Tennessee defense faces key test against South Carolina's explosive threat

South Carolina has a standout big-play threat that Tennessee will need to contain when the two teams meet, according to a Sports Illustrated breakdown of the matchup.

The focus is on the Gamecocks player identified as their biggest home-run threat, the kind of explosive option who can change a game with a single play if the defense loses track of him.

For Tennessee, limiting those long gains will be a central part of the defensive plan. Keeping that threat in check and forcing South Carolina to sustain drives instead of striking quickly could go a long way toward deciding the outcome.