The final shot for Tennessee not to go 0 for October in the SEC came Saturday when South Carolina limped into Neyland Stadium. Marcus Lattimore was out for the season with a torn ACL and Stephen Garcia had one too many and had been kicked off the team. Connor Shaw had taken over at quarterback and Alshon Jeffery was struggling at wide out. However, there is nothing like a Tennessee secondary to make your woes in the passing game get better it seems. I went into the game fully expecting Tennessee to give up nothing short of 300 yards receiving to Jeffery.
Tennessee started the game right where they left off in Alabama. Three and out, punt, but this time the receiver of the punt was not very good at catching, and pulling his best impression of a Tennessee punt returner from 2010 he allowed the ball to bounce off his chest and onto the turf. Tennessee recovered and after they were stuffed on three straight plays, Michael Parlady came on to bang home a 22 yard field goal. After this small victory, the exercise in futility continued.
After the two teams exchanged punts a few times Tennessee finally got back into a position to allow Parlady to try another field goal that would put Tennessee ahead 6-0. This time the 47 yard attempt was blocked and the teams exchanged punts again. Tennessee's defense was playing great, until on a forth and one play the secondary got caught looking run and allowed the Carolina tight end Anderson to break free. Shaw found him for a touchdown and South Carolina took the lead 7-3. On the following series Tennessee had a third and one play from the South Carolina 44. Worley dropped back to pass and had Rogers down the sideline. Worley couldn't have put the ball in a better place, tight spiral, just over the defender, right into the hands of Da'Rick Rogers for what would have been a Tennessee touchdown if Da'Rick hadn't allowed the ball to go right through his hands. More punts ensued and Tennessee went into the half down 7-3.
Oh what could have been.
To open the third quarter Dooley chose to try an onside kick. The ball bounced out of bounds and South Carolina started with excellent field position. Shaw threw pass straight to Prentis Waggner though and Waggner took off down the field. The entire time he was running I think everyone in the stadium was thinking the same thing, GET INTO THE ENDZONE!!! It was not meant to be though, and Waggner was tackled at the three yard line. On the first play Poole was stuffed three yards deep and then on play two Worley threw an interception. South Carolina then proceeded to go on a drive lasting 20 plays, and covering 98 yards, ending in a touchdown when Shaw scored on a QB draw play from five yards out. Tennessee was now down 14-3 going into the forth quarter after running just four plays in the entire third quarter.
In the forth quarter Tennessee seemed to be loosing ground fast when South Carolina began another drive that looked to be one able to run the clock down again when Brian Randolph forced a fumble and Tennessee recovered. Worley ended any thought of Tennessee maybe making a comeback when on the first play from scrimmage he threw his second interception of the game. A three and out for South Carolina, followed by an unproductive drive lead by Matt Simms, lead to South Carolina being able to run out the clock and win 14-3.
Guess we are still watering the bamboo. Just keep watering.
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