Each week the two sports editors and football beat writers, Ryan Crews and Ryan Schumpert, will give their keys to Tennessee’s weekly matchup and prediction for the matchup.

We start with South Carolina. 

Keys to the game

Ryan Crews

1. Minimize mistakes in the passing game

I know Jeremy Pruitt said he expected some mistakes but Jarrett Guarantano and company will need to make as few as possible in order to be successful. 

Earlier this fall, Jim Cheney was very positive on his quarterbacks and gave the impression that all of them had grown over this offseason and had become more consistent as a unit and to a man. This was something that all three quarterbacks especially struggled in last year so if they improved, that could be a windfall. 

This will be Guarantano’s first chance to show this new and improved playing abilities, and with the young and inexperienced receiving corps, that could be very important for Tennessee’s success in the passing game. 

The thing that makes the passing game such a value piece of the game is the same thing that makes mistakes in this part of the offence even more damaging to a team’s success. Teams can game large chunks of yardage in a single play but at the same time, pick-6s can be detrimental to a team and swing the balance of a game in a single instant.

In order to prevent this, the Vols’ quarterbacks and receivers must avoid costly mistakes such as these and limit the inevitable small mistakes to a minimum.

2. Get pressure on the quarterback

This may be Collin Hill’s first game at South Carolina but it will not be his first playing in Mike Bobo’s offensive system, as he played for Bobo at Colorado State. Hill is older, more experienced than might be assumed.

Key to finding success on defense will be to get Hill off his spot and moving around. Whereas last year Hilinski liked to move around, Hill tends to prefer to stay in the pocket, so Tennessee might have some luck when they are able to get him mobile.

Compatible with that mission, the Vols return almost every major contributor on the defensive line, with Matthew Butler leading the charge. Butler had 45 tackles and 2.5 sacks as the star of a group that had five contributors finishing with at least 23 tackles, most having more. 

After expecting the group to have a bigger impact last season, the unit has reportedly made strides in fall camp and this game could provide them with just the right opportunity to prove they can execute their job at a high level.

Ryan Schumpert 

1. Establish the run

I don’t know what Tennessee is going to get out of Jarrett Guarantano Saturday night. Even as he returns for his third full season as Tennessee’s starting quarterback, Guarantano is still one of the biggest unknowns headed into the season opener.

I don’t know who Guarantano’s top receiver targets are going to be besides Josh Palmer. I don’t know what Tennessee is going to get Saturday from its freshmen receivers.

What I know is that Tennessee’s offensive line is going to be the strength of its offense, with or without Cade Mays, Eric Gray ended his freshman season looking like a player that would soon be a high end SEC running back and that Ty Chandler has generated buzz this fall camp.

Getting the run game going early and often will be pivotal for Tennessee’s offense. Keeping Tennessee ahead of the sticks on offense will make things easier and more manageable for Guarantano.

If the Vols can run it well enough to set up the play action and attack South Carolina’s defense downfield like they did a year ago, they’ll be in a great place to win.

2. Secondary plays to is potential

Collin Hill isn’t a great quarterback. His three years as a subpar Mountain West starter at Colorado State tells us as much. That doesn’t mean he can’t be effective Saturday.

Hill is starting because he knows what new offensive coordinator Mike Bobo wants to do. He’s there to get South Carolina in the right spot and execute the plays that are there.

Jeremy Pruitt and Derrick Ansley are going to throw the kitchen sink at him Saturday night. Tennessee’s biggest question mark on defense is how they’re going to generate pressure.

I expect Pruitt to blitz early and often Saturday to make up for his lack of proven pass rushers. That’s going to leave pressure on the back end of Tennessee’s defense. The Vols have experience and talent there with guys that have started a lot of football games.

Tennessee needs them to be a rock Saturday against a passing game that should be relatively limited. If they are and can give Pruitt and Ansley the space to be creative and aggressive up front the Vols defense should be successful.

Predictions

Vegas

Spread: Tennessee -3.5

Over/Under: 43.5

Prediction: Tennessee 23.5, South Carolina 20

Ryan Crews: I think will be a very interesting matchup that will test both sides and will live up to the recent history of this matchup by producing yet another close matchup. I think both sides return experience and knowledge at multiple key positions, but I think that both teams could have benefited from spring practice in a big way. I think Tennessee has the added advantage of playing both the same offensive and defensive systems while this is South Carolina’s first game in the new offensive system. I like the Gamecocks to keep it close early but for the Vols to pull away late.

Tennessee 23, South Carolina 13

Ryan Schumpert: I’ve gone back and forth on the pick for the past few weeks. I think Tennessee has the better roster and has had better injury luck this fall. The amount of time players missed this fall has me worried about Tennessee’s preparedness but what appears to be a strong final few weeks of practice seems to have Pruitt more confident. Who knows who will be ruled out Saturday morning, which will be the case all year, but with all we know I like the Vols to start 1-0.

Tennessee 24, South Carolina 17