KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE - OCTOBER 26: Nick Muse #9 of the South Carolina Gamecocks drops a pass from Ryan Hilinski #3 while defended by the Tennessee Volunteers during the second quarter of the game at Neyland Stadium on October 26, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)
A 41- 21 victory over the South Carolina Gamecocks provided many exciting moments for Tennessee football. Here is a UT Volunteers’ photo gallery.
Okay, so they only move to 3-5 with the win. And yes, they only beat a team that was 3-4 coming into the game. But there’s still no way to deny just how big it was for Tennessee football to beat the South Carolina Gamecocks 41-21 at home Saturday.
Jeremy Pruitt getting the best of Will Muschamp would be a big deal on its own. When you consider the fact that the Vols also finally ended a seven-game losing streak to Muschamp that made no sense, it becomes even more impossible to overstate.
UT didn’t just win. They responded. The Vols fell behind early by giving up a touchdown on the first play. Then they gave up back to back touchdowns on defense late in the first half before overcoming a missed field goal in the third quarter.
None of it mattered. They still managed to pull out a huge victory, one that could propel the program in search of a next step going forward. So this moment is worth reliving. Here is a photo gallery from Tennessee football’s huge win over the South Carolina Gamecocks.
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE – OCTOBER 26: Jarrett Guarantano #2 of the Tennessee Volunteers warms up before the game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Neyland Stadium on October 26, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE – OCTOBER 26: Ryan Hilinski #3 of the South Carolina Gamecocks throws a pass during the first quarter to score a touchdown against the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on October 26, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE – OCTOBER 26: Ryan Hilinski #3 of the South Carolina Gamecocks throws a pass against the Tennessee Volunteers during the first qurater at Neyland Stadium on October 26, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE – OCTOBER 26: Marquez Callaway #1 of the Tennessee Volunteers catches a pass from J.T. Shrout during the first quarter of the game at Neyland Stadium on October 26, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE – OCTOBER 26: Eric Gray #3 of the Tennessee Volunteers runs with the ball against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Neyland Stadium on October 26, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE – OCTOBER 26: J.T. Shrout #12 of the Tennessee Volunteers throws a pass against the South Carolina Gamecocks during the first quarter at Neyland Stadium on October 26, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE – OCTOBER 26: Ty Chandler #8 of the Tennessee Volunteers runs with the ball against the South Carolina Gamecocks during the second quarter at Neyland Stadium on October 26, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE – OCTOBER 26: Marquez Callaway #1 of the Tennessee Volunteers runs with the ball against the South Carolina Gamecocks to score a touchdown during the second quarter at Neyland Stadium on October 26, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE – OCTOBER 26: Marquez Callaway #1 of the Tennessee Volunteers runs with the ball against the South Carolina Gamecocks to score a touchdown during the second quarter at Neyland Stadium on October 26, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE – OCTOBER 26: Head coach Jeremy Pruitt of the Tennessee Volunteers shakes hands with head coach Will Muschamp of the South Carolina Gamecocks after the game at Neyland Stadium on October 26, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE – OCTOBER 26: Head coach Jeremy Pruitt of the Tennessee Volunteers shakes hands with head coach Will Muschamp of the South Carolina Gamecocks after the game at Neyland Stadium on October 26, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE – OCTOBER 26: Nick Muse #9 of the South Carolina Gamecocks drops a pass from Ryan Hilinski #3 while defended by the Tennessee Volunteers during the second quarter of the game at Neyland Stadium on October 26, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE – OCTOBER 26: Shi Smith #13 of the South Carolina Gamecocks runs with the ball against the Tennessee Volunteers during the fourth quarter of the game at Neyland Stadium on October 26, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)
Left on the Vols’ schedule are the UAB Blazers, the Kentucky Wildcats and Missouri Tigers on the road, and the Vanderbilt Commodores at home. Now, UT does have to go 3-1 in those games to make a bowl game, and none of them are guarantees, not even UAB.
But given what they have shown the past few weeks, they are clearly a much better team than the one that started the season 0-2 with losses to the Georgia State Panthers and BYU Cougars. Pruitt’s young team is beginning to prove itself, and that’s a big deal.
Whether or not that continues remains to be seen. There are questions at quarterback, and UT needs its elite playmakers to continue dominating the way they did in this game. But they have a blueprint to six wins. Given where the Tennessee football program was, that’s a huge deal.
