Destiny kicks in again

Photo by Michael Patrick

Tennessee kicker Daniel Lincoln celebrates with assistant coach Trooper Taylor after kicking a 48-yard field goal in overtime against South Carolina. The score was the difference as the Vols won 27-24.

Photo by Amy Smotherman Burgess

Tennessee tight end Chris Brown rumbles down field behind a Lucas Taylor block on South Carolina cornerback Carlos Thomas on Saturday at Neyland Stadium.

After a wild Saturday night that followed a wild Saturday afternoon in a wild college football season, Tennessee is in control of the SEC East.

The Vols snatched victory from the jaws of defeat thanks to two clutch Daniel Lincoln field goals and escaped with a 27-24 overtime win over No. 15 South Carolina at Neyland Stadium.

"A lesser team with a lesser spirit and a lesser will would have lost that game tonight,'' said UT coach Phillip Fulmer after watching a 21-0 lead turn into a 24-21 deficit in the second half.

And with a lesser foot, he might add.

Lincoln hit a 48-yard field goal with 5 seconds on the clock to force overtime at 24-24.

Then the redshirt freshman connected on a 27-yard field goal on the first possession of overtime.

South Carolina kicker Ryan Succop had a quick journey from hero to goat.

Succop's 49-yard field goal with 1:24 to play in regulation put the Gamecocks up 24-21 and appeared a likely game-winner.

The Vols, however, scrambled back, caught a couple of breaks and sent it to overtime on Lincoln's first field goal.

After Lincoln's second kick restored UT to the lead, Succop missed wide right on a 40-yard attempt to tie. A crowd that began the night at 105,962, finally had something to cheer about.

And - get this - a week after the disheartening loss at Alabama, Tennessee (5-3, 3-2 SEC) is in control of its own destiny in the Eastern Division title race.

The Vols and Gamecocks (6-3, 3-3) took the field knowing Florida had lost to Georgia earlier in the day, meaning the team walking out of Neyland Stadium a winner would be in charge of the East.

"We knew, but South Carolina knew too,'' said UT quarterback Erik Ainge. "They were in the same boat as us.

"This league is crazy. You're never out of it. We're back where we were two weeks ago.''

Despite an utter second-half collapse.

A 21-0 halftime lead disappeared as South Carolina scored on three consecutive possessions then kicked the go-ahead field goal. All the while, UT's offense managed 97 yards and three first downs in the third and fourth periods.

"Don't even ask me cause I don't know,'' said Fulmer. "We couldn't do anything.''

South Carolina outgained UT 501 yards to 317 and held the ball for 12 minutes, 50 seconds longer than the Vols.

"We made some yards and hit some passes,'' said South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier, "but in the clutch we didn't hit crap and we got beat.

"We played just good enough to get our butts beat.''

Four turnovers - two early, two late - undermined Carolina's statistical edge.

Eric Berry got the early two, each time giving Tennessee a short field en route to a 21-0 lead.

South Carolina, recharged by Blake Mitchell, who replaced starter Chris Smelley at quarterback, scored on three consecutive possessions to tie it 21-21 with 11:11 remaining.

And Carolina might have scored more but DeAngelo Willingham and Ryan Karl came up with turnovers in the final seven minutes of regulation.

Tennessee's offense couldn't get anything going the entire half but it scrapped together a drive in the final 84 seconds of regulation to get in position for Lincoln to send it to overtime.

Along the way was a 37-yard kickoff return by LaMarcus Coker, then a 17-yard-run-fumble-and-recovery that ended up safely in the arms of guard Jacques McClendon.

Finally, when Lincoln's 43-yard field-goal try to tie sailed wide, he got an unlikely reprieve when Tennessee was flagged for a false start.

Backed up 5 yards, Lincoln tried again and made it.

Then, overtime.

South Carolina won the toss and elected to play defense first.

After one first down, Lincoln hit a 27-yard field goal to make it 27-24, Vols.

South Carolina could get no farther than the UT 23 after Cory Boyd was thrown for a 5-yard loss on first down.

On fourth-and-8, Succop's 40-yard try to tie missed wide right.

It was an odd end to an odd night.

After going eight quarters without a touchdown, South Carolina got a pair in a little over three minutes to close a 21-0 deficit to 21-14.

The opening drive of the second half landed second-and-goal at the 4, but the Vols successfully defended three passes, taking over on downs.

Three plays and a Britton Colquitt punt later South Carolina was back at the UT 39 for another try.

This one prevailed when Mitchell scored on a 1-yard keeper with 5:41 left in the quarter.

South Carolina then whipped 86 yards in only six plays. Mike Davis took a draw play 29 yards for the touchdown to make it 21-14.

Tennessee still had no answer. Ainge's fourth-down pass at the Carolina 34 sailed long and the Gamecocks were back in business.

This time the Gamecocks motored 66 yards. Mitchell got the tying score on an 8-yard pass to wide-open Kenny McKinley with 11:11 to play.

Succop's 49-yard field goal made it 24-21, but the Gamecocks left just enough of a window for Tennessee to crawl through and force overtime.

Overtime seemed unlikely at the half.

UT's first score was a 2-yard drive after Willingham knocked the ball loose from Carolina receiver Freddie Brown and Berry scooped it up and ripped off a 52-yard return.

It took three cracks for Arian Foster to nudge the ball across the goal line, but UT led 7-0.

Three plays later, Berry intercepted Smelley and returned it 13 yards to the South Carolina 44.

The Vols were soon looking at a fourth-and-1 and went for it. A pass interference flag on the Gamecocks was the break Tennessee needed to keep the drive moving.

Ainge twice converted third-and-long with passes to Quintin Hancock and Austin Rogers, the latter producing first-and-goal at the 6.

Two plays later Montario Hardesty strolled untouched from the 3 to make it 14-0.

Mitchell replaced Smelley at quarterback. The change didn't immediately put any points on the scoreboard but at least Mitchell kept the ball out of Berry's hands.

A timely third-down stop by Karl led to a Carolina punt, which, in turn, led to a 72-yard scoring drive by Tennessee.

The big play was a 37-yard floater to Lucas Taylor. The payoff was a 5-yard TD to Josh Briscoe.

Tennessee was in command, 21-0, with 4:39 left in the half.

Or so it seemed.

"We've got to hang on some way,'' said Fulmer. "We've got to get to Atlanta.

"Because we control our destiny right now, 100 percent.''