The national media is doing Josh Heupel and the Tennessee Vols a big favor this week.

Tennessee is set to take on South Carolina on Saturday in Columbia. The Vols are coming off a big win over Alabama, and the feeling from many is that Tennessee is due for a letdown against the Gamecocks this weekend.

Numerous analysts have already pointed out that South Carolina and Tennessee are close talent-wise.

Cover 3 podcast analyst Bud Elliott, in fact, said this week that he doesn’t think there’s much difference between the Vols and the Gamecocks.

“There’s just not that much difference between these two teams,” said Elliott. “Tennessee has, like, zero passing game right now, and I think you’re limited in how good you can really be if you don’t have a passing game. You have a really good defense, [but] some games you can run the ball and some games you can’t.”

“Tennessee, it’s a major letdown spot,” added Elliott. “You just won a big rivalry game. Even on normal circumstances, Tennessee is not a touchdown better than South Carolina on a neutral field.”

Elliott’s take is in line with pretty much everything else we’re hearing from the national media this week.

There’s no reason the Vols should be feeling themselves before this game. No one is building them up or calling them a hot national title contender just because of the win over Alabama.

Tennessee is unquestionably being doubted before going on the road to face South Carolina.

We’ll see how the Vols respond on Saturday in Columbia.