Everything George MacIntyre and Mike Matthews Said After Loss To South Carolina

George MacIntyre, Mike Matthews React to Tennessee’s Costly Mistakes Against South Carolina

Oct 24, 2026; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback George MacIntyre (12) looks to throw during the second half against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Tennessee football had chances to leave South Carolina with a victory. Instead, penalties and late offensive breakdowns left the Volunteers explaining a frustrating 27–24 loss.

Quarterback George MacIntyre and wide receiver Mike Matthews addressed those missed opportunities during their postgame media session. Both pointed to the timing of Tennessee’s penalties, while MacIntyre explained the fourth-down miscommunication and late fumble that helped South Carolina complete its comeback.

George MacIntyre Addresses Tennessee’s Penalties

Three touchdowns called back by penalties became a central topic after the game. For MacIntyre, those moments illustrated how Tennessee repeatedly undermined its own offense.

“Yeah, I mean that's 21 points off the board,” MacIntyre said. “And I think we all know how different this game would have looked if we didn't have those penalties.”

Each erased touchdown represented a missed opportunity, although those plays did not necessarily amount to 21 additional points Tennessee would have scored across the affected possessions.
MacIntyre emphasized that the timing made the penalties especially damaging.
“They just happened at the worst time possible, coincidentally or not,” he said.

He described the loss as one of the most frustrating games he had played, with penalties repeatedly interrupting the offense. Matthews shared that frustration when asked how difficult it was to keep operating after successful plays came back.

“Yeah, I would agree,” Matthews said. “Just kind of like you said, you know, they kind of came in the wrong moments exactly when we scored. So, that was a crucial part to the game.”

Tennessee quarterback George MacIntyre (12) escapes tackles as he scrambles during a college football game between Tennessee and South Carolina at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, S.C., on Oct. 24, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

MacIntyre Explains Fourth-Down Miscommunication

Tennessee’s late fourth-down failure also drew questions. MacIntyre attributed the breakdown to miscommunication in a familiar formation. “Yeah, just simple miscommunication,” he said. “You know, a formation we've been running all game.”

MacIntyre added that Tennessee needed greater attention to the details of its plays from the jumbo formation. When asked whether the ball was supposed to go to DeSean Bishop, he explained that the call involved several potential adjustments.

“There's a lot of moving parts of the play,” MacIntyre said, “with kills and checks and, you know, what fronts they're going to run.” He indicated that the intended play would have resembled Bishop’s first-half touchdown. On the late fumble, MacIntyre said he needed to review the film before offering a complete assessment. He explained that he was looking left when pressure arrived from the right and believed a receiver was coming open over the middle. “I think we just got to execute better as a offense,” he said.

Tennessee football coach Josh Heupel on the sidelines during a college football game against South Carolina at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, S.C., on Oct. 24, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Tennessee Enters Bye Week Seeking Answers

MacIntyre also addressed how Tennessee moves forward with four regular-season games remaining.
“Yeah, obviously we know we have to win out,” he said. While acknowledging the difficult opponents ahead, he pointed to the unpredictable nature of SEC football and the opportunity to improve during the break. “We'll get a lot of stuff cleaned up in the bye-week and I think we'll be ready to roll,” MacIntyre said.

For Tennessee, that work starts with correcting the execution errors that turned promising opportunities into costly setbacks at South Carolina.

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