The question for Tennessee at South Carolina: back up the big win, or fall into the trap

Tennessee's trip to South Carolina arrives with a familiar warning label. In his weekly picks column covering the SEC slate, columnist Adams puts the question plainly: can the Volunteers avoid a letdown on the road in Columbia?

The setup practically invites one. Tennessee heads into the game trying to back up its recent form away from home, and SEC road trips have a habit of punishing teams that spend the week admiring their last result. Adams works through the South Carolina matchup alongside his picks for the rest of the conference's games.

What the Vols do Saturday will say plenty about who they are. Win, and the momentum is real and portable. Lose, and this becomes the week the season's story changed — the kind of result that separates teams still climbing from teams that already peaked.