COLUMBIA, S.C. — Malik Orsan drilled a 48-yard field goal as time expired Saturday night to lift South Carolina to a 27-24 upset over No. 11 Tennessee, setting off a wild celebration as fans flooded the field at Williams-Brice Stadium.
The Gamecocks pulled off the dramatic victory after capitalizing on a late turnover by the Volunteers in the closing minute of regulation. The defeat dropped Tennessee to 6-2 overall and 3-2 in Southeastern Conference play, dampening the momentum built a week earlier during a victory against Alabama and shrinking the team’s room for error in the College Football Playoff race.
Late Turnovers and Fourth-Down Drama
Tennessee held a 24-17 advantage late in the fourth quarter when head coach Josh Heupel elected to keep his offense on the field for a fourth-and-1 rather than punt to run down the clock. South Carolina’s defense stood firm, bringing down sophomore quarterback George MacIntyre for a one-yard loss to take over possession.
South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers capitalized on the opportunity, driving the Gamecocks downfield and scoring on a four-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 24-24 with 1:17 remaining. Sellers accounted for three total touchdowns on the night, throwing for 210 yards and one score while adding 96 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, according to ClutchPoints.
With a chance to orchestrate a game-winning drive, Tennessee’s offense instead unraveled. South Carolina defensive lineman Dylan Stewart broke through the line to sack MacIntyre, jarring the football loose. Tomiwa Durojaiye recovered the fumble for the Gamecocks at Tennessee’s 34-yard line with 33 seconds left.
A false-start penalty briefly threatened to push South Carolina out of kicking range, but Sellers scrambled to recover yardage before Orsan converted the 48-yard try as the final buzzer sounded.
Penalties Stall Tennessee’s Momentum
Costly miscues plagued Tennessee throughout the night. The Volunteers committed 12 penalties totaling 90 yards and had three separate touchdown passes from MacIntyre erased by penalty flags, Knox News reported. Those wiped-out scores included an illegal shift, an ineligible receiver downfield penalty, and a holding infraction that ultimately forced Tennessee to settle for a field goal instead of extending its lead to two possessions.
Despite the setback, Tennessee running back DeSean Bishop provided a steady ground attack. Bishop logged his fourth consecutive 100-yard rushing performance, finishing with 120 yards and a touchdown on 32 carries. Tennessee totaled 184 rushing yards against a South Carolina defense that had not surrendered more than 135 rushing yards in any game earlier this season, Knox News noted.
MacIntyre, who was making his third consecutive start since stepping in for injured freshman Faizon Brandon on Oct. 3, completed 16 of 23 pass attempts for 136 yards.
Postgame Altercation and What Comes Next
As South Carolina supporters charged onto the playing surface to celebrate, chaos unfolded along the field. Tennessee linebacker Jeremiah Telander appeared to throw a punch at a South Carolina player during the postgame celebration before an officer and a team staff member pulled him away, USA TODAY Sports reported. Tennessee did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the altercation, according to the outlet.
The upset marked the second consecutive victory over a ranked opponent for South Carolina, which defeated Florida the week prior, Yahoo Sports reported.
Tennessee enters a scheduled bye week before returning to Neyland Stadium to face No. 12 Kentucky on Nov. 7. South Carolina, now 4-3 overall and 2-3 in conference action, will travel to face Oklahoma on Saturday, Oct. 31.
