It’s safe to say Tennessee QB Jarrettt Guarantano’s first-career start didn’t exactly go according to plan, as the Volunteers failed to score a touchdown while losing 15-9 to South Carolina.

However, Guarantano showed flashes of promise and has certainly earned the chance to start next weekend against No. 1 Alabama.

Even with the growing pains he experienced on Saturday, Guarantano was thankful for the opportunity to make his dream come true and expressed gratitude after the game (via 247Sports):

“I think just to be able to do something like this, something I’ve dreamed of since I was little, it truly fulfilled my dreams,” Guarantano said. “I’m thankful for this opportunity.”

Next week won’t get any easier for the redshirt freshman, obviously, as Alabama is the No. 1 team in the nation for a reason.

Still, if he shows more promise against the Crimson Tide, there’s no reason to think he won’t continue to take the first-team snaps for the Vols moving forward.

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Sports betting in Tennessee officially launched on November 1, 2020, and many of the largest sportsbooks are live and operating in the volunteer state. Tennessee is only one of a handful of SEC football states with legalized sports betting.