Vols, Gamecocks face turning points for ’09 season

By BETH RUCKER, Associated Press Writer Nov 1, 6:00 pm EST

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP)—Tennessee and South Carolina’s annual meeting has been a kind of turning point for both teams in recent years.

The Volunteers (4-4, 2-3 Southeastern Conference) are hoping their 31-13 win over the Gamecocks on Saturday means the start of a strong finish to coach Lane Kiffin’s first season.

“It was a good win,” Vols quarterback Jonathan Crompton said. “We needed that right now to kind of start our streak of what we want to do: to finish out the season undefeated.”

And after dropping out of the Top 25 for the first time in a month, the Gamecocks (6-3, 3-3) are hoping to prevent a November losing skid.

Dressed in Halloween-inspired black jerseys with orange pants, Tennessee took advantage of South Carolina mistakes on Saturday and turned three fumbles into touchdowns.

“We hung in there and kept our heads high until the very end and we moved the ball. We just have to get better,” said South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia, who passed for 300 yards.

The last time the Gamecocks were ranked as high as No. 21 was before the 2007 Tennessee game, when they were ranked No. 15. South Carolina lost that game in overtime 27-24 and dropped its final three games against Arkansas, Florida and Clemson—the same three teams it faces this November.

The Vols used that win over the Gamecocks to overcome a shaky season start and win their last four games and the SEC East title.

Florida has already clinched the East Division championship for this season, thanks to Tennessee’s upset of South Carolina, but the Vols are looking to finish with a winning record, grab a bowl bid and avoid the kind of finish they had last season.

A 27-6 loss to the Gamecocks last season was the final strike against coach Phillip Fulmer, who was fired two days later. Tennessee finished with a 5-7 record after losing to Wyoming and missed out on the postseason.

Kiffin said he’s encouraged by the improvement his players have shown through the season.

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier thinks his players still have some work to do.

“We’re 6-3, that’s a pretty good record, and we’ve played some pretty good teams,” Spurrier said. “We’ve got to learn that to beat the good teams we’ve got to play more efficiently.”

Updated Nov 1, 6:00 pm EST
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Head to Head - Week 9

Team Total Yds Pass Yds Rush Yds First Downs 3rdD% Pen./Yds Turnovers Time of Poss.
South Carolina 365 300 65 19 26.7% 4/35 4 26:35
Tennessee 341 142 199 15 21.4% 6/40 0 33:25
NCAAF

96 Comments

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  1. Ugie
    96. Posted by Ugie Fri Nov 6 1:45am EST

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    Yeah, and just think backdraft951, if TN hadnt scored any points at all, or just stayed at home, SC would have won the game and not allowed any points, or even caused a forfeit. WOW, how astute are you. I really DONT understand the concept of saying things like "if SC hadnt turned over the ball TN would have lost". My man, do you forget the game has two sides on the field, offense and defense? Thats like saying if SC had not scored a touchdown TN would have not allowed a touchdown in that game, WTF kind of sense does that make?????

    They should give trophies for the kind of idiot thinking that comes with making statements such as yours. Hell TN would have beaten Alabama had we made just one field goal, but the fact remains, we didnt, just as the fact remains that our defense took the ball away from SC 3 times and our offense scored quite quickly, 3 times. It wasnt the defense that scored, it was the offense.

    And i will leave you with one more thought to go along with your stupid thoughts, had TN not taken the ball away and scored as they did, who is to say they still play the game the way they did? Who is to say they dont use a completely different idea in their play calling and end up with 400yds on offense?

    I guess, had we not let the gators score, TN would have won that game, i like you think TN got ripped off too. LMFAO at YOU, dumbass....
  2. Ugie
    95. Posted by Ugie Fri Nov 6 1:20am EST

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    If Columbia SC wasnt such a freaken sht hole of a city, the Game@#$%s might be able to recrute some decent players. No offence, but really, that place sucks. Its gona take Steve about 10yrs to do what he could have done in 5yrs just because of where hes at. Now if the university was in myrtle beach, he probably would have already goten a NC by now.
  3. <i>patrickperry56</i>
    94. Posted by patrickperry56 Wed Nov 4 1:17pm EST

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    Joe (Post #93)

    In the mid to late 90's Tennessee beat SC by anywhere by 9 to 52 points. Since 2000 the average margin of victory has been much closer 1 to 21 points.

    93' Tenn 55 - SC 3
    94' Tenn 31 - SC 22
    95' Tenn 56 - SC 21
    96' Tenn 31 - SC 14
    97' Tenn 22 - SC 7
    98' Tenn 49 - SC 14
    99' Tenn 30 - SC 7

    Since the teams started playing every season, Tennessee leads the series 15-3.

    The mid to late 90's are easy for SC fans to forget and hard for Tennessee fans to forget.
  4. Joe
    93. Posted by Joe Tue Nov 3 6:24pm EST

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    You said ..."SC is an easy win year after year"....maybe their record is poor against those teams, but most of the time it is a close game...I don't or can't recall Tenn ever beating SC by 30, 40 or 50 points...Georgia is rarely a blow out, Clemson gets the occasional big win, as does Fla, and the others, I just don't recall the games being "blowouts" every year after year....Just saying...
  5. L
    92. Posted by L Tue Nov 3 5:12pm EST

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    "You won't see it again anytime soon."

    By this I meant an SC win.
  6. L
    91. Posted by L Tue Nov 3 5:10pm EST

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    Joe, take a good look at post 90.

    4-23-2.

    The 27-6 game was against the worst TN team since your grandfather was in diapers. How many times has TN beat SC by 30, 40, or 50 points? You won't see it again anytime soon.

    SC is a speedbump in the SEC at best. Always has been, likely always will be. Florida will be resting their starters before the 3rd quarter ends, unless Myer feels like running up the score.
  7. Robbie
    90. Posted by Robbie Tue Nov 3 4:56pm EST

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    Not taking any sides here but this is Carolinas record versus all SEC teams and Clemson all time, enjoy. Carolina Vs Clemson 37-65-4, vs Georgia 13-42-3, vs Vanderbilt 14-4, vs Miss. State 5-6, vs Ole Miss 6-8, vs LSU 2-14-1, vs Auburn 1-4-1, vs Kentucky 12-6-1, vs Arkansas 7-10, vs Alabama 3-10, vs Tenn. 4-23-2, vs Florida 3-21-3. These rae their records all time versus these teams. Carolina only has a winning record versus Vandy and Kentucky, is able to compete with Miss State, Ole Miss, Auburn and Arkansas. Is not close with LSU, Florida, Tenn., Georgia, and Alabama. To back up post 86, i think this shows that their is quite a gap between carolina traditionally and the tope teams of the SEC. This is just a comment history can change but for carolina their is a gap to be filled.
  8. Joe
    89. Posted by Joe Tue Nov 3 1:39pm EST

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    #86 you are an idiot....why don't you get facts straight before saying something idiotic like that....SC is never an "easy" win for anyone they play. You should know this better since you are a Tenn fan...26-7 ring a bell...and that was just last year....stupid idiot. I am not a SC or Tenn fan or any team in the SEC, but I can say this...SEC is far and away the best confrence in the nation. The fans are just stupid...case in point, your comment about SC being an easy win.
  9. Greg Yankee
    88. Posted by Greg Yankee Tue Nov 3 8:59am EST

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    (P)Rickellis39:

    Read the last line in your post I quoted and was referring to. I read it and "got" what you meant, but I couldn't resist the urge to poke fun at a clown. Perhaps you should work on your reading comprehension skills a bit before posting.

    Get some new material FFS. Comedians have to do it once in a while, and it appears that clowns do as well.

    In the time being, you as a gaytor fan have yet another one of my votes toward your national chumpionship. Enjoy it!! I don't see the streak ending anytime soon.

    As for the reference to the "thug" rug, how bout that Brandon Spikes?
  10. Greg Yankee
    87. Posted by Greg Yankee Tue Nov 3 8:47am EST

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    As a Vol fan, I am gonna hold off on the insults and trash talk and simply say this:

    I wish South Carolina all the luck in the world against Florida. I would like to see the gators go down before they face Alabama at least once.
  11. L
    86. Posted by L Mon Nov 2 8:29pm EST

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    Gamecock fans are delusional to think themselves a rival for Tennessee or any other SEC team. SC is an easy win, year after year.
  12. Bryan
    85. Posted by Bryan Mon Nov 2 12:53am EST

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    and oh yeah read your statement again. and remember that the word IF is for losers that make up excuses. tennessee has lost 4 times and only because were young and still learning
  13. Marquis C
    83. Posted by Marquis C Sun Nov 1 10:03pm EST

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    carolina, dont worry about it, were fine, ya we lost 2 @#$% ass tennesssee, and @#$% tha haters on this damn chat, spurrier didnt make a bad decision 2 come 2 south carolina, we juz @#$%ed up, yall wudnt be sayin none of this @#$% if we didnt lose 2 damn georgia, didnt give ingram a career high agianst alabama and wudnt have fumbled 3 times agianst the vols, USC is a better team than ppl give credit 4, plus tha gators STILL have 2 come 2 columbia and face us, so we just need 2 get it 2getha nd play hard, ya digg!!!!
  14. robert h
    82. Posted by robert h Sun Nov 1 9:24pm EST

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    For all you Gator fan's explain this type of playing from your players and team with class:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cISxU8Crulw

    Poking the eye of a running back?

    Go VOL's
  15. TigerPaw41
    81. Posted by TigerPaw41 Sun Nov 1 8:27pm EST

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    hey vol fans i likrd that tennessee fried chicken? we will be having chicken on nov 28th,but it wont be fried,grilled baked or roasted, it will be the best kind of chicken of all A DEAD CHICKEN!! remember 63-17 it is coming you cant hide, bock bock!!
  16. SHANNONH
    80. Posted by SHANNONH Sun Nov 1 7:53pm EST

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    rick012115: let me say this real slow so even your simple mind can understand. Your opinions suck, and so do you. We will beat both of those teams next year. By atleast 2 tds in both games. Did you understand that. Also, our coaches wife looks better than your coaches wife. Now take your biter ass on to the Gator, and Bama blogs, so you can continue to go down on them. Just remember to come up for air. You are Master of the Skin Flute!!

    GO VOLS!!!!!!!!!!
  17. Ugie
    79. Posted by Ugie Sun Nov 1 7:52pm EST

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    Chilly, stating that if your team didnt have the turnovers they would have won makes about as much sense as saying if your team hadnt played that day they wouldnt have lost, or if they hadnt let TN score SC would have won, or if.....the fact remains, TN won, face it.
  18. <i>voxfool54</i>
    78. Posted by voxfool54 Sun Nov 1 7:26pm EST

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    I know you are not thinking the Carolina Game@#$% will have a November SKID. IT will be as it ALWAYS has BEEN a complete COLLAPSE.
  19. Bama BOI n KUWAIT
    77. Posted by Bama BOI n KUWAIT Sun Nov 1 7:01pm EST

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    roll tide from Kuwait time for some tiger meat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  20. <i>rick012115@...</i>
    76. Posted by rick012115@... Sun Nov 1 6:20pm EST

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    Greg I am glad to see that you made my point about Vol fans and their lack of ability to read and comprehend sports. Let me go slow this time. With the second tier Little Orange football team you will lose 2 times each year. 1 will be when your team plays Alabama and the other will be when your team plays Florida. 1 plus 1 equals 2 even in Tn. However, let me give you some encouragement: Your team does win a national title about every 50 years so if you are young; you just may be around to see it happen.
  21. <i>rick012115@...</i>
    75. Posted by rick012115@... Sun Nov 1 6:19pm EST

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    Greg I am glad to see that you made my point about Vol fans and their lack of ability to read and comprehend sports. Let me go slow this time. With the second tier Little Orange football team you will lose 2 times each year. 1 will be when your team plays Alabama and the other will be when your team plays Florida. 1 plus 1 equals 2 even in Tn. However, let me give you some encouragement: Your team does win a national title about every 50 years so if you are young; you just may be around to see it happen.
  22. Greg Yankee
    74. Posted by Greg Yankee Sun Nov 1 5:28pm EST

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    Rickellis39:

    We get it that you don't like Kiffin. Let's wait and see in 3-5 years where the program is with him.

    You mention SC is the armpit state, yet it continues to gain population and Florida has began to bleed residents according to the census. Sounds like the "armpit" moniker is beginning to slip back down to where it belongs.
  23. Greg Yankee
    73. Posted by Greg Yankee Sun Nov 1 5:19pm EST

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    "As long as Gators and Tide are around you will have 2 losers a year"

    So Rick are you calling the Gators and the Tide losers?

    I missed that magic flag in the SC game. Where was it?
  24. <i>rick012115@...</i>
    72. Posted by rick012115@... Sun Nov 1 3:58pm EST

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    For all the Vol fans and the funk team that plays on "Thug Rug" you all stink and you traded a snitching Pumpkin for a big mouth punk. You will always be second string losers so just get used to it. Maybe some homeless bowl will put you clowns in a slot to play but I doubt it. I hope you lose the rest of your games but at Knoxville the "magic flag" has always been a given. As long as Gators and Tide are around you will have 2 losers a year.

    Go Rebels, Razorbacks, or whoever plays this bunch of cry babies.
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 South Carolina
S. Garcia S. Garcia, QB
25-50, 300 yds
1 TD, 1 INT
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