South Carolina–Tennessee Football Rivalry

It is an American college football game between the South Carolina Gamecocks and Tennessee Volunteers. The game was first played in 1903 in Columbia, SC. The two schools only faced-off 10 times before 1992, when they began playing annually as members of the SEC East division. As a result of recent SEC expansion, the game will no longer be annual beginning in 2024. Tennessee leads the all-time series 27–11–2, (with two vacated wins). The most recent game was a 41–20 Tennessee win in 2023.

Series history

Tennessee dominated in the early years of the rivalry, leading the series 19–2–2 through the 2005 meeting. Once Steve Spurrier became the South Carolina coach, the nature of the rivalry changed, highlighted by three straight wins from 2010 to 2012. Since Spurrier first beat Tennessee at South Carolina in 2005, the series is tied 9–9. The series is known for its streak of close, competitive games, as from 2000 to 2008, each meeting except for 2004 was decided by one possession, and from 2012 to 2018 each game was decided by less than one score, and all but the 2017 game were by 3 points or less. For South Carolina, this series, along with Florida, is generally regarded as their most significant SEC rivalry behind Georgia. For Tennessee, their losses to South Carolina have coinced with the fall of their football program, and the series serves as a major marker for competing in the division.

Notable games

1992: The first matchup of the two teams in the newly created SEC East was ultimately the last game before it was announced that legendary Tennessee head coach Johnny Majors would not return the next season. Tennessee had started the year 5–0, with wins over Georgia and Florida under interim coach Phillip Fulmer, while Majors recovered from open-heart surgery. Once Majors returned, Tennessee had consecutive losses to Arkansas and Alabama before traveling to Columbia. For South Carolina, their first year in the SEC got off to a challenging start with a 0–5 record. Entering the game with Tennessee, South Carolina had rebounded with two straight wins over #15 Mississippi State and Vanderbilt. The game came down to the very last play as the #16 Vols scored a late touchdown pass to Mose Phillips after being down 24–17. Tennessee attempted a two-point conversion, hoping to avoid a tie and maintain control over the SEC East, but the conversion failed. Before Tennessee's next game was played, it was announced Majors would step down at the end of the season to be replaced by Fulmer. This game also would cost Tennessee a spot in the first SEC Championship game. South Carolina continued to rebound and finished off the year with a win over rival Clemson and a 5–6 record.

2005: Entering the 2005 matchup, #23 Tennessee had won 12 straight in the series and was looking to get their season back on track after starting #3 in the country, but getting out to a 3–3 record with losses to #6 Florida, #5 Georgia, and #5 Alabama. The night game featured the retirement of former Tennessee QB Peyton Manning's number 16. Meanwhile, Steve Spurrier was in his first year with South Carolina, who had 4–3 with losses to Georgia, Alabama, and Auburn. With a little over 2 minutes left in the game, Tennessee led 15–13 when Josh Brown converted a 49-yard field goal to give the Gamecocks the lead and eventual win following a Tennessee turnover on downs. The result ended the 12-game Tennessee win streak, gave South Carolina their first-ever win at Tennessee, and marked Fulmer's first loss to South Carolina in his career. Tennessee would continue to struggle, ending the year with a 5–6 record, ending a streak of bowl games dating back to 1988. South Carolina would finish 2nd in the SEC East and go on to the Independence Bowl, and a final record of 7–5.

2007: In the 2007 meeting, both teams entered tied for first in the SEC East, although both lost to struggling SEC teams the previous week. The 6–2 #15 Gamecocks scored just six points in a home loss to 3–3 Vanderbilt, while 5–3 Tennessee was soundly beaten on the road by unranked Alabama. Earlier the same day, Georgia's win over Florida meant the winner of the night game would take control of the division. Tennessee started with a strong 21–0 lead at halftime, but South Carolina got back into the game after Tennessee only got 70 yards in the second half. Ultimately, two South Carolina turnovers in the last seven minutes allowed Tennessee to come back and tie the game at 24–24 to force overtime. Another South Carolina turnover allowed the Vols to win 27–24, despite South Carolina having 501 yards to Tennessee's 317. Tennessee went on to win out in the regular season and claim the East division title, advancing to the SEC Championship Game where they ultimately lost to LSU. South Carolina lost their final three games of the year for a final record of 6–6.

2013: In 2013, the game came down to a last-second field goal which saw Tennessee score a shocking upset of #9 South Carolina. A late decision by South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier to punt rather than attempt a fourth down conversion, allowed Tennessee to get the ball back with just minutes remaining. With 5–1 (3–1 SEC) South Carolina up 21–20, a phenomenal catch by Marquez North put 3–3 (0–2 SEC) Tennessee in field goal range. After running the clock down, Tennessee's Michael Palardy kicked the game-winning field goal as time expired. The win marked Tennessee's first major victory under Butch Jones. The loss was detrimental for South Carolina, as the Gamecocks did not lose another game all year. Tennessee struggled, losing their next four games to finish 5–7. With the loss, South Carolina finished second in the SEC East behind Missouri. A win over Tennessee would have put the Gamecocks into the SEC Championship, likely with the chance to play for a spot in the BCS National Championship. The team finished the year fourth in the country, with an 11–2 record and win in the Capital One Bowl.

2014: The 2014 contest featured two struggling teams (4–4 South Carolina and 3–5 Tennessee) in a night came on Columbia. South Carolina built up a 42–28 lead behind the performance of star wide receiver Pharoh Cooper, who threw, caught, and ran for a combined four touchdowns. Trailing by fourteen with only 4:52 remaining, Tennessee QB Joshua Dobbs, in his first start of the season, led a stunning comeback, throwing a touchdown with eleven seconds left to force overtime. A thirty-two-yard field goal from Tennessee's Aaron Medley proved the difference. The game was significant for a number of reasons as it helped propel the Vols to their first bowl game since 2010 and their first under second-year head coach Butch Jones. Spurrier, following an 11–2 season in 2013, continued to struggle as South Carolina slumped to a 7–6 record in 2014. After beginning the 2015 season 2–4 Spurrier stepped down.

2016: Entering the 2016 game, #18 Tennessee had come off two straight losses to #8 Texas A&M and #1 Alabama but held wins over Florida and Georgia, keeping Tennessee a-top the SEC East. Under first-year head coach Will Muschamp, South Carolina was 3–4, needing a win to boost their chances at bowl-eligibility. While previously being ranked last in the SEC for total offense, 17-year-old South Carolina QB Jake Bentley had a career night with two touchdowns to help upset Tennessee 24–21 after the Vols missed a 58-yard field goal as time expired. The game ultimately would cost Tennessee the SEC East and propel South Carolina to their first bowl game under Muschamp.

2022: The 2022 contest in Columbia pitted a 6–4 (3–4 SEC) South Carolina team against 9-1 (6-1 SEC) and 5th ranked Tennessee in front of a sell-out night-game crowd. Tennessee entered the game as a 22.5 point favorite, and were playing for a chance to make the programs's first College Football Playoff. Despite having 11th ranked offense in the SEC, South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler had a career night, throwing for 438 yards and six touchdowns, leading the gamecocks to a 63–38 victory. South Carolina fans stormed the field after the victory, ultimately resulting in a $100,000 fine. Ultimately, the Gamecocks would go on to beat #8 Clemson the next week before falling to #21 Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl to finish the year ranked #23. Tennessee would beat Vanderbilt and then #7 Clemson in the Orange Bowl to finish ranked #6.

Game results

Source

See also

* List of NCAA college football rivalry games

References

{{Southeastern Conference football rivalry navbox

College football rivalries in the United States
South Carolina Gamecocks football
Tennessee Volunteers football