South Carolina hoping Tennessee victory turns into narrative-changing win

Eric Douglas and Josh Vann, at some point this week, stood in front of the South Carolina team and told their teammates about their dreams. 

The dream ended with the Gamecocks toppling fifth-ranked Tennessee and enjoying a mass field storming, blocked in and not able to move anywhere. 

Neither, even in their wildest dreams, could imagine Saturday going exactly the way it did. 

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“Every person in here thought, ‘We’ve seen this story before about how South Carolina is going to finish.’ This is a new Carolina, guys. You don’t get to write the story. We write the story. That’s what I talked to our team about Tuesday morning,” Shane Beamer said.

“They write the story about how this thing is going to finish. Everybody thinks they’ve read this book, seen this movie and know how the chapter ends. No, you don’t. I know what that team’s about.” 

The Gamecocks dominated the Vols 63-38, a convincing and truly smothering victory that not only gave South Carolina its seventh win but dashed Tennessee’s College Football Playoff hopes. 

“We could change the narrative of the whole season, the whole school, the whole university,” Juice Wells said. “Why not us? Let’s do it.”

As the clock hit zero and the horde of students ripped up the bushes and set out on foot to meet at the Block C at midfield, the narrative shifted around the Gamecocks. 

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A team billed as anemic offensively scored touchdowns on nine of its first 11 drives. 

A team that couldn’t stop Florida all day last week held a vaunted Tennessee offense to just 38 points, and just two touchdowns in the second half. 

A team that was expected to flounder its final two weeks of the season found a way to snag one of the biggest wins in program history. 

“That’s one of the best games in Gamecock history,” Dakereon Joyner said. “What a way to go out.” 

Josh Vann couldn’t move. Every time he went to go over and see his parents in the stands, he felt another arm pull him back towards the mob of people congregating and celebrating the win. 

A self-proclaimed humble man, Vann said he felt like a celebrity standing in a crowd of people there to celebrate his, and the Gamecocks’, accomplishments. That’s what two catches, both for touchdowns, and 78 yards will do for someone celebrating his final moments at Williams-Brice. 

“Tuesday night I had a dream that we were going to beat these guys. I don’t know what God was trying to tell me,” Vann said. “In the middle of that field with those fans, I’m getting tapped on my head and trying to get on the sideline. Everyone’s trying to grab me. It’s an amazing feeling. This is our last game at Willy B. we had the number five team coming in here. What other way to go out?”

The Gamecocks (7-4, 4-4 SEC) spent most of the season searching for a truly signature win while finding it in the most unlikely of places on a chilly November night. 

South Carolina’s season is not over. But the Gamecocks certainly felt like a made a statement toppling one of college football’s behemoths this season. 

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“We stood on business tonight,” Jaheim Bell said. “A lot of people didn’t expect us to come out with a dub. We did that tonight. I hope some people realize what we got in that locker room. We have some special guys in there that stood on business tonight.” 

Ultimately, the Tennessee game is one section of a 13-chapter book nearing its conclusion. 

The Gamecocks still have to go play Clemson, yet another top-10 opponent to close the year. But for now South Carolina is going to savor one of the biggest wins in program history.

It’s a game fans–and players–will be talking about for a while. 

“One thing, bro?” Joyner said, the smile on his face widening. “We’re going to tell our daughters about this one day.” 

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