SCRC Latest - UT Edges USC

The University of Tennessee held off South Carolina 13-10 Saturday to improve the Vols' SCRC playoff chances, and put a heavy damper on the same prospects for the Gamecocks.

In a game that was more about emotion and intensity than it was about smart and precise rugby, Tennessee took an early lead, but couldn't build on it.

"We had three or four really good, separate scoring chances, and only got one try from it," said Tennessee Head Coach Marty Bradley. "It was one of those situations where you felt that would come back to bite us, and it did."

South Carolina clawed their way back, but were also a tad impatient in making that happen, and as a result to game stayed close. Only a late penalty goal won it for Tennessee. 

"We made our tackles and won enough possession," said Bradley, who added that "both teams let the emotion of the game take over a little bit. We tried to play smart rugby and play field position, but there's no quit in those South Carolina boys. We just held on."

Bradley praised flyhalf Nick Duklewski and inside center Will Holland for controlling the game.

"They are great young men and they took the team on their backs," he said. "They gave their all."

Meanwhile, also in the SCRC, Ole Miss moved to 2-2, winning 38-22 over Mississippi State. And Georgia upset Florida 43-21 to shake things up in the West. With this weekend's results, Tennessee and Kentucky are clearly the top in the East with 3-0 records. Both have a game left before they meet each other on November 6 at Tennessee for what could be a preview of the final.

But Alabama will have something to say about that. The Tide has pulled off playoff surprises before. Alabama leads the SCRC West with a 3-1 record, and has Florida left on the schedule. If the Florida Gators want to make the semifinals weekend on November 12, they could do worse than beating Alabama. Ole Miss is 2-2, and has Kentucky and Vanderbilt on the schedule, and could conceivably catch Florida.