South Carolina's Spurrier can't help zinging the Vols

COLUMBIA, S.C. - South Carolina&#39;s Steve Spurrier just can&#39;t help himself, especially during Tennessee week.<br> <br> Even when he tries to downplay his rivalry with Vols&#39; coach Phillip Fulmer, Spurrier breaks up the room at Tennessee&#39;s expense.<br> <br> He talked Tuesday of how his rivalry with Fulmer is overblown and one-liners like Spurrier&#39;s famous, ``You can&#39;t spell Citrus without UT,&#39;&#39; are simply good-natured jokes told by both sides.<br> <br> ``Of course, the winners are the only ones who can tell the jokes, so maybe they weren&#39;t telling too many up there,&#39;&#39; Spurrier said.<br> <br> It&#39;s been that way with Spurrier and Tennessee for nearly two decades since his Duke team went into Neyland Stadium in 1988 and left with a 31-26 victory. At Florida, Spurrier won eight of the 12 meetings, spicing up an SEC Eastern Division showdown with what some called and Spurrier denied pointed jabs.<br> <br> ``There never was a lot of back and forth, there really wasn&#39;t,&#39;&#39; Spurrier said Tuesday. ``We did all those Gator Clubs and they wanted to hear something funny in the summertime. And if they told jokes about us, it didn&#39;t bother me, I can assure you.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Some, though, saw Spurrier&#39;s comments in a hostile light, a sore winner gloating over his prize.<br> <br> ``So I quit doing that because everybody thought I was trying to jab people which I wasn&#39;t,&#39;&#39; he said. ``But I can see how it could be interpreted that way.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> The Gamecocks (5-2, 3-2) play No. 8 Tennessee (6-1, 2-1) on Saturday night at Williams-Brice Stadium.<br> <br> What probably rankled Tennessee fans most were Spurrier&#39;s teams typically backed up their coaches words. Some Vol supporters probably saw Spurrier&#39;s first season with the Gamecocks a team Tennessee had beaten 12 straight times as a chance to even the score.<br> <br> Instead, it was Spurrier leaving Neyland with victory again last fall, this time 16-15 on Josh Brown&#39;s improbable 49-yard field goal.<br> <br> ``Every loss is tough and that one really hurt especially against a guy like Steve Spurrier,&#39;&#39; Vols linebacker Jerod Mayo said. ``You know how that is.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Once again, Spurrier has a team whose goal of a championship is still intact.<br> <br> The Gamecocks&#39; SEC victories have come against Mississippi State, Kentucky and Vanderbilt, who are a combined 2-11 this year in the league. South Carolina has lost to the two ranked teams it has faced, Georgia and Auburn.<br> <br> But ``we&#39;ve still got a 5-2 record,&#39;&#39; Spurrier said. ``There&#39;s a lot of guys out there that&#39;d love to be that going into their last five. We are in position to make some things happen. Got a chance. That&#39;s what makes it more exciting.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> The potential of Spurrier vs. Tennessee was enough to lure ESPN&#39;s ``College GameDay&#39;&#39; show back to the Palmetto State this Saturday after locating at Clemson last weekend.<br> <br> South Carolina quarterback Syvelle Newton said the coaches mentioned the national attention before practice. Newton said his team will have a chance ``to go out and show everybody we can play.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> The Gamecocks have taken off offensively in the five games since Newton became the starter.<br> <br> Newton was on crutches last year and watched the Tennessee upset from his room. He had torn his Achilles&#39; tendon a week earlier against Vanderbilt and missed the rest of the season.<br> <br> Spurrier&#39;s excited about taking on the Vols and has respect for Fulmer and what he&#39;s done since becoming coach at Tennessee in 1992.<br> <br> ``You have to be a good coach to last that long anywhere and certainly he has,&#39;&#39; Spurrier said. ``He&#39;s done a good job there. Now, how good you have to ask&#39;&#39; somebody else.<br> <br> Spurrier just can&#39;t help himself.