By SCOTT FELTS
The Opponent: South Carolina Gamecocks
When: Saturday, October 24th, 3:30 or 4:30 EST
Where: Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia SC
As the Volunteers make a return to Williams-Brice Stadium, Tennessee fans can be forgiven for experiencing a little PTSD. The last time these teams met in Columbia, back in 2022, the Gamecocks delivered one of the most humiliating beatdowns in modern Vols history by hanging 63 points on a No. 5-ranked Tennessee squad in a 63-38 rout that still stings.
Many of those Vol fans believe that Connor Stallions and his sharing of his “scouting” of potential Michigan opponents led to that lopsided loss but there is no real proof that he shared any information with the Gamecocks program. It will still be in the back of the minds of Tennessee fans and to some degree, head coach Josh Heupel. I wouldn’t look for Heupel to take his foot off the pedal if given the chance late in this matchup.
Coach Background
Head coach Shane Beamer is in his sixth season at South Carolina with a 33-30 overall record heading into 2026. He’s had some signature wins, including multiple upsets of top-25 teams, but faces mounting pressure after struggling to a 4-8 finish in 2025.
Overall, Beamer – the son of longtime Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer – is viewed as a passionate, energetic leader who has elevated South Carolina’s culture and ceiling. However, he’s still chasing sustained elite consistency in the ultra-competitive SEC. His teams are fun, aggressive, and dangerous on special teams.
Under Beamer, South Carolina has led the FBS in punt blocks in several recent windows. He wants all three phases playing aggressively and complementing each other.
Staff Facts
Offensive coordinator Kendal Briles is in his first season with the Gamecocks after a strong track record at programs like Baylor and Houston. He brings a high-powered, spread attack that should fit nicely with the personnel.
Briles’ system is rooted in the Baylor “Veer and Shoot” offense pioneered by his father, Art Briles, but it has evolved with influences from stops under coaches like Lane Kiffin.
He’s known as a strong quarterback developer and play-caller who prioritizes execution, physicality in the trenches, and forcing defenses to defend every inch of the field.
Briles will have one of the most talented quarterbacks he’s ever had in LaNorris Sellers.
Defensive coordinator Clayton White returns for his sixth season in that role at South Carolina, providing continuity and an aggressive, multiple-front scheme.
White’s defensive philosophy s built around aggression, versatility, quick decision-making, and relentless effort to create negative plays and force turnovers by running a “Flex Nickel” defense (often a 4-2-5 base) that allows significant flexibility. He can easily shift into 3-3-5 looks or other sub-packages depending on personnel and game situation.
The mentality is consistent: play dynamic, violent football, swarm to the ball, and focus on third-down stops and situational defense.
Quarterback Preview
The signal caller is Sellers (6-3, 238), a redshirt junior back for his third year as the starter and fourth in the program. A big, athletic dual threat with a cannon arm and legitimate running ability, Sellers had flashes of brilliance in prior seasons but dealt with inconsistencies behind a shaky offensive line in 2025. Expect him to thrive in Briles’ scheme through designed runs, RPOs, and deep shots. His talent could give him Heisman buzz potential but the schedule is brutal and the wins won’t likely be there to make him a serious contender for that award.
Sellers’ weaknesses? His completion percentage dropped to 60.8% in 2025. He can be spotty, especially under pressure or on intermediate throws because of an unorthodox/long release of the ball.
He also appears to lock onto first reads, holds the ball too long which leads to high sack totals, and needs to improve progression through reads and anticipation. Without those adjustments look for him to force throws or make unnecessary scrambles.
Key Offensive Player
WR Nyck Harbor (6-5, 239). The explosive playmaker and former track star returns as a senior leader. His speed and big-play ability downfield make him a constant vertical threat that defenses must account for, especially in Briles’ tempo attack. He should be a focal point alongside Sellers.
Harbor runs like a much smaller player. His long speed is elite, and he can outrun angles and take the top off defenses. In 2025, he averaged an impressive 20.6 yards per catch with six touchdowns and several additional big plays. He even blocks well against defensive backs in the run game.
Against good corners, Harbor lacks the ability to create consistent separation mostly due to rounding off his stems and giving away his breaks. He’s suffered key drops at times and lost out on more 50/50 balls than his frame would suggest.
Key Defensive Player
Edge Dylan Stewart (6-5, 250). A former five-star recruit and one of the SEC’s most disruptive pass rushers, the junior Stewart brings elite athleticism, length, and production off the edge, generating 12 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks in 2025. He’s a game-wrecker who can generate pressure and force negative plays for White’s unit.
Stewart has an explosive first step with elite bend and flexibility while also exhibiting violent hands with long arms to stack blockers, disengage, and create disruption in both the run and pass game.
While he plays with a high motor he relies on his athleticism rather than refining his technique so his pass rush can become repetitive and easy to adjust to. Good to elite offensive linemen or a double team can take him out of a play and even have him off-balance as he tries to shed around the end.
X-Factor
The X-factor is Kendal Briles’ offensive installation and how that fares against the scheme of the Vols’ first-year defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. Briles’ scheme could catch Tennessee off guard if the Gamecocks execute cleanly at home. Sellers’ familiarity with the new system and the talent around him might create schematic surprises that test Tennessee’s defense. Tennessee returns 13 starters to the Gamecocks’ 10 so how the players adjust to new schemes will play a huge role in the outcome of this matchup.
The Schedule
Tennessee will be playing in its eighth game in as many weeks and coming off a home contest against Alabama. The Gamecocks, meanwhile, will have a bye to get ready for the Vols. After the Tennessee game it gets ugly for the Gamecocks as they face Oklahoma, A&M, Arkansas, Georgia, and Clemson to wrap up the season.
How the Gamecocks Can Win
South Carolina wins by letting Sellers and Harbor cook in space while Stewart and the defense create havoc and short fields for the Gamecock offense. If Briles’ scheme finds rhythm and the home crowd provides energy, they can control tempo and force Tennessee into mistakes. They win if the Vols get a case of the “trap game blues” on the road and forget that Williams-Brice can get loud when Sellers is rolling.
How the Gamecocks Can Lose
South Carolina loses if the new offensive scheme has growing pains, the line struggles again, and Sellers takes too many hits or forces bad throws. Another path to a loss is if Tennessee’s continuity overwhelms a defense that’s still piecing things together.
Prediction: Tennessee 41 South Carolina 27.
Tennessee’s greater overall continuity, offensive firepower, and road experience should prevail. This game may feel competitive as late as the third quarter with Sellers and Stewart making it interesting, but Tennessee pulls away late with big plays and defensive stops. The Gamecocks should show progress compared to last season, but they still won’t be quite ready to knock off the Vols just yet. With the schedule the way it is, this may be the last time the Vols have a chance to beat Beamer at South Carolina.
Predicted Vols Record: 7-1 (4-1)