South Carolina vs Tennessee Odds & Picks: Points Will Be Plentiful

South Carolina vs Tennessee Odds & Picks: Points Will Be Plentiful article feature image
Credit:

Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images. Pictured: Joe Milton III (Tennessee)

South Carolina vs Tennessee Odds

South Carolina Logo
Sat., September 30
7:30 p.m. ET
SEC Network
Tennessee Logo
South Carolina Odds
SpreadTotalML
+11.5
-105
60.5
-110o / -110u
+340
Tennessee Odds
SpreadTotalML
-11.5
-115
60.5
-110o / -110u
-450
Odds via BetMGM. Get up-to-the-minute NCAAF odds here.
BetMGM Logo

The SEC's depth is on full display this weekend, and this matchup is a prime example.

The South Carolina Gamecocks head to Knoxville to take on the No. 21 Tennessee Volunteers.

South Carolina is 2-2, but it's played some stiff competition, as losses to North Carolina and No. 1-ranked Georgia aren't the worst knocks on a resume.

Meanwhile, the Gamecocks also picked up a quality win last week against Mississippi State.

The Gamecocks will need all the momentum they can get as they take on a Tennessee team that has yet to pass a test this season.

The Volunteers' schedule has been relatively soft, and their lone loss was to Florida, a team it was favored over.

Can Tennessee cover the spread in its second SEC matchup? Let's dig in and find out.


Check out our NCAAF Betting Hub for more college football previews, predictions, news, and analysis.

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South Carolina Gamecocks

Sometimes, a change of scenery can do wonders for a player.

That's certainly been the case for South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler, who was once a Heisman hopeful at Oklahoma.

However, after some disappointing performances, he's revived his career at South Carolina.

In his second season since transferring, the offense is built around him, as the Gamecocks throw the ball at the 29th-highest rate in the country.

Rattler will have the opportunity to have success if his offensive line can give him some time to throw. The Volunteers are 110th in opponent completion percentage allowed, but South Carolina is 129th in sack rate allowed.

This matchup will hinge on South Carolina's offensive line, and with the spread sitting between two touchdowns, the backdoor could be open if Rattler can put together a late drive.


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Tennessee Volunteers

There was a fair amount of hype surrounding Joe Milton III and the Volunteers' offense entering the season, as Milton has a cannon for an arm and is very mobile.

However, while his passing stats look solid on paper, Milton is ranked as the 106th-best quarterback in the nation by PFF. Milton hasn't been able to push the ball down the field with accuracy, but may have a shot at making some big-time throws in this matchup.

The Gamecocks' secondary has been torched thus far; it ranks 121st in opponent completion percentage and 112th in yards per pass allowed.

Additionally, Tennessee's offensive line will have a significant edge here. The Volunteers outrank South Carolina 10 to 49 in Line Yards, and South Carolina hasn't generated much pressure.

Expect the Volunteers to move the ball efficiently both on the ground and through the air.

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South Carolina vs Tennessee

Matchup Analysis

Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how South Carolina and Tennessee match up statistically:

South Carolina Offense vs. Tennessee Defense
Offense
Defense
Edge
Rush Success1076
Line Yards11621
Pass Success4947
Havoc11625
Finishing Drives8035
Quality Drives7734
Tennessee Offense vs. South Carolina Defense
Offense
Defense
Edge
Rush Success2386
Line Yards1049
Pass Success77116
Havoc15104
Finishing Drives5137
Quality Drives9186
Pace of Play / Other
PFF Tackling5063
PFF Coverage8011
Special Teams SP+8156
Middle 84529
Seconds per Play25.1 (37)20.0 (1)
Rush Rate48.9% (114)52.5% (62)

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South Carolina vs Tennessee

Betting Pick & Prediction

Both offenses have avenues to success in this matchup, but the one key element we haven't gone over is the tempo. Tennessee is the fastest team in the country in terms of seconds per play, and South Carolina isn't far behind at 37th.

So, with both offenses playing fast and moving the ball, we have a recipe for plenty of points.

Take the over.

About the Author
Doug Ziefel is a contributor for the Action Network. He specializes in College Fooball, College Basketball, and rooting for bad New York teams.

Follow Doug Ziefel @DougZiefel on Twitter/X.

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