South Carolina rules out nickelback Quay'sheed Scott, upgrades center Carter Miller vs. Tennessee

South Carolina will face No. 11 Tennessee on Saturday without starting nickelback Quay'sheed Scott, but it looks likely to get its starting center back. On Thursday's SEC availability report, Scott moved from doubtful to out and Carter Miller moved from questionable to probable, according to Adam Sparks of the Knoxville News Sentinel, which The Tennessean also published.

Scott was hurt in the 35-34 overtime loss to Kentucky on Oct. 3 and did not play in the 38-19 win at Florida a week later. That means the Gamecocks will go a third straight game without him in the slot. Miller also missed the Florida game, and South Carolina had to rearrange the interior of its offensive line without him. The SEC's report scale treats probable as roughly a 75 percent chance to play, so Miller's return would put the original line back together for the first time in two games.

Running back Jawarn Howell went the other way. He was questionable on Wednesday's first report and was listed as doubtful on Thursday. Wide receiver Jayden Sellers, edge rusher Kobby Sakyi-Prah and offensive linemen Josiah Thompson and Seth Smith all stay out. Wednesday's report also had good news for South Carolina, as the Greenville News noted. Defensive tackle Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy, out since a shoulder injury against Mississippi State, and edge Julian Walker were both left off the report, which means they are cleared to play after sitting out the Florida game.

Tennessee's list has not changed. All seven Volunteers on it are out for the season: left guard Wendell Moe, safeties Edrees Farooq and Dylan Lewis, tight end Ethan Davis, receiver and returner Joakim Dodson, linebacker Jaedon Harmon and cornerback Jadais Richard. Rocky Top Talk reported that the Vols came out of their physical win over Alabama without any new injuries serious enough to make the report.

What it means for Saturday

South Carolina is 3-3 overall and 1-3 in the SEC, and it comes off an open week after its best result of the season, the 19-point win in Gainesville. Before that, the Gamecocks lost three of four, and two of those losses were by one score: Mississippi State won 41-34 and Kentucky won by a point. Losing Scott hurts a defense that has given up 25.5 points per game overall and 36 per game in its three SEC losses.

Tennessee is 6-1 and has won three straight since its 20-17 loss to Texas, most recently beating Alabama 26-10. The Vols have allowed 15.3 points per game in four SEC games, and they have an off week after this one.

Even with those records, the home team is favored on this site's board, which tracks 12 venues. Novig has South Carolina favored at -117 on the moneyline and by 2.5 points at -102, with Tennessee at +115. The best Tennessee price is far from the rest of the market: Kalshi lists the Vols at +456, which is about four times Novig's number. Sportsbook hold runs from 3.1 to 6.3 percent on the moneyline. Novig has the total at 50.5, priced at -102 on both sides.

Kickoff at Williams-Brice Stadium is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. The final availability report comes out 90 minutes before the game.