After months of buildup and uncertainty, it’s finally Football Time in Tennessee! The 16th ranked Volunteers are set to travel to South Carolina to kick off the 2020 season on Saturday night at Williams-Brice Stadium.
The Big Orange will be looking to win their second straight game over the Gamecocks after posting a 41-21 victory in Knoxville last season.
Broadcast Info
Saturday’s game will be televised on the SEC Network with Taylor Zarzour (PxP), Matt Stinchcomb (analyst) and Alyssa Lang (sideline) on the call. Kickoff for Saturday’s contest is slated for 7:39 p.m.
Fans can also listen to Tennessee’s official radio broadcast on the Vol Network (WIVK-FM 107.7 / WNML-FM 99.1) and satellite radio (Sirius Ch. 83, XM Ch. 83, Internet Ch. 83). Bob Kesling (PxP), Tim Priest (analyst) and Brent Hubbs (analyst) will call the action, with Kasey Funderburg handling sideline duties.
Need to Know
Season Opener Info
Tennessee’s season opener at South Carolina will kick off a 10-game conference only slate for the 2020 season. The Sept. 26 opener is the latest on the calendar for the Vols since opening the 1962 campaign on Sept. 29 against Auburn. It’s also the first time UT will begin a season against an SEC team since facing Georgia on Sept. 3, 1988.
The Vols are 91-26-6 all-time in season openers. Saturday’s contest will also mark the first time Tennessee has opened a season with a true road game since facing UCLA in Pasadena on Sept. 1, 2008.
The Streak
The Vols finished the 2019 season as one of the hottest teams in college football, posting six straight victories to end the year, capped off by a thrilling comeback win over Indiana in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl.
UT’s six-game winning streak is the fifth-longest in the FBS and the third-longest in the Power 5. The streak began with last season’s win over South Carolina on Oct. 26. Tennessee has claimed three consecutive wins away from Neyland Stadium during the streak, as well.
Palmetto State Vols
This Saturday’s game will serve as a homecoming of sorts for four Tennessee players. Defensive backs Bryce Thompson and Kenney Solomon, wide receiver Jalin Hyatt and punter Paxton Brooks all hail from the Palmetto State.
Thompson and Hyatt both starred at Dutch Fork High School located in Irmo, which is just 12 miles northwest of Columbia. Brooks’ hometown of Lexington is also just 12 miles from South Carolina’s campus.
Preseason Honors
A host of Volunteers have garnered preseason accolades this year. Trey Smith has been the headliner with numerous preseason honors to his credit, including unanimous preseason All-America recognition.
Tennessee had five players named to both the Preseason All-SEC coaches and media teams, which is the most since 2016.
Preseason All-SEC Team Selections
- OL Trey Smith: First Team (Coaches & Media)
- PK Brent Cimaglia: First Team (Coaches & Media)
- LB Henry To’o To’o: Second Team (Coaches & Media)
- OL Wanya Morris: Second Team (Coaches), Third Team (Media)
- DB Bryce Thompson: Third Team (Coaches & Media)
For a complete list of UT players who have earned preseason honors, check Page 5 of the game notes.
Series History: South Carolina
Vols lead series, 26-10-2 (9-7-2 in Columbia)
The Vols snapped a three-game losing streak to the Gamecocks last season, scoring a pair of special teams touchdowns en route to a convincing 41-21 victory that jump started the six-game winning streak to end the year.
Despite the overall success against South Carolina, Tennessee will be looking to snap a two-game losing streak to the Gamecocks in Columbia, where the Vols haven’t won since a 45-42 overtime victory in 2014.
About South Carolina
The Gamecocks, who enter year five under the leadership of head coach Will Muschamp, are looking to rebound from a disappointing season in 2019 that saw them lose five of their final six games to finish 4-8. South Carolina was picked to finish fifth in the eastern division in the SEC preseason poll.
USC finished towards the bottom of the league in total offense (371.9) and total defense (393.3) last season but did a good job limiting turnovers, committing just 14 all year, which was good for fifth in the SEC and 20th in the country.
South Carolina boasts five Preseason All-SEC selections in offensive lineman Sadarius Hutcherson, defensive backs Israel Mukuamu and Jaycee Horn, defensive lineman Aaron Sterling and linebacker Ernest Jones.
Despite returning their leading passer from last season in sophomore signal caller Ryan Hilinski, the Gamecocks have opted to start Colorado State grad transfer Colin Hill at quarterback for the season opener. Hill has played in 18 games while making 11 starts throughout his collegiate career, completing 263-of-433 passes for 3,323 yards, 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He is also familiar with new offensive coordinator Mike Bobo, who coached him at Colorado State.
Defensively, it’ll be Jones and Mukuamu leading the way for the Gamecocks. Jones led the team with 97 tackles from his MIKE linebacker spot a year ago, adding 5.5 tackles for loss and two interceptions, as well. Mukuamu led the team with four interceptions and had nine pass breakups to go along with 59 tackles in 2019.
Vol Access Gameday Pass
A new season with a completely new view has finally arrived. Designed to engage Vol fans near and far during a season preventing 102,455 Big Orange faithful from filling Neyland Stadium, the Vol Access Gameday Pass is the next best glimpse for fans who will miss the sights and sounds of gameday on Rocky Top.
Tennessee Athletics brings you compellingly produced behind-the-scenes features, streams and exclusive footage, and it’s only available via the Vol Access Gameday Pass. Experience the vivid sights, sounds and Big Orange gameday spirit right in your own home. Pass content is available for viewing on a smart device, computer browser (excluding Internet Explorer) or tablet. Pass holders also can broadcast to a TV from a cast.
The Vol Access Gameday Pass is available for all 10 Tennessee football games, including a totally free “first look,” with features produced for this weekend’s season-opener at South Carolina.
For more info on the Vol Access Gameday Pass, click HERE.
-UT Athletics
