COLUMBIA, S.C. A deep breath from Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer was just what the doctor ordered after the post-game press conference Saturday.
The Vols (4-3, 2-3 in SEC play) pulled out a 17-14 thriller over the South Carolina Gamecocks (7-2, 5-2) Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium.
This was a great win for us, Fulmer said. I am so proud of our players and coaches. It was a very tough situation to play in against a great South Carolina football team.
Both teams played sloppy for the majority of the game as an offense was nowhere to be seen. But in the end, the more physical Volunteers managed to prevail in a game that will long be remembered by Vol and Gamecock fans alike.
We made mistakes, but we played our heart out, Carolina head coach Lou Holtz said. We’re a tired team and a beat-up team. (Tennessee) was just too good for us. We have got to step up.
USC’s Derek Watson set up the first score for UT after he fumbled a punt, with the Vols recovering on the Gamecock 1-yard line. Tailback Travis Henry punched in the score on the very next play, and after the extra point, the Vols held a 7-0 lead half-way through the first quarter.
Tennessee appeared to be driving again early in the second quarter when Clausen was intercepted at the USC 19. Defensive end Kalimba Edwards read the pass perfectly and returned it 81 yards down the sideline for a Gamecock touchdown and a 7-7 tie.
The second half was much like the first as neither team could get their offense rolling.
With just under five minutes left in the third, it looked as though Carolina was continuing the dry spell until quarterback Phil Petty connected with Ryan Brewer on third down for a 78-yard touchdown. The score gave the Cocks a 14-7 lead.
Tennessee finally responded early in the fourth quarter when Alex Walls nailed a 27-yard field goal to cut the USC lead to 14-10.
Carolina went three-and-out to give the Vols one last shot with just under seven minutes left to play.
Clausen and Henry put a dagger in Carolina as they coordinated a 16-play, 68-yard drive that lasted 6:31 to put UT on top for good. Henry scored the winning touchdown on a 1-yard plunge with 26 seconds left, sealing the comeback win for the Vols.
Our kids would not quit, Fulmer said. They kept fighting and fighting and it wasn’t pretty. But we got it done in the end.
Henry locked down the ground attack for the Vols as he rushed for 115 yards on 26 attempts. However, Tennessee only had 101 yards on the ground as a team.
Tennessee was somewhat effective at times in the air as Clausen completed 19-of-31 passes for 152 yards. He did throw the costly interception and was sacked five times.
Casey kept going and going, Fulmer said. I’m proud of Casey. This was a heck of an effort by a lot of people.
The Volunteer defensive front was stellar as they collected four sacks, two by John Henderson, and held a solid Carolina rushing attack to 24 yards on 29 carries. The Gamecocks were averaging 182.5 yards on the ground. That forced Carolina to air it out as Petty threw for 268 yards.
Tennessee now prepares to face the Memphis Tigers on Nov. 4 while the Cocks have two weeks to recover before a showdown in The Swamp with Florida.
