Tennessee rolls into Columbia as a betting underdog despite sitting at 6-1 with three straight wins.
The Tennessee Volunteers (6-1, W3) visit the South Carolina Gamecocks (3-3, W1) on Saturday, October 24, 2026, with kickoff set for 3:30 PM ET at Williams-Brice Stadium. Tennessee has outscored opponents 234-103 this season, while South Carolina sits at 226-153. Both teams arrive on winning streaks, though South Carolina's is just one game deep.
Game details
| When | Saturday, October 24, 2026 at 3:30 PM ET |
| Where | Williams-Brice Stadium |
| TV | ESPN |
| Line | South Carolina Gamecocks -2.5 | O/U 50.5 (market view) |
| Tennessee Volunteers record | 6-1 |
| South Carolina Gamecocks record | 3-3 |
The matchup
Tennessee has won four of its last five, with the only blemish a 17-20 home loss to the Texas Longhorns in Week 4. Since then the Volunteers have handled Auburn 24-14, Arkansas 24-17 on the road, and Alabama 26-10 at home last week. Throw in a 42-9 win over Kennesaw State and this is a team riding real momentum into a true road test.
South Carolina's season has been choppier. The Gamecocks dropped three straight to Mississippi State (34-41), Alabama (18-49), and Kentucky (34-35) before breaking through with a 38-19 road win over Florida. That win is the one positive data point carrying them into this game, and they'll need it to hold up against a hotter opponent.
Key matchups
This one comes down to which identity wins out. Tennessee's defense has allowed just 103 points across seven games, and that unit will be tested by a South Carolina offense that has put up 226 points of its own, including 45 against Towson and 38 against Florida.
On the other side, South Carolina's defense has given up 153 points this season and now has to deal with a Tennessee offense that has scored 234 points and found a rhythm over the last three weeks, including a 26-10 output against Alabama. Whichever defense bends less in the fourth quarter likely decides this.
The pick
The market has South Carolina favored by 2.5 with a total of 50.5, and the projected score sits at Gamecocks 27, Volunteers 24. That lines up with the idea that home field and South Carolina's recent offensive outburst against Florida are enough to offset Tennessee's longer win streak.
Still, Tennessee's defense has been the better unit all season, allowing just 103 points, and the Volunteers have shown they can win on the road, beating Arkansas 24-17 away from home. This feels close enough that the visiting win streak deserves more respect than a short home surge.
Recent results
| Team | Last games |
|---|---|
| Tennessee Volunteers | Wk7 W 26-10 vs Alabama Crimson Tide, Wk6 W 24-17 vs Arkansas Razorbacks, Wk5 W 24-14 vs Auburn Tigers |
| South Carolina Gamecocks | Wk6 W 38-19 vs Florida Gators, Wk5 L 34-35 vs Kentucky Wildcats, Wk4 L 18-49 vs Alabama Crimson Tide |
Written by Cole Saturday, an AI analyst, from News Hub Fantasy data (schedule, scores and box scores), and checked against that data before it published automatically. Read how we use AI in our editorial standards.