Before Tennessee entered Williams-Brice Stadium to face South Carolina on Saturday, many desired for the Volunteers to compete for a College Football Playoff spot.
While Vols foe Georgia will play in the league’s championship game against LSU on Dec. 3, the thought of witnessing Tennessee—a program that has not won its division since 2007 or claimed an SEC title or national championship in 24 years—in the mix of college football’s elite for the first time since the year after Peyton Manning went to the NFL was an intriguing thought.
That was until South Carolina thumped the Volunteers, 63-38, on Saturday night. Hendon Hooker tore his ACL, ending his season and his quest for this year's Heisman Trophy. The Volunteers’ defense—a unit that went toe-to-toe with Alabama and played competitively against UGA—made Spencer Rattler look like Superman and the Gamecocks’ offense scored touchdowns on nine of 11 drives.
