Will Muschamp’s South Carolina and Butch Jones’ Tennessee are in a close, ugly battle

The Vols really, really, really need this one.

Tennessee entered its home game against South Carolina coming off what embattled head coach Butch Jones called one of his best bye weeks ever. It apparently wasn’t all that great, as entering the fourth quarter, we’re all tied up at 9-9.

The Vols have had plenty of chances to put up more points than that, but turned three red zone possessions into field goals, something that’s plagued the Vols all season long. Tennessee entered at No. 112 in red zone scoring percentage, so ... at least they got those threes?

South Carolina hadn’t gotten much going until the second half, but knotted it up with a 20-yard run by A.J. Turner. The Gamecocks then flubbed the extra point, because this is the SEC East, baby.

A loss to South Carolina would come really, really close to ending the Jones era in Knoxville, you’d have to figure. Tennessee fans spent the previous game brawling in the stands and leading us to poll the public on whom UT should call next (you voted for Chip Kelly).

Will Muschamp, meanwhile, entered at 5-0 all-time against Tennessee.

We’ll update this post as merited as this game winds down.