Where Tennessee is ranked after the 41-20 win over South Carolina

Tennessee moved up one spot in the updated USA Today Coaches Poll on Sunday and is now ranked No. 18 overall. The Vols dropped one spot to No. 22 in the Associated Press Top 25, jumped by Missouri after Mizzou’s 38-21 win at Vanderbilt.

The Vols (4-1, 1-1 SEC) beat South Carolina (2-3, 0-2) 41-20 at Neyland Stadium Saturday night in Knoxville. 

Joe Milton III completed 21 of 32 passes for 239 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions and Tennessee ran 40 times as a team for 238 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.

Jaylen Wright led the Vols on the ground, carrying 16 times for 123 yards and a touchdown. He scored from 42 yards out on Tennessee’s first drive, giving the junior running back his first touchdown of the season.

Jabari Small rushed 11 times for 59 yards and a touchdown and sophomore Dylan Sampson had nine carries for 49 yards and a touchdown.

Squirrel White caught nine passes on nine targets for 104 yards, including a long of 50. Jacob Warren caught three passes for 26 yards and a touchdown and Sampson caught two passes out of the backfield for 42 yards.

Ramel Keyton caught two passes for 25 yards and Bru McCoy caught two passes for 21 yards before being carted off the field following a gruesome lower-leg injury in the second quarter.

Tennessee defense sacked Spencer Rattler six times in win

South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler completed 24 of 35 passes for 169 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Tennessee cornerback Kamal Hadden picked off Rattler on a pass that sailed high, taking it back 28 yards for a touchdown to put Tennessee ahead 24-10 in the final minute of the first half. 

The Gamecocks rushed 27 times as a team for 132 yards and two touchdowns, including a 75-yard score from Mario Anderson, who had 10 carries for 101 yards. Rattler ran 11 times for 19 yards and a touchdown.

Tennessee kept constant pressure on Rattler, sacking him six times and coming up with eight tackles for loss. James Pearce Jr. had two sacks. Omari Thomas, Joshua Josephs and Kurott Garland had one each and Omarr Norman-Lott and Dominic Bailey had a half sack each.

Up Next: Tennessee vs. Texas A&M, October 14, Neyland Stadium

The Vols are off next week before hosting Texas A&M (4-1, 2-0) at Neyland Stadium on October 14. Kickoff time for Tennessee’s game against the Aggies has not yet been set but will be announced on Monday afternoon.

Tennessee has played Texas A&M just twice since the Aggies joined the SEC in 2012 and only four times in the history of the two programs, with both teams winning twice. The Vols lost 45-38 in overtime at Kyle Field in 2016 and lost 34-13 in Knoxville in December 2020, during the COVID-shortened season. 

Tennessee beat Texas A&M 38-7 in the Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Day 2005 and beat the Aggies 3-0 in the Gator Bowl in December 1957.