South Carolina player who had a huge game against Tennessee last season out for Saturday's game
South Carolina Gamecocks wide receiver Juice Wells torched the Tennessee Vols last season in Columbia, catching 11 passes for 177 yards (while adding a rushing touchdown) in UT's 63-38 loss. Wells, who suffered an injury in South Carolina's loss to Georgia earlier this season, won't have a repeat performance on Saturday night when the Gamecocks […]
South Carolina Gamecocks wide receiver Juice Wells torched the Tennessee Vols last season in Columbia, catching 11 passes for 177 yards (while adding a rushing touchdown) in UT's 63-38 loss.
Wells, who suffered an injury in South Carolina's loss to Georgia earlier this season, won't have a repeat performance on Saturday night when the Gamecocks visit Neyland Stadium.
But it's not because the Vols have devised a super secret plan to stop Wells. Instead, it's because the injury will keep him sidelined for another week.
Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer announced on Tuesday during his weekly press conference that Wells is out for the game against Tennessee.
While the absence of Wells means that South Carolina will have one less playmaker on the field against Tennessee, it's not like the Vols will suddenly have it easy on Saturday night.
South Carolina's best offensive player this season, outside of quarterback Spencer Rattler, has been redshirt senior wide receiver Xavier Legette.
Entering the season, Legette's best year came in 2022 when he caught 18 passes for 167 yards and three touchdowns.
The South Carolina native has obliterated those numbers already this season, catching 27 passes for 556 yards and three touchdowns (in just four games).
Last season against the Vols, Legette caught just one pass for seven yards. But don't let that stat line fool you — he's clearly a focal point of South Carolina's offense in 2023. And containing him will be the biggest challenge that Tennessee's secondary has faced this season.
The Vols and the Gamecocks kick off at 7:30 PM ET on Saturday. It should be a wild night in Neyland.
Shane Beamer explains why South Carolina has a different mindset when playing Tennessee
South Carolina and Tennessee will meet under the lights in Knoxville on Saturday night
