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

By Caleb Calhoun

South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer saw his team fall behind early on Saturday at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn.Kns Tennessee South Carolina Football Bp
South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer saw his team fall behind early on Saturday at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn.Kns Tennessee South Carolina Football Bp /
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Let’s just say it up front. If you break down these two teams on paper, it’s hard to see Tennessee football not blowing the South Carolina Gamecocks out of the water. We’re talking dominance of epic proportions. However, there are a few areas of the game that could work against the Vols and stall their efforts to do just that.

As we get set to break down everything that will go into this Saturday night road matchup for UT, we’re going to look at all of the things that could lead to a blowout and all the things that could make it a game. One significantly outweighs the other, to be fair, and we really couldn’t spin it.

However, both sides have merit. It just depends on what reveals itself more in this matchup. Any possible aspect of a game like this can come into play, and with two weeks left in the regular season, UT needs to be careful. Here are the 10 keys to the game Saturday when Tennessee football visits the Gamecocks.

These factors will determine what happens between South Carolina and the Tennessee football Volunteers.

Oct 29, 2022; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel reacts during the first half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 29, 2022; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel reacts during the first half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /

10. Vols’ ability to avoid distractions

An hour after this game kicks off, the USC Trojans will be visiting the UCLA Bruins. That may not seem like a big deal, but USC is now No. 7 in the College Football Playoff rankings, and they only have one loss. If they manage to win out, they will have beaten three straight ranked teams and won the Pac-12 Championship.

That means they have a great chance to push ahead of the Vols no matter what, and you can bet such an issue will be a distraction. Even more interesting for when this game kicks off, the Ohio State Buckeyes’ road game against the Maryland Terrapins will be near the end, and that game has a chance of being close.

Simply put, Tennessee football could have its mind elsewhere if they aren’t careful. This has been a veteran team for most of the year, and Josh Heupel has to do his job to make sure they remain focused on this game and nothing else. Otherwise, more issues could arise.

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