COLUMBIA — For the first time in his tenure as head football coach at Tennessee, Jeremy Pruitt is 1-0.
However, things did not come easily for the Volunteers Saturday night at Williams-Brice Stadium.
After opening to a two-touchdown lead early in the third quarter, the Big Orange had to hang on to notch a 31-27 victory over South Carolina.
It was Tennessee that made a crucial special teams miscue early that could have landed it in precarious straits, but the Vols’ defense stiffened.
For the Vols on this night, it would be a special teams break that went UT’s way when Paxton Brooks punted a ball that went off South Carolina’s Cam Smith’s leg and UT recovered. Tennessee was able to run out the clock and earn a hard-fought win.
Tennessee (1-0) scored the game-winning touchdown when Jarrett Guarantano threw a 32-yard scoring strike to Josh Palmer with 9 minutes, 35 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
The Gamecocks (0-1) would respond when Parker White kicked a 45-yard field goal to make it 31-27 with 3:10 to go.
South Carolina’s defense held the Vols at bay only to lose on special teams.
For the Vols, who won their seventh consecutive game dating back to last season, Guarantano finished went 19-for-31 for 259 yards and a touchdown.
He also rushed for 12 yards on five carries and scored a touchdown on the ground.
Ty Chandler was the Vols’ leading rusher, amassing 83 yards on 14 carries. Eric Gray carried 11 times for 43 yards and a score.
Henry To’o To’o returned an interception 32 yards for a defensive touchdown and Brent Cimaglia kicked a 27-yard field goal that gave Tennessee a 24-21 lead late in the third stanza.
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