November 01, 2004

Tennessee 43, South Carolina 29

For 28 minutes Saturday, South Carolina gave Tennessee all it could handle. The Gamecocks dominated the Vols in every statistical category for almost the entire first half of play--a first half that saw them get an early safety, win the battle of field position and force an early turnover. But for all their early domination, South Carolina could only muster eight points on the scoreboard to show for it.

But the tide turned with 3:05 left in the first half when the Gamecocks missed a field goal that would have put them up 11-0 on the Volunteers.

Tennessee's offense came back on the field after being stiffled by miscues, a lack of a running game, turnovers and ill-timed penalties most of the afternoon and began taking the momentum back. Quarterback Eric Ainge was pulled from the game in favor of Brent Shaeffer early in the second quarter but miscues and penalities prevented the Vols from going anywhere.

At least until the field goal sailed wide.

Shaeffer came back on the field and after getting sacked on second down, offensive coordinator Randy Sanders gambled--he took a timeout. Coming out the timeout Shaeffer scrambled and completed a 55-yard pass to C.J. Fayton and setting the Vols up 21 yards from the end zone. Eric Ainge stepped back in and two plays later, the Vols cracked the end zone for the first time. Shaeffer came in to convert the two-point play and the Vols and Gamecocks were tied at 8-8 as the half expired.

Tennessee never looked back. Substituting Ainge and Shaeffer situatioanlly proved to be effective for the Vols as they scored 21 points in the third quarter and never looked back. The running game got on track as Cedric Houston ran for 193 yards on 15 carries for the Vols.

The only bad news from the game: Schaeffer broke a collar bone and is out for at least six weeks.

The win keeps the Vols in the driver's seat in the race for the SEC Eastern Division crown with games against Kentucky and Vanderbilt remaining. Georgia, who won against Florida, still has hopes of getting to the SEC title game, but they must win out against Kentucky and Auburn.

The loss, the twelth straight to Tennessee for South Carolina, puts the Gamecocks bowl hopes in jeopardy with dates against Florida, Arkansas and in-state rival, Clemson still looming in November.

Posted by Michael Hickerson

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1. From SEC College Football - Fanblogs.com

   pinged on Nov 6, 2004 11:54 AM

   South Carolina Head Coach Lou Holtz was driven to tears after the Gamecock loss to Tennessee last week....