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Tennessee football at South Carolina: 10 keys for Vols and Gamecocks

By Caleb Calhoun

COLUMBIA, SC - AUGUST 29: A general view of outside the stadium before the game between the North Carolina Tar Heels and South Carolina Gamecocks at Williams-Brice Stadium on August 29, 2013 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
COLUMBIA, SC - AUGUST 29: A general view of outside the stadium before the game between the North Carolina Tar Heels and South Carolina Gamecocks at Williams-Brice Stadium on August 29, 2013 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images /

Tennessee football’s visit to South Carolina is all of a sudden a crucial game for both teams. Here are the keys for the UT Volunteers and USC Gamecocks.

One team is playing to avoid being an abject disappointment. Another is playing for a chance to shock the world for the second time in three weeks. This is where things stand as Tennessee football travels to Columbia to take on the South Carolina Gamecocks Saturday night.

Coming off a 58-21 loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide, the Vols still have plenty to be excited about. After all, you can’t read anything into losing to Alabama this year. At 3-4, Jeremy Pruitt’s team has a huge opportunity for a strong finish to the season.

Meanwhile, the South Carolina Gamecocks have been a disappointment through six games, falling to 3-3. And that should be 2-4 when you factor in the Missouri Tigers game. However, this team has a chance to rejuvenate itself off a bye and go for a strong finish to the season.

Tennessee football is once again going to be in for a rough outing, which they’ve dealt with all year. Traveling on the road to Columbia is not going to be easy for the Vols, no matter what the Gamecocks have gone through to this point.

As we break down the things that will determine the outcome of the game, though, you’ll notice a lot of points that actually swing in UT’s favor. And they are significant points as well. But that doesn’t change the fact that South Carolina has quite a few advantages as well.

The last six games between these two teams have been decided by six points or less. Meanwhile, four of the last five have come down to the final play, including a game-winning field goal in 2013, overtime in 2014, a missed field goal in 2016 and a goal line stand in 2017.

So there’s plenty to break down when these two teams go at it. With the Gamecocks as a seven and a half point favorite, analysts expect this to go down to one possession once again. Here’s what will determine that. These are our 10 keys to the game for Tennessee football and the South Carolina Gamecocks Saturday night.

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