Marquez North made the catch. Michael Palardy nailed the field goal. Butch Jones led the band in “Rocky Top.”
With their 23-21 victory against then-No. 11 South Carolina last year inside Neyland Stadium, the Volunteers snapped a 19-game losing streak to ranked opponents, but that victory also ended up being the defeat which would ultimately cost South Carolina a spot in the SEC Championship game.
With that said, when the Vols travel to Columbia, they know the Gamecocks will be looking to exact some revenge Saturday.
“We expect that they’re definitely going to come out with a lot of intensity,” sophomore cornerback Cam Sutton said. “We can’t rely on last year. We’re going into somebody else’s backyard where a lot of guys on our team haven’t been before, so we just have to play through the things we can’t control, with the crowd and things like that, and just play our game with our style of football.”
Last year’s upset victory, though, is far from the only dramatic UT-South Carolina matchup. In fact, since 2000, no regular SEC series has had a narrower margin of victory (8.21) than the rivalry between the Vols and the Gamecocks.
But with four games left, and Tennessee still sitting three wins short of bowl eligibility, the time is running out if UT hopes to end a four-year bowl drought.
And the Vols know it.
“It’s definitely a big one,” sophomore linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin said. “We’ve got four games to get to a bowl and every week is a new season, so all we can focus on is this one game right now to help us take steps to that bowl game.”
In last season’s matchup, it was senior quarterback Justin Worley who led the Vols to their first victory over a ranked opponent in four years. Worley, however, may be sidelined for the second consecutive week with an injury to his throwing shoulder.
If the senior is unable to go, the Vols will give the nod to sophomore signal caller Josh Dobbs under center. In three-plus quarters of action last week against Alabama, the Alpharetta, Georgia, native went 19-for-32 passing with 192 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 75 yards on 19 carries.
Tennessee head coach Butch Jones said Tuesday – and offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian echoed Wednesday – if the game were to be played now, Worley would be unable to go. He also said if Worley could go, he was “going to play.”
Jones did, however, throw around the idea of having a two-quarterback system if indeed Worley is able to suit up on Saturday.
“I haven’t (done that) in the past just because I like to have a quarterback get into the rhythm of the game and get a feel for it,” Jones said. “Right now, we’re scratching and clawing for every victory we can. Whatever it takes to win football games right now, that’s what we’re looking to do.”
South Carolina could also be looking to exact some revenge from another past defeat at the hands of UT.
Back on Oct. 31, 2009, the Lane Kiffin-led Vols sported black jerseys as they routed the Gamecocks 31-13 in Knoxville. This week, South Carolina has announced they will don their black uniforms when they take to the field Saturday versus Tennessee.
The Gamecocks’ history with black jerseys under head coach Steve Spurrier, however, hasn’t been that spooky. Since 2006, South Carolina has gone 2-5 in their black jerseys, with losses to Tennessee and Georgia in 2006, Florida in 2007 and 2009 and Auburn in 2011. The team’s two wins came against UAB and UT in 2008.
Kickoff between the Vols and South Carolina is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EST and will be televised nationally on the SEC Network.
