No. 11 Tennessee Rallies From 14 Down to Lead South Carolina 21-17 at the Break

No. 11 Tennessee fell behind by two touchdowns early at Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday, then fought back to take a 21-17 halftime lead over South Carolina. The Volunteers, 6-1 overall and 3-1 in the SEC, came in off a 26-10 win over Alabama and looking to continue their College Football Playoff push, while the Gamecocks, 3-3 and 1-3 in the league, were coming off a bye week for the 3:30 p.m. Eastern kickoff on ESPN.

South Carolina received the opening kickoff and marched 75 yards to open the scoring, with LaNorris Sellers throwing an 18-yard touchdown pass to Mazeo Bennett. Things got worse quickly for Tennessee. After a three-and-out, Sellers hit a 27-yard pass and then ran 31 yards for a touchdown on the next play, putting the Gamecocks ahead 14-0 barely into the first quarter.

Tennessee answered with a long, grinding drive in the second quarter, going 75 yards in 18 plays over nine minutes. DeSean Bishop carried much of the load on that possession and finished it with a 1-yard touchdown run, cutting the deficit in half despite the Volunteers having other scoring chances on the drive wiped out by penalties. The defense then gave the offense a short field with an interception that set the ball up at the South Carolina 28, and DaSaahn Brame scored on a 1-yard run on fourth-and-goal to tie the game at 14-14.

South Carolina moved back in front late in the half on a 22-yard field goal after Sellers missed an open receiver in the end zone and Tennessee's pressure forced an incompletion on third-and-goal. Tennessee responded in the final minute, driving 75 yards in seven plays and taking its first lead with 24 seconds left before halftime on an 8-yard touchdown run by Mike Matthews out of the wildcat formation.

The rally put Tennessee in front at the break in a series the Volunteers lead 27-11-2, and one the teams had not played since Tennessee won 41-20 at Neyland Stadium in 2023. South Carolina had won the most recent meeting in Columbia, 63-38 in 2022, making Tennessee's comeback from the early hole especially important as the second half began.