Why South Carolina absolutely is a must-win opener for Pruitt, Vols
College football is a special game. We all know that. A big reason is because it is also the shortest season among the sports that we hold so dear. Baseball, basketball, hockey … it feels like their seasons last forever. Even pro football has a longer season than the college game.
But college football … we cherish each game because there are so few of them to tide us over until the next season. This year the schedule is reduced even further: Just 10 opportunities, and none of the standard gimmes.
So with that in mind, this opening game for Tennessee at South Carolina is crucial. If the Vols want to have a winning season, they have to win this game.
It really is that simple.
After the Gamecocks’ matchup, it’s a home game against a Missouri program in transition. But then things get tricky. The Vols typically play one of the tougher schedules in the country. That happens when you always have to face Alabama, Georgia and Florida, along with normally at least 1 quality out of conference opponent. Before the pandemic, the Vols had Oklahoma on the docket.
With that Sooners game, and all out of conference contests canceled, the Vols picked up 2 more SEC games and didn’t get much of a break. Their 2 additional SEC contests are against Texas A&M and Auburn, 2 teams that are ranked in the top 10 nationally.
Tennessee’s 2020 schedule is a challenge, and starting in week 3 it gets tough. They’ll face Georgia, Kentucky and Alabama in weeks 3-5. Tennessee has lost to UGA by a combined score of 122-26 the past 3 seasons. The Vols traditionally handle UK, but the Wildcats are no longer a pushover. And the Vols have lost to Alabama 13 consecutive times.
There are 2 likely losses in that trifecta — and some think Kentucky is better than Tennessee. That stretch in particular explains why the opener is so critical.
So let’s say that the Vols beat South Carolina. That’s a game they should win; they dominated South Carolina 41-21 last season. Will Muschamp enters the opener already on the hot seat. The Gamecocks are coming off a 4-8 season. They just named grad transfer Collin Hill the starting quarterback. They’re largely starting over on offense.
A week later, Tennessee it is Missouri, a team that the Vols should also beat. The Vols won last year’s game to end a 2-game slide in the series. Like South Carolina, Missouri also is starting over on offense, even more so. The Tigers have a new head coach, offensive coordinator and starting quarterback.
Best-case, the Vols would be 2-0, feeling confident and carrying momentum into the Georgia/Kentucky/Alabama stretch leading into the bye week.
But if you lose the South Carolina game, pressure starts to build.
Let’s say you still beat Mizzou to get to 1-1, and then do what you typically do and beat UK. You are still looking at a 2-3 mark at that point. If you split the Mizzou/Kentucky games, then you’d be at 1-4 for the 2nd straight year. Who knows where their minds would be if that happens.
Yes, last year the Vols were able to bounce back from a 1-4 start to finish at 8-5. The difference is that in 2019, there were more games left and the Vols’ schedule got much easier. UAB, Missouri and Vanderbilt didn’t strike much fear into the hearts of Vols fans.
In 2020, Tennessee faces Texas A&M, Auburn and Florida after the bye. The Vols still get Arkansas and Vanderbilt, but overall a 5-5 mark might be as good as you could hope for, and that would have to be considered a step back in year 3 of the Jeremy Pruitt era.
The 2020 college football season has been and will continue to be full of unknowns. But as always, the teams that will fare well are the teams that consistently beat the teams that they are supposed to beat.
The Vols should defeat the Gamecocks. UT has more talent. Their incoming recruiting class was much better. Right now, Tennessee simply has a better overall football program than South Carolina.
But if the Vols don’t win this game, it could be a harbinger of bad things to come the rest of the way for Tennessee.
This is such a terrible take. Tennessee is plenty good, but no way are they leaps and bounds more talented than South Carolina.
Carolina has won 3 of the last 4 matchups, our recruiting classes last year were not much different. They’ve been fairly similar for a while now.
You also can’t argue that Tennessee is an all around better program at they moment. We went 4-8, yes, but Tennessee lost at home to BYU and Georgia State.
Give me a break, sheesh. FPI favors the Gamecocks for a reason.
I don’t know if you watched the same game I did, but Jennings lit y’all up most of the 2nd half last year and y’all made an average QB look great. Tennessee O-Line this year even without Mayes is leaps and bounds better than last years team and this years team. Kinlaw wasn’t impressive at all last year. Tennessee should have one of the top O-Line in the country when Mayes returns and if he doesn’t they still gonna be very good and on go the top lines in the SEC.
As I mentioned in a comment further down, I know Tennessee is talented, just not way more talented than Carolina. If they were, FPI would not have the Gamecocks winning on Saturday.
And Vegas as Tennessee by -3. I’ll take Vegas odds over the ESPN FPI!!!
Looks like it’s going to be a closes game…maybe decided by turnovers.
an oops ! “close”
I think it’s going to be a close game too. All I know is that I’m just excited for the season to start! Go Vols
Agreed.
Las Vegas likes UT at about -3 which isn’t very much at all.
Gonna be a close one.
They need some wins to protect that recruiting class.
I do agree with you on this some. But Tennessee 2 deep on the depth chart is mostly juniors and seniors. There will be opportunities for young players this year and next year to play and make impacts early and Pruitt has shown last 2 years he will play the best no matter if freshman or senior.
Exactly. This is shaping up to be the class for UT that can turn the talent corner for them. Pruitt really needs a positive feel for this 2020 season to lock that class in.
It’s a very important game. UT, USC, and UK will be fighting for 3rd in the SEC East.
That will have implications on future recruiting classes.
Can’t wait. Should be a close, exciting game. I am expecting a fair amount of sloppy play as it is the first game v
Yeah I don’t see this a a should-win game for Tennessee. I think they will win but see it as a toss-up. Last year, SCAR was winning at half time and UT had two special teams touchdowns. Off/Def, the teams were pretty evenly matched. Turnovers and special teams can swing either way and will likely decide this one again.
This was the point I was trying to make. It wasn’t some beat down from the first snap. If there is any talent gap between Tennessee-South Carolina, it’s marginal at best.
UT O-Line is leaps and bounds ahead of USCjr, as well at running back. You missed the point where Jennings had almost 200 yards on 7 catches and Calloway had over 100 yards on 3 catches. Tennessee has almost 500 yards of offense and USCjr had less than 400. Y’all had an NFL prospect in Kinlaw that was held in check the entire game with 1 tackle. Trey Smith, Morris, Wright and Kennedy and maybe Mayes will dominate USCjr D-line. Yes Ut had questions at QB, WR on offense but let’s not act like USC don’t have more questions than answers right now.
Jennings and Calloway are gone.
Y’all have a great OL, but Carolinas is deep, and experienced with blue-chippers as well.
Just the fact that you use “jr” means you can’t be taken seriously and have no clue what you are talking about. Grow up and speak like an adult.
Never said Tennessee wasn’t good, but they are not leaps and bounds better than SC.
Keep talking…you’ll start to believe some of it sooner or later.
Pruitt needs to beat all the South Carolinas on their schedule in year 3. And a few they are not overwhelming underdogs in. 6-4 at the least.
Gamecocks get it done in a slopfest. Fact
Them GA Dawgs comments make a great point. The UT/SC/UK round robin is really important for recruits. The team that emerges 2-0 for a couple yrs in a row (and beat the lower rung teams / pull one upset over big boys) gives hope to recruits that their joining a program on the upswing.
*they’re*
I think its very hard to sit here and say either team is leaps and bounds better right now. Recent history, last year aside, says it will be close. Vegas says it will be close and those mobsters rarely miss. The big unknown is how the covid quarantines affected the teams. Pruitt has been pretty open up until the last week or so and what he said scares the sh!t out of me for our teams winning chances. With loads of players missing a lot of practices we could be in real trouble. They could also overcome it or maybe Pru is embellishing some things. I also have no idea how the covis stuff affected SC. Most teams arent saying much. I do know this. If either team trots out half its starters and the other team trots out all of theirs the team with all will likely win and win going away. What happened last year, to either team, really doesnt matter much. But, if anything, I would think it helps UT more. After the debacle to start last season there should be no way vols come out unfocused.
I also agree with the writer this is am extremely big game for UT. A loss here will be extremely, disappointing regardless of anything else. However I wont write the team off after a week 1 loss should it happen. The schedule is tough but beating some of the teams we are underdogs to is a pretty sure bet in my book…..right now and even if we lose to SC.
Officially, I have not a clue…
If Tennessee doesn’t take care of business against SC, the toss up games, and the inferior opponents, then this season wasn’t a success. It’s going to take them running the table against those teams and/or upsetting a Texas A&M, Auburn, Georgia, or Florida for me to consider this year a success. Otherwise, Pruitt is on the hot seat
I said earlier 4 wins would get his seat warm but I regret saying anything like that. Let’s play a few games before even bringing that up.
It’s funny how people act like TN is on the same level as SC and KY when the Vols program is far ahead. I am not a Vol fan. Tennessee will be a dark horse pick in the east devision this year. They will not lose to both UGA and the Gators. They will go 1-1 against those teams. Tennessee is better than the entire SEC besides Bama, LSU, Florida, and UGA. If Tennessee has great QB play, watch out SEC.
Whoever loses that game gets the Champions of Life trophy
First off cocks tn leads series 26-9-2 you will never be our equal quit acting like you are
Second kensucky we beat you at your own place stoops is 1-6 with the lone win coming by 2 points vs the worst Tennessee team in school history
Tennessee also beat the best Kentucky team in history 24-7
Kentucky is 0 for last 36 in Knoxville and have only 4 wins in last 50 years pruitt is 2-0 vs stoops .
Despite tn being down Kentucky is 2-10 vs Tennessee during that time so know your roll
Recruiting wise talent wise facility wise stadium wise tradition wise coaching wise you arent on Tennessee level neither team has ever won a sec title Tennessee has 16 neither have came close to a national championship Tennessee has 6
Tennessee is way more talented then sc and muschamp is a garbage coach
You want recent sc 41-21 by the team who lost to georgia state and had jg as qb.
You finished 4-8
Tn was a serviceable qb away from a 10 win season last season
The only guys that deserve to comment are the georgia fan and the bama fan you are not
Tn is an elite qb away from being really really good real talk . Just like georgia is a good qb away from possibly winning thier first title in 40 years.
The only people
You are wasting a lot of time worrying about UK and SC when you should be concerned about Florida and Georgia. Apparently your goal is 3rd place in the East.
The man is just stating concrete facts to clear some nonsense out of the way.
So 5-5 with THIS schedule is a step back from 7-5 last year? Lol ok.
And btw we lost to ga st and byu last year and still won 8 games. Making binary and absolute statements based on a SINGLE game is just silly.
What about the mizzou game…make or break? Why or why not? Feels a lot like game 1 bias.
Big game for both teams. The loser is more than likely out of the SEC East race.
South Carolina is not in the east race…Tennesse is in but barely.