In one of the most anticipated games on its schedule, Tennessee delivered against South Carolina on Saturday night.

It may not have been the knockout punch the Vols were expected to land after how last season's game transpired, but their 41-20 win over the Gamecocks at Neyland Stadium kept their SEC eastern division goals intact and provided some confidence in the process.

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The Tennessee defense was dominant for the most part, sacking South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler four times and totaling eight tackles for loss.

Defensive lineman James Pearce Jr. finished with two sacks and two TFL while safety Wesley Walker and Jaylen McCollough combined for 10 tackles.

Offensively, Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III was 21-of-32 passing for 239 yards and and a touchdown but threw two interceptions while the run game produced 238 yards with Jaylen Wright leading the way with 123 yards and a score on 16 carries.

Tennessee's offense moved with efficiency on its opening drive, quickly getting on to the plus side of the field. Jaylen Wright broke off a 42-yard run up the middle for touchdown that gave the Vols a 7-0 lead less than six minutes into the first quarter.

South Carolina looked in position for a quick response as Spencer Rattler hit Ahmarean Brown for a 44 yard gain on second down, then what looked set up for a double pass turned into a first down run for Xavier Legette to the Tennessee 21-yard line. The Gamecocks ended up settling for a Mitch Jeter field goal to cut into the Vols' lead, 7-3.

South Carolina got the ball back in good field position following an ill-advised read and pass from Joe Milton III that was intercepted by DQ Smith and returned 16 yards inside Tennessee 30.

Rattler paid off the takeaway with a 6-yard touchdown run on third down to give the Gamecocks a 10-7 lead with 2:03 left in the first.

Tennessee fired back with Squirrel White hauling in a 50-yard Milton pass to set up first-and-goal on the ensuing drive. Two plays later, Jabari Small scored on a two-yard run to put the Vols back in front, 14-10.

Tennessee appeared to be getting the ball back after Aaron Beasley sacked Rattler to force a punt, but South Carolina punter Kai Kroeger passed to Legette instead for a first down to the Vols' 40.

South Carolina tried to sustain the momentum with a fourth-and-2 attempt but it was snuffed out by Wesley Walker on a tackle of Legette just inches short of the line.

A Milton shovel pass to Dylan Sampson went for 37 yards and the Vols were on the doorstep of the endzone but were held to Charles Campbell's 24-yard field goal, extending their lead to 17-10.

After forcing a three-and-out, Milton found Bru McCoy for a first down at midfield, but McCoy fell to the turf after the play and was carted off with an apparent right leg injury that momentarily quelled the energy inside the stadium.

The defense helped bring it back as James Pearce Jr. and Omarr Norman-Lott combined for a sack of Rattler on a drive that ended in another Gamecocks' punt.

Rattler stayed under pressure for the rest of the half. With less than a minute remaining in the second quarter, Rattler, under pressure from Pearce, over threw his receiver and Kamal Hadden took it the other way for a 28-yard return for a touchdown and a 24-10 advantage.

Tennessee's carried over its strong close to the first half with a 12 play, 75 yard drive capped by a Milton 6-yard touchdown pass to Jacob Warren to pull ahead 31-10, but South Carolina didn't go away.

Mario Anderson rattled off a 75-yard touchdown run that cut the Vols' lead to two scores, 31-17 with still more than 10 minutes remaining in the third.

Campbell remained perfect with a 33-yard field goal early in the fourth but Jeter's kick from 47 yards made it a two possession game at 35-20 with less than nine minutes on the clock.

Tennessee responded with heavy does of Sampson, eating up nearly five minutes of clock by running the ball and Sampson put on the finishing touches with a 6-yard touchdown run.

South Carolina was only down by four when Kroeger extended a drive with big gain on the fake punt but faced fourth down again inside the Tennessee 40. Walker's tackle turned the ball over on downs and the Vols later scored on Campbell's first field goal in the second quarter.

Tennessee needed an answer after Milton's interception led to a South Carolina touchdown and its first lead. The Vols found it in White's 50-yard reception, falling backwards and a defender with his hands on him.

Tennessee's offense went flat following the injury to McCoy, struggling to sustain drives with a one score lead. The Vols' defense provided a shot in the arm with Hadden's interception return for a touchdown to go up two scores at halftime.

On a night where Milton struggled passing, Tennessee's rushing attack was leaned on heavily. Wright led the Vols in rushing for the fourth time in five games as he continues an impressive junior campaign.

Pearce spent much of the night in the South Carolina backfield, causing plenty of disruption for Rattler and he was responsible for much of Tennessee's sacks.

White made up for most of his yardage on the 50-yard catch in the first half but finished with more than 100 yards receiving, leading all Tennessee receivers.

Tennessee will enter its bye week on a good note.

The Vols won't take the field again until Oct. 14 against Texas A&M at Neyland Stadium. The Aggies lost to Miami in week 2 but have won three-straight, including a 34-22 victory over Arkansas on Saturday.

Texas A&M hosts Alabama in College Station next week before playing Tennessee.

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