Week 9: Tennessee

After getting a win against another top 10 team stolen from them last week, do the Gamecocks have enough left in the tank to take down an improving Tennessee team in Knoxville? Spoiler alert: yes, I think they do. The defense has been consistently good against the run in recent weeks, and with Mauer out with a concussion, I don’t trust Guarantano to be able to win with his arm. Even though these aren’t the same Volunteers from the glory days of Tennessee football, beating Tennessee still goes a long way to determining a successful season in my eyes. I have just witnessed too many beat-downs in my formative years to have any love at all for the Vols. The Gamecocks have won 7 of the last 11 games in the series, and have a chance to win 4 in a row for the first time ever. I expect them to do it.

Prediction: USC 20 - Tennessee 13. Mrs. Teriyaki Chicken has it as 35 - 28 in favor of the Gamecocks.