George MacIntyre among three Vols singled out as key to beating South Carolina

George MacIntyre is one of three Tennessee players identified as most important to preventing a South Carolina win, putting the young Vol in the spotlight ahead of the matchup with the Gamecocks.

The framing is straightforward. If Tennessee is to avoid an upset or a letdown against South Carolina, the performance of a small group of key Vols will likely decide it, and MacIntyre's name is at the front of that conversation in this assessment.

For Tennessee, that kind of attention cuts both ways. It reflects how much can ride on MacIntyre in a game like this, and it raises the stakes for him and the other Vols singled out to deliver when South Carolina comes in looking for a win.