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Tennessee football: 10 Vols games vs. South Carolina that dramatically altered history

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 31: Kevin Cooper #45 of the Tennessee Volunteers celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Neyland Stadium on October 31, 2009 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 31: Kevin Cooper #45 of the Tennessee Volunteers celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Neyland Stadium on October 31, 2009 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Tyler Lecka/Getty Images
Photo by Tyler Lecka/Getty Images /

8. 2016 – South Carolina: 24 Tennessee: 21

It was the turning point game for Butch Jones’s career in Knoxville. Into his fourth year as Tennessee football’s head coach, he had been hitting pars the whole time. Jones had met expectations on the dot in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

But the expectations in 2016 were to finish 10-2 and win the SEC East. That’s why they started the season in the Top 10. And after getting to 5-0 by ending the losing streak to the Florida Gators and converting the Hail Mary against the Georgia Bulldogs, they were in great shape.

A close loss to the Texas A&M Aggies on the road set things back, and a blowout loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide ended their playoff hopes. But the expectations were still in place, and with no ranked teams on the back end of the schedule, they appeared to be in good shape.

This was the first of those games, and it was off a bye week. But, true to form, Jones showed he couldn’t take advantage of a bye. Tennessee came into this game flat, and it was Joshua Dobbs’s worst game of the year. Meanwhile, the Gamecocks turned to a 17-year-old freshman in Jake Bentley at quarterback. And he did just enough to shock the Vols.

The combination of Bentley exceeding expectations and the Vols committing too many turnovers cost them this game. They lost after missing a field goal at the end. Everything changed after the match-up as well.

Tennessee football was going to underachieve this year, Jalen Hurd would then transfer to signify the dumpster fire of the program, and Jones’s seat would hit 1,000 degrees overnight. After losing the East, the Vols never recovered, and the wheels came off in 2017.

Meanwhile, it was also the turning point for Will Muschamp his first year. After low expectations with the South Carolina Gamecocks, he used this win to reach bowl eligibility at 6-6. And he’s carried that momentum ever since.

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