After watching Tennessee play what may have been their worst game of the season in a season filled with bad games, I can’t help but “work like heck” not to throw up like heck.
The Volunteers got embarrassed in Columbia Saturday night against South Carolina, losing 27-6 in what has become the Vols’ usual inept fashion.
Gamecocks quarterback Stephen Garcia threw for 139 yards and two touchdowns and South Carolina added more misery to Tennessee’s season of discontent.
Tennessee Vols' QB Nick Stephens
The loss guaranteed the Vols (3-6, 1-5) can do no better than break even in 2008, and that’s appearing more unlikely with each passing week.
In all the years I’ve been associated with the game of football, I have never seen a team digress like Tennessee has over the course of this season.
South Carolina’s victory was the first home win over the Vols in 16 years and just the fourth time the Gamecocks have defeated Tennessee in 26 meetings.
Tennessee’s dismal offense only managed 207 yards against South Carolina and committed three turnovers, all of which resulted in Gamecocks’ scores.
The Vols’ went three and out on seven of their 15 drives and gained just 34 yards rushing.
Garcia, starting for only the second time this season, completed 4 passes for 80 yards on the Gamecocks second possession, a five-play, 82-yard drive that ended with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Mike Davis.
“It’s a good feeling to finally beat those guys,” Garcia said.
On Tennessee’s next possession, the Gamecocks Stoney Woodson picked off a Nick Stephens pass and took it 68 yards for a touchdown to give South Carolina a 14-0 lead with 14:45 remaining in the second quarter.
The interception was Stephens’ first of his career and Tennessee’s first turnover in 193 snaps.
On the Volunteers next possession, Stephens was benched in favor of former starter Jonathan Crompton.
Tennessee Vols' RB Arian Foster Scored the Volunteers Only TD Against South Carolina
On the first play of the Vols’ fifth possession, Lennon Creer fumbled after catching a pass from Crompton, and Captain Munnerlyn returned it to the Vols’ 4.
The Gamecocks only needed one play to capitalize on the Vols’ mistake, with Garcia finding Kenny McKinley on a slant pattern for an easy touchdown and a 21-0 lead with 10:17 left in the second quarter.
Tennessee head coach Phil Fulmer said his players were disappointed with their fourth loss in the past five games and told them to keep their heads up.
“It’s not the way Tennessee is supposed to be,” Fulmer said. “It’s not what they came here for.”
Still, Fulmer said he’s the man for the job despite the poor season. When the Vols disappoint, they typically bounce back the next year.
“I certainly feel like in time, we’ll be back on track, ” he said.
Fulmer sounds like a man that’s in complete denial of the obvious.
Stephens and Crompton were sacked six times and Tennessee was held under 10 points for the third time this season, a first since Fulmer took over the Vols’ program in 1993.
The bulk of Tennessee’s offensive production came on the first two drives of the third quarter. With Stephens back in the game for the Vols first possession of the second half, he connected with Austin Rogers on a 49-yard pass to the Gamecocks 31.
But Tennessee’s drive fizzled from there when Stephens’ pass to Lucas Taylor fell incomplete on fourth and three from the South Carolina 24.
The Vols only touchdown of the game came on their next possession, putting together an eight-play, 80-yard drive that was capped off by Arian Foster’s 1-yard leap into the end zone to cut the lead to 24-6 with 4:09 left in the third quarter.
On Tennessee’s next four possessions, they ran a total of 13 plays for six yards.
Tennessee returns home next week to face Wyoming (3-5), a 35-10 winner over San Diego State on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 12:00 p.m. Central.
