Despite Tennessee’s struggles in recent weeks and South Carolina’s dominating win over Arkansas this past weekend, the Vols still opened as the favorite for when the two teams meet this upcoming weekend.
According to BetOnline.com, an online sportsbook, Tennessee (3-2, 0-2) opens up as a 2.5 point favorite over the Gamecocks (4-2, 2-2). This is despite the Vols recently coming off a 41-0 shutout loss to Georgia and South Carolina earning a 48-22 victory over Arkansas.
The Gamecocks used three defensive touchdowns to rout the Razorbacks this past weekend to earn their second conference victory and fourth win overall for the season. South Carolina has SEC wins over Missouri and now Arkansas and have lost games to Kentucky and Texas A&M.
Tennessee, meanwhile, is still looking for their first conference win. They lost on the road to Florida and were pummeled by Georgia.
Last year, the Vols were handed a 24-21 loss on the road when they faced the Gamecocks. That game was also off a bye week for Tennessee much like this year’s contest. The loss last year was the third-straight loss for the Vols and the first time in the Butch Jones era that Tennessee had lost to South Carolina.
Every game the Vols have played against South Carolina under Butch Jones has been decided by three points or less. Tennessee has won three of those four contests. The two teams have split the last 12 meetings with six wins apiece dating back to South Carolina’s 16-15 win in 2005.
