With Florida’s win over No. 16 Alabama on Tuesday night in Gainesville, the door to Tennessee’s outright SEC regular season title is within reach for Rick Barnes and the Volunteers.
Alabama’s loss means that Tennessee can clinch sole possession of the SEC regular season title with a win over No. 17 South Carolina on Wednesday night in Columbia. If Tennessee were to lose to South Carolina on Wednesday night, the Vols and the Gamecocks would then be tied atop the standings with a 13-4 SEC record and one game remaining on the schedule for each SEC team.
Tennessee will host No. 15 Kentucky on Saturday in Knoxville while South Carolina will close the season at Mississippi State.
Here’s a simpler way to look at things: Tennessee can beat South Carolina on Wednesday to outright win the SEC regular season championship. If Tennessee loses to South Carolina, the Vols can still clinch a share of the conference championship with a win over Kentucky on Saturday. Tennessee can also win the conference outright with a loss to South Carolina and a win against Kentucky if the Gamecocks lose to Mississippi State as well.
There are additional tying scenarios if Tennessee loses but with so many moving parts and potential outcomes from the midweek slate, it’s best to assess those on Thursday when each team only has one game left on the schedule.
The important thing to know for Wednesday is that a Tennessee win will give the Vols the outright SEC regular season championship. We’ll re-assess the path and the scenarios that lie ahead on Thursday if Tennessee loses on Wednesday night.
Tennessee is set to win at least a share of the SEC regular season title this week barring two losses to both South Carolina and Kentucky. One win over the next two games for Tennessee will guarantee the Vols at least a share of the conference title.
Tennessee’s challenge in Columbia won’t be an easy path as the Gamecocks are the only team to beat the Vols in Knoxville this season. South Carolina boasts a confident, gritty, chip-on-the-shoulder type of team that is looking to beat the odds and win the conference championship in a season that which they were picked to finish last among the 14 SEC teams.
Alabama’s loss to Florida opened the door to Tennessee’s first outright SEC regular season championship under Rick Barnes. Now it’s up to Tennessee to walk through it on Wednesday night.
The 4th-ranked Vols and the 17th-ranked Gamecocks will square off in a pivotal SEC showdown at 7:00 p.m. ET Wednesday night on ESPN2 from Columbia.
