Scouting the Enemy Before They Enter Williams-Brice Stadium
South Carolina vs. No. 11 Tennessee
Saturday, October 24, 2026 | 3:30 PM ET
There is an old saying in football that you’re never quite as good as you look after a big win, and you’re never quite as bad as you look after a loss.
That might be worth remembering as Tennessee prepares to visit Williams-Brice Stadium this Saturday.
The Volunteers are coming off an impressive 26-10 victory over Alabama, improving to 6-1 on the season. Meanwhile, South Carolina enters this contest at 3-3, coming off a road victory over Florida and an open week.
On paper, Tennessee is the better football team.
But football games aren’t played on paper, and there are some interesting matchups in this one that could make life difficult for the Volunteers.
Let’s take a look inside Enemy Camp.
THE TENNESSEE OFFENSE: NOT EXACTLY WHAT YOU EXPECT
When most people think about Josh Heupel’s offense, they envision receivers spread from sideline to sideline, quarterbacks throwing deep balls, and an offense operating at a breakneck pace.
But this Tennessee offense has developed a somewhat different identity.
Through seven games, the Volunteers are averaging approximately 405 yards of total offense, including 217 yards rushing.
That’s the number that gets my attention.
Tennessee is averaging just 188 passing yards per game.
Think about that for a moment.
A Josh Heupel offense that relies more heavily on its running game than its passing attack.
And that brings us to the most interesting position on the field.
QUARTERBACK: GEORGE MACINTYRE
Tennessee opened the season with highly touted freshman Faizon Brandon as its starting quarterback.
But George MacIntyre has emerged as the man directing this offense.
Against Alabama, MacIntyre completed 21 of 31 passes for 197 yards, with no touchdowns and one interception.
Those aren’t spectacular numbers.
But here’s something I’ve emphasized throughout my years evaluating quarterbacks.
Quarterback play isn’t always about spectacular throws. It’s about processing information, making the correct decisions, and getting the football where it needs to go.
MacIntyre demonstrated those qualities against Alabama.
He didn’t try to force throws downfield when Alabama’s secondary was protecting against explosive plays.
Instead, he took the underneath routes, distributed the football, and allowed his receivers to make plays after the catch.
That’s intelligent quarterback play.
However, I still see an opportunity for South Carolina.
MacIntyre is a young quarterback who hasn’t experienced many environments like Williams-Brice Stadium.
I want to see how quickly he processes defensive rotations when the picture changes after the snap.
Can South Carolina disguise its coverage?
Can the Gamecocks make him hold the football an extra half-second?
Can they force him into obvious passing situations?
Those are questions Tennessee will have to answer.
THE RUNNING GAME: DeSEAN BISHOP
If I’m preparing South Carolina’s defensive game plan, DeSean Bishop is near the top of my scouting report.
Bishop is the centerpiece of Tennessee’s ground attack.
The Volunteers are averaging more than 200 rushing yards per game, and their ability to establish the run makes everything else in Heupel’s offense more effective.
What concerns me isn’t simply the yardage.
It’s how Tennessee uses its running game to control defensive alignments.
When defenders begin cheating toward the line of scrimmage, the Volunteers can create favorable matchups outside.
When defenses spread out to protect against the passing game, Tennessee has opportunities to attack the interior.
That’s the conflict Heupel wants to create.
South Carolina must remain disciplined with its run fits.
Defensive linemen cannot get washed out of their gaps, and linebackers must recognize blocking schemes without overcommitting.
The good news?
South Carolina has been particularly effective against the run, allowing approximately 104 rushing yards per game.
This is strength against strength, and I believe it could determine the outcome.
RECEIVING CORPS: MIKE MATTHEWS AND COMPANY
Mike Matthews is a receiver South Carolina must account for on every snap.
Against Alabama, Tennessee repeatedly took advantage of soft coverage by getting Matthews the football underneath and allowing him to create additional yardage.
That’s something I want South Carolina’s secondary to recognize.
You don’t necessarily have to throw the football 40 yards downfield to create an explosive play.
Sometimes a five-yard completion becomes a 25-yard gain because a defender takes a poor angle or misses a tackle.
Braylon Staley is another receiver capable of creating problems.
Tennessee has enough athletic ability on the perimeter to punish defensive mistakes.
The Gamecocks cannot afford to give these receivers uncontested releases and then compound the problem with poor tackling.
Make Tennessee earn its yardage.
THE TENNESSEE DEFENSE: BETTER THAN PEOPLE REALIZE
Here’s where this matchup becomes particularly interesting.
Tennessee’s defense is allowing approximately:
280.6 total yards per game
159.3 passing yards per game
121.3 rushing yards per game
14.7 points per game
Those are impressive numbers.
This is not a Tennessee defense that simply hopes its offense can outscore everybody.
The Volunteers are playing legitimate defensive football.
Their ability to limit explosive passing plays has been particularly impressive.
And that presents a challenge for South Carolina.
The Gamecocks cannot expect to win this football game by relying exclusively on a handful of big plays.
They’re going to have to sustain drives.
That means winning first down, staying ahead of the chains, and avoiding the penalties and negative plays that have plagued this program.
WHERE TENNESSEE IS VULNERABLE
Every football team has weaknesses.
Even good ones.
And I see three areas South Carolina should attempt to exploit.
1. FORCE THE QUARTERBACK TO BEAT YOU
Tennessee has been more productive running the football than throwing it.
That doesn’t mean MacIntyre can’t beat you through the air.
But I would much rather make a young quarterback consistently execute difficult throws than allow Tennessee to control the game with its rushing attack.
Stop the run.
Create third-and-long situations.
Then challenge MacIntyre’s ability to identify coverage and deliver the football under pressure.
2. ATTACK THE RUN DEFENSE
Tennessee’s defense has been outstanding overall, but its run defense hasn’t been quite as dominant as its pass defense.
South Carolina enters this game averaging more than 230 rushing yards per contest.
That’s a matchup worth exploring.
I want the Gamecocks to establish a physical presence early.
Run between the tackles.
Challenge Tennessee’s defensive front.
And force the Volunteers to commit additional defenders to stopping the run.
That’s how you create opportunities in the passing game.
3. TEST TENNESSEE’S EMOTIONAL READINESS
This might be the most overlooked factor in the entire matchup.
Tennessee just defeated Alabama.
That’s an emotional victory for any program, particularly Tennessee.
Now the Volunteers must travel to Columbia and face a South Carolina team that has had an extra week to prepare.
I’ve been around football long enough to know how difficult it can be to maintain the same emotional intensity from one Saturday to the next.
Tennessee’s coaching staff understands that.
But understanding the danger and preventing it are two different things.
If South Carolina comes out aggressively and gets the crowd involved early, Tennessee could find itself in a much more difficult contest than expected.
THREE VOLUNTEERS TO WATCH
DeSean Bishop, Running Back
The player who makes Tennessee’s offense go. South Carolina must limit his production and prevent Tennessee from controlling the line of scrimmage.
George MacIntyre, Quarterback
An intelligent young quarterback who has demonstrated the ability to manage the offense. The question is how he responds when South Carolina forces him outside his comfort zone.
Mike Matthews, Wide Receiver
A dangerous receiving threat who can turn routine completions into significant gains. Tackling in space will be critical.
THE MATCHUP THAT MATTERS
Tennessee’s offensive line vs. South Carolina’s defensive front.
Forget the quarterbacks for a moment.
This is where I believe the game will be decided.
If Tennessee establishes its running game, Heupel can dictate the tempo and control the defensive looks he wants.
But if South Carolina wins at the line of scrimmage and forces Tennessee into predictable passing situations, the entire complexion of the game changes.
And here’s something else.
I want South Carolina’s defensive front to play with controlled aggression.
There’s a difference between attacking an offense and simply running yourself out of position.
Against Tennessee’s spacing and tempo, undisciplined defensive football can become a disaster.
JB’S FINAL ASSESSMENT
I’ve been critical of South Carolina throughout this season, particularly when it comes to quarterback development, discipline, and coaching decisions.
One victory over Florida doesn’t erase those concerns.
But I’m also not convinced that Tennessee is an unbeatable football team.
The Volunteers are very good defensively, have a productive running game, and are getting efficient quarterback play.
That’s a winning formula.
However, South Carolina has some advantages.
The Gamecocks are playing at home.
They’ve had an additional week to prepare.
And their defensive strength against the run matches up with the foundation of Tennessee’s offense.
The biggest question is whether South Carolina can play four quarters of disciplined football.
No unnecessary penalties.
No blown assignments.
No questionable decisions that take points off the scoreboard.
And absolutely no giving away possessions.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again.
The difference between winning and losing in the SEC often has less to do with talent than execution.
Tennessee deserves to be favored.
But I believe South Carolina has a legitimate opportunity to make this a four-quarter football game.
And if the Gamecocks can take away Tennessee’s running game and force George MacIntyre to carry the offense on his shoulders, things could get very interesting in Columbia.
The Volunteers may be coming to Williams-Brice with a top-15 ranking and plenty of confidence.
But they’d better not come expecting an easy afternoon.
