The No. 11 Tennessee Volunteers (6-1, 3-1 SEC) and South Carolina Gamecocks (3-3, 1-3 SEC) meet Saturday for a primetime SEC clash. Kickoff at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina, is set for 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN). Let's analyze college football odds around the Tennessee vs. South Carolina odds and make our expert college football picks and predictions for the best bets.
Tennessee edged the No. 13 Alabama Crimson Tide 26-10 Saturday, covering as a 7.5-point home underdog with the Under (50.5) cashing. It was led by RB DeSean Bishop, who rushed for 159 yards and 2 scores. The Volunteers have ripped off 3 straight wins following their lone loss, a 20-17 home defeat against the No. 18 Texas Longhorns Sept. 26. The Vols' defense has been
absolutely dominant as they have yet to allow more than 24 points in a game and have held both top-25 foes to 20 points or fewer. They rank 10th, allowing only 14.7 points per game.
South Carolina upset the No. 24 Florida Gators 38-19 Oct. 10, covering as a 10.5-point road underdog as the Under (59.5) hit. The Gamecocks should be rested after a Week 7 bye. Their win over Florida came at a perfect time, halting a 3-game losing streak in which they allowed at least 35 points in each contest. South Carolina game into the season with high expectations for QB LaNorris Sellers, but he just a 61.5% completion rate with 12 passing TDs and 4 INTs in 6 games.
Tennessee leads the all-time series 29–11–2, including a 41-20 win in the last meeting in 2023.
– Rankings: US LBM Coaches Poll, conducted by the American Football Coaches Association and USA TODAY Sports
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Tennessee at South Carolina odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 12:23 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Tennessee +110 (bet $100 to win $110) | South Carolina -135 (bet $135 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Tennessee +2.5 (-110) | South Carolina -2.5 (-108)
- Over/Under (O/U): 50.5 (O: -108 | U: -110)
Tennessee at South Carolina picks and predictions
Prediction
South Carolina 23, Tennessee 20
Moneyline
PASS.
Both sides are playable here, but the preferred route is the home team to cover. Look below for the better wager.
Against the spread
BET SOUTH CAROLINA -2.5 (-108).
The Vols, who benched 5-star true freshman QB Faizon Brandon and started QB George MacIntyer, relied heavily on their run game against Alabama, ending with 39 carries and 31 pass attempts. Doing the same against South Carolina is going to be a challenge for Bishop and company. The Gamecocks have strength in the trenches and rank 37th in opponents' yards per rush attempt (3.7).
For South Carolina, scoring hasn't been an issue, and it should put ample pressure on the Tennessee defense. The Gamecocks have scored at least 34 points in all but 1 game and have hit that mark in each home contest. The biggest question will be if Tennessee can get anything going through the air, and MacIntyer hasn't proven he'll be able to march down the field with any consistency.
Over/Under
BET UNDER 50.5 (-110).
The Vols' defense, as a whole, is just too good to expect South Carolina to keep up its rampant scoring. Tennessee has gone Under in 5 straight games, thanks to a dominant defense, and has scored 24 points or fewer in 3 of its 4 conference matchups.
While far from elite, the South Carolina defense did step up in Week 6 against Florida, holding their opponent to 19 points, and it is coming off a bye, which should allow for some fresh legs on the field. Expect limited scoring chances in this one and take UNDER 50.5 (-110).
Betting odds calculator
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This article originally appeared on Sportsbook Wire: Tennessee Volunteers at South Carolina Gamecocks odds, picks and predictions
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