University of Tennessee Athletics
November Begins With South Carolina
November 02, 2015 | Football
By Brian Rice
UTSports.com
KNOXVILLE, Tenn -- The Volunteers begin play in their most successful month on Saturday when they play host to South Carolina at Neyland Stadium.
Tennessee is 314-125-21 all-time in November, a .705 winning percentage. The Vols are 82-20 (.804) in November since 1990. In the 90's, UT was 37-3 (.925) in November, including 21 consecutive wins from 1990-96.
The Vols closed the 2014 season with a 3-1 mark in November to earn a bowl berth, but want to be a game better than that this year in the season's final month.
"November football is awesome," quarterback Joshua Dobbs said. "All eyes are on you, it's a big time of the season."
Tennessee is 14-3 when playing on Nov. 7, which is the date the calendar will ready when the Gamecocks come to visit on Saturday. UT has won 13 straight games on the date, the last loss coming to Vanderbilt in 1908.
The Volunteers are 15-2 against the Gamecocks in Knoxville and enter this meeting on two-game winning streak over USC after a pair of dramatic wins each of the last two seasons. UT drove down the field for a game-winning field goal as time expired to defeat the 11th-ranked Gamecocks 23-21 in 2013.
Last season, Dobbs hit pass after pass on a pair of late drives to rally the Volunteers from 14 points down to tie the game late. Aaron Medley hit an overtime field goal for a 45-42 win.
Dobbs finished with 301 passing yards and 166 on the ground to become the first Vol to have a 300-yard passing game and 100-yard rushing game. He was just the third player in SEC history to accomplish the feat, joining Tim Tebow and Johnny Manziel.
"During the game, I wasn't thinking about anything other than trying to win and doing whatever it takes to win," said Dobbs. "We were locked in and came out and executed to win the ballgame."
But, as is his custom, Dobbs is not looking back on his performance last season or even his four-touchdown game at Kentucky on Saturday. His eyes are focused forward on the next game, the first in Neyland Stadium in nearly a month.
"Last year was a big win, but last year doesn't have an effect on this year," Dobbs said. "It's obviously great to come back home and play in Neyland in front of our fans."
South Carolina comes in during a period of transition after the retirement of Steve Spurrier earlier this season. Spurrier stepped down on Oct. 13, following a loss to LSU. Since his departure, the Gamecocks have defeated Vanderbilt, 19-10, and lost a back-and-fort battle with Texas A&M last Saturday, 35-28.
USC has just seven wins over Tennessee in program history, but five of those belonged to Spurrier.
"South Carolina comes in here a very hungry football team," Head Coach Butch Jones said. "Coach Elliott has done a great job of really infusing energy and excitement. They're playing loose and you can see it."
