideline)
Radio: 107.5 FM (Todd Ellis, play-by-play; Tommy Suggs, analysis; Jamar Nesbit, sideline) ... See all the radio affiliates around the state here.
Satellite radio: Sirius 197/XM 190
Stream: WatchESPN
Line: South Carolina by 4
Series history: South Carolina trails the all-time series 25-10-3. The Gamecocks have won three in a row in the series after losing three in a row and are 6-3 since 2010.
Weather: A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 63. Temperature 62 degrees at kickoff, 60 at day’s end.
What’s at stake
South Carolina’s dreams of a bowl trip might well be in the balance. The Gamecocks are projected to be favored in three more games this season — including this week — and need three more wins to make the postseason.
This also puts Will Muschamp’s sterling record against the Vols on the line. He went 4-0 as head coach of Florida and has won his first three in the rivalry as the Gamecocks’ head man.
Any win Tennessee can get right now is a boost to a program that hoped to make a breakthrough this year. Instead, the season started with losses to Georgia State and BYU. The Vols also beat Mississippi State, so any SEC wins are big.
The teams, by the numbers
USC | UT | |
Points/Game | 28.6 | 21.6 |
Opp. Points/Game | 25.3 | 27 |
Yds. Rushing/Game | 196.9 | 141.7 |
Opp. Yds Rush/Game | 146.0 | 156.9 |
Yds. Pass/Game | 209.7 | 194.3 |
Opp. Yds. Pass/Game | 250.6 | 203.9 |
Avg. Yds./Game | 406.6 | 336.0 |
Opp. Total Yds/Game | 396.6 | 360.7 |
South Carolina players to watch
1. Quarterback Ryan Hilinski had a tough outing after a good first few passes against Florida. He goes back on the road where he played well against Georgia. For the season, he has 1,198 yards, seven touchdowns and three interceptions.
2. Running back Tavien Feaster delivered when he stepped in for an injured Rico Dowdle. He’ll start this week with Dowdle sidelined by a knee injury. He has 492 yards on 82 carries with four scores this season.
3. Cornerback Jaycee Horn will have to take the lead in corralling a set of receivers that includes Jauan Jennings (478 yards this year) and Marquez Callaway (19.4 yards per reception). The Vols aren’t that good of a throwing team, but those receivers can get loose.
Tennessee players to watch
1. A big storyline to this game involves the mystery behind which Tennessee quarterback starts against the Gamecocks. True freshman Brian Maurer replaced Jarrett Guarantano earlier this month against Georgia, but hasn’t finished either of Tennessee’s last two games because of concussions. Guarantano replaced Maurer in the Alabama loss, but then he was pulled late as redshirt freshman J.T. Shrout led Tennessee’s final drive. Collectively, Vols QBs have thrown for 10 touchdowns against nine interceptions this season.
2. While Tennessee’s quarterbacks have struggled this season, receiver Jauan Jennings remains the Vols’ most reliable offensive option. The brother of former South Carolina women’s basketball player Alexis Jennings, Jauan ranks among the top 10 in the SEC for receiving yards (478) and touchdowns (five). He had three catches and a score against the Gamecocks last season.
3. Tennessee is second in the SEC in interceptions with 10. The Volunteer secondary is headlined by Bryce Thompson. A Dutch Fork High School star and former South Carolina recruit, Thompson was a freshman All-American in 2018. Off-the-field troubles led to shaky start to 2019 — including a suspension — but he’s played in each of the last four games, racking up 17 tackles and a sack.
South Carolina projected depth chart
Offense
QB: Ryan Hilinski (Dakereon Joyner, Jay Urich)
RB: Tavien Feaster (Mon Denson)
WR: Chavis Dawkins (Josh Vann)
WR: Bryan Edwards (OrTre Smith)
WR: Shi Smith (Xavier Legette)
TE: Kyle Markway (KeShawn Toney)
TE: Nick Muse (Chandler Farrell)
LT: Sadarius Hutcherson (Jakai Moore)
LG: Jordan Rhodes
C: Donell Stanley (Hank Manos)
RG: Jovaughn Gwyn (Eric Douglas)
RT: Jaylen Nichols (Eric Douglas)
Defense
DE: Kingsley Enagbare (Aaron Sterling)
DT: Javon Kinlaw (Zacch Pickens)
DT: Kobe Smith (Rick Sandidge)
Buck: DJ Wonnum (Daniel Fennell)
SLB: Sherrod Greene (Jahmar Brown)
MLB: Ernest Jones (Rosendo Louis Jr.)
WLB: T.J. Brunson (Sherrod Greene)
CB: Jaycee Horn (John Dixon)
S: JT Ibe (Jammie Robinson)
S: RJ Roderick (Jammie Robinson)
CB: Israel Mukuamu (John Dixon)
N: Jammie Robinson (RJ Roderick)
Special Teams
PK: Parker White (Will Tommie)
KO: Will Tommie (Joseph Charlton)
P: Joseph Charlton (Michael Almond)
DS: Matt Oliveira (Matthew Bailey)
H: Joseph Charlton
PR: Bryan Edwards (Shi Smith)
KR: Shi Smith, Mon Denson
The State’s Andrew Ramspacher contributed to this report
This story was originally published October 26, 2019 at 5:00 AM.
