Recap: Tennessee football's CFP hopes disappear in 63-38 loss at South Carolina

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Tennessee football is vying for its first 10-win season since 2007 as it plays South Carolina at Williams-Brice Stadium.

The No. 5 Vols (9-1, 5-1 SEC) and Gamecocks (6-4, 3-4) kick off at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Tennessee is a heavy favorite on the road, but there's a lot on the line. Quarterback Hendon Hooker is in the thick of the Heisman Trophy hunt. Jalin Hyatt, a frontrunner for the Biletnikoff Award, was snubbed by South Carolina, his hometown team, during recruiting. And the Vols are trying to make the College Football Playoff.

Tennessee football score vs South Carolina: Live updates from Williams-Brice Stadium

Postgame links

INSTANT ANALYSIS: Tennessee's College Football Playoff hopes buried in blowout loss to South Carolina

JOHN ADAMS: On a day of close calls for college football's elite, Tennessee Vols didn't heed the warning

REPORT CARD: Tennessee football grades vs. South Carolina: Sifting through the ashes of a brutal loss

QB INJURY UPDATE: Josh Heupel on Hendon Hooker's injury in Tennessee football vs. South Carolina

Fourth quarter

FINAL: South Carolina 63, Tennessee 38. A stunning result. Going to be a fascinating week to pick up the pieces after that one.

Hendon Hooker's status will also be a focal point postgame and throughout the week. We'll see what Josh Heupel has to say.

1:14 left: Touchdown Tennessee. Joe Milton to Cedric Tillman for 21 yards. Not sure why Tillman is still in the game.

Williams-Brice Stadium about to erupt at the final whistle.

2:06 left: South Carolina still throwing, and Spencer Rattler has his sixth TD pass of the night.

This one is to Jalen Brooks, a 20-yard catch and run down the right sideline. The Vols bench may note that for the future, but there's nothing they can do about it tonight.

South Carolina 63, Tennessee 31. It's a shocking score to type out.

7:19 left: South Carolina's Jordan Burch with the 4th down TFL. This one is over.

Meanwhile, Hendon Hooker was walking with a limp very slowly to the locker room after spending time under the medical tent.

8:05 left: Joe Milton overshoots an open Cedric Tillman in the end zone.

Good drive by the Vols' backup QB otherwise. UT just outside the USC 20.

9:18 left: Touchdown South Carolina, and it's another Dakereon Joyner keeper from behind center.

South Carolina 56, Tennessee 31. Wow.

Hendon Hooker suffers lower-leg injury

11:28 left: Hendon Hooker down injured. Gets up slowly after several moments and is helped to the sideline.

He also fumbled and USC recovered, though Hooker was ruled down. The ball is given to South Carolina after review, and the only fortunate part of the play is that South Carolina would have scoop and scored had it not been originally ruled down.

Tennessee's CFP hopes slipping away as South Carolina adds to lead

11:41 left: Touchdown South Carolina. Spencer Rattler scrambles and finds Jaheim Bell wide open for the touchdown.

2-yard TD pass for Rattler, No. 5 today.

All the alarms should be blaring. Vols' CFP hopes are dimming quickly.

South Carolina 49, Tennessee 31.

12:33 left: Tyler Baron penalized for illegal hands to the face on a 3rd and goal incompletion.

Third quarter

End of the third quarter: 3rd and 20 means a wide open Antwane Wells on an in route to move the chains. Vols defense on the ropes.

Vols on the ropes, too. South Carolina's lead is 42-31 heading into the final quarter, and the Gamecocks are on the Vols' 20-yard line.

Gamecocks have 479 total yards to Tennessee's 372.

1:38 left: Antwane Wells with another catch across the middle downfield, and he runs to the Vols' 35.

Spencer Rattler sacked on the next play. He was very comfortable before that.

3:33 left: Tennessee called for offensive pass interference on a 3rd down completion by Cedric Tillman. Tillman was rolled up on while being tackled, too.

Lots of pleading with the officials on both sides after some calls go each way. Vols will punt at around midfield.

Danger zone for the Vols, feels like.

4:35 left: South Carolina third down pass interference extends the Vols' drive.

South Carolina's lead back to 11

5:04 left: Touchdown South Carolina. Antwane Wells on the end around the right side for the 3-yard TD run.

South Carolina ate up the Vols' cushion on the outside, and cash in for another TD. Rattler was 4-4 for 36 yards on the drive, and Jaheim Bell had a couple good runs for the Gamecocks.

South Carolina 42, Tennessee 31. Vols defense will need to create a stop or two no matter what tonight.

Princeton Fant's wide open TD catch cuts South Carolina's lead to 4

9:43 left: Touchdown Tennessee! Princeton Fant is wide open over the middle and scores. 41-yard TD catch.

PAT good. South Carolina 35, Tennessee 31. Game on.

Hendon Hooker up to 244 yards and three TDs today.

10:21 left: Couple catches by Ramel Keyton over the middle moves the ball into USC territory.

11:40 left: Stops! South Carolina goes three-and-out, and that's much better from the Vols defense.

13:20 left: One first down, then a punt for Tennessee's offense. Ball underthrown to Jacob Warren in the slot on third down.

15:00 left: Vols will start with the ball on their own 25-yard line.

Second quarter

Bru McCoy's TD just before halftime cuts South Carolina lead to 11

12 seconds left: Touchdown Tennessee! Bru McCoy catches a TD off a deflection in the middle of the end zone. 7-yard TD pass. A South Carolina defender was right in front of the pass but couldn't corral it in.

Big drive, big score for the Vols. South Carolina 35, Tennessee 24.

Vols get the ball to start the second half.

1:14 left: Vols moving into Gamecocks territory. Squirrel White with a first down catch.

Gamecocks up 18 before halftime on Josh Vann's 2nd TD catch

2:04 left: Touchdown South Carolina. Josh Vann's second TD catch of the half. 18-yard TD catch.

Stunning effort from the Vols defense tonight, and not in a good way.

South Carolina 35, Tennessee 17. Stunning.

2:30 left: Brandon Turnage down after another long South Carolina completion.

Looking at his left leg. He is being helped to the locker room, left shoe off.

2:46 left: A Tamarion McDonald sack is wiped away via a UT holding penalty.

4:11 left: A UT holding penalty on third down extends the South Carolina drive.

Spencer Rattler looks very comfortable.

4:58 left: Chase McGrath good from 27 yards out.

South Carolina 28, Tennessee 17.

Dylan Sampson was cut down in the flat on 3rd and 4, short of the line to gain.

7:15 left: Nice throw from Hendon Hooker to Princeton Fant to move the chains on third down.

South Carolina's Nick Emmanwori flagged for targeting too. Vols now inside the USC red zone.

South Carolina apparently ready for a shootout

9:06 left: Dakereon Joyner comes in to take the snap for South Carolina and runs QB lead for a 1-yard TD. This is not what most expected, to be sure.

South Carolina 28, Tennessee 14.

288 total yards for South Carolina already. Gamecocks average 355.2 yards per game.

10:52 left: Ahmarean Brown on the end around for 34 yards, then a throwback pass caught by Rattler to set up 1st and goal. Paging the Vols defense....

Tennessee gets a 4th and goal TD to cut into lead

12:24 left: Touchdown Tennessee! Hooker throws a fade to Cedric Tillman and at the perfect spot.

PAT good. 3-yard TD catch for Tillman.

South Carolina 21, Tennessee 14.

12:29 left: Hendon Hooker throws over Cedric Tillman on 3rd and goal from the USC 3.

Vols look to go for it, but Josh Heupel calls timeout.

13:54 left: Jalin Hyatt first down catch into the South Carolina red zone.

First quarter

30 seconds left: DQ Smith called for pass interference on third down, and that extends UT's drive.

South Carolina takes two score lead

1:15 left: Touchdown South Carolina. Juju McDowell breaks a couple tackles in the flat and dives into the end zone.

Tennessee's defense is going to have to find some emotion. South Carolina 21, UT 7.

Rattler has 185 yards and two touchdowns in the first quarter.

2:13 left: Spencer Rattler to Jalen Brooks for 36 yards. Vols secondary under fire early.

4:42 left: Vols offense has a holding penalty and a sack to stop a drive. UT punts.

Tennessee slowly falling into the trap that a lot of the highly-ranked teams have fell into today.

South Carolina not going away

6:25 left: Touchdown South Carolina. Josh Vann beats Deniko Slaughter on the post route, and Slaughter falls down trying to make the play. 60 yards later, a TD.

Gamecocks 14, Vols 7.

Only the third multi-TD game for Spencer Rattler this year. Came into Saturday with 8 touchdown passes.

6:40 left: Rattler to Antwane Wells for 24 yards, but the play is wiped away via an ineligible player downfield.

South Carolina, Tennessee trade TDs early

9:30 left: Jabari Small 31-yard touchdown run. That was a very easy drive for the Vols offense.

PAT good. Gamecocks 7, Vols 7.

4 plays, 75 yards.

9:44 left: Hendon Hooker pulls away from a sack and runs for 30 yards. Here comes the pace.

10:43 left: Touchdown South Carolina. Jaheim Bell 19-yard catch and run from the left flat, and the Gamecocks lead 7-0.

That was one play after a Spencer Rattler completion on 4th and 6. South Carolina going to be aggressive tonight.

13:20 left: Traevon Kenion with a big third down gain for the Gamecocks into UT territory.

15:00 left: Everyone else to this point has held serve inside the top 10. Ohio State is up 3 in the final minutes at Maryland. Nothing yet has changed.

But there have been close calls. TCU and Michigan needed made field goals in the final seconds to escape with victories. Georgia played Kentucky to a 16-6 rock fight victory.

Tennessee can make a statement on the road tonight against South Carolina. Rocky Top tries to drown out Sandstorm but eventually cannot.

Vols will kickoff after winning the toss.

Pregame: Jeremy Banks won't play

Tennessee linebacker Jeremy Banks did not make the trip to Columbia with an injury, a team spokesperson told Knox News.

Banks has become a quality part of the Vols' defense and is third on the team in total tackles with 46 stops. He also has four tackles for a loss.

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Reach Adam Sparks at adam.sparks@knoxnews.com and on Twitter @AdamSparks.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee football score updates vs South Carolina: Jalin Hyatt return