Alabama’s 3-0 start has already put it in a pretty select group, with the Crimson Tide standing as one of just eight college football teams to post two wins over Power Four opponents. After a season-opening tune-up against East Carolina, Alabama blew past Kentucky in the second half for a 45-17 win, then had to rally from a 21-6 hole against Florida State before finishing off a 50-36 victory.
Now the Tide gets another home date at Bryant-Denny Stadium, and this one comes with a familiar opponent. Alabama will face South Carolina for the third straight year, and Kalen DeBoer would probably prefer this one not follow the same pattern as the last two. In both of those games, Alabama jumped out early, South Carolina surged back hard, and the Tide had to land the final punch late.
That’s why the start matters so much here. With five more games on the schedule, Alabama still needs to clean up the rough edges, and getting ahead early would go a long way toward making this a more comfortable afternoon.
The numbers for the matchup reflect a Tide team that’s expected to win, but not by a tiny margin. Alabama is listed at -530 on the moneyline, while South Carolina comes in at +390. The over/under sits at 54.5.
South Carolina brings a quarterback in LaNorris Sellers who can create real problems. He’s the kind of player who forces defensive coordinators to spend the week worrying about what happens when he takes off and runs, and the Gamecocks also have skill-position talent that can challenge defenses downfield.
Even so, Alabama’s defense should have a chip on its shoulder after what happened against Florida State. Kane Wommack’s unit gave up more than 450 yards and 36 points to a quarterback who has been limited as a passer for most of his career, and that kind of outing is hard to ignore. A bounce-back performance feels like the expectation.
If the defense responds and the offense keeps humming the way it did over the final 33 minutes against Florida State, Alabama should win and cover. The biggest test on that side of the ball will be South Carolina’s defense against sophomore quarterback Keelon Russell, who will need to stay calm and protect the football if Alabama wants to avoid another tense finish.
In Other News...
UAB Just Delivered The Kind Of Moment Alabama Fans Notice
UABs 24-20 win over Navy at Protective Stadium was the kind of result that reverberates a little louder around Alabama football circles, even with the Crimson Tide not on the field. It was UABs first-ever victory against Navy, a meaningful marker for a program still trying to carve out more moments that register beyond its own fan base.
Afterward, the scene in the press conference room added to the nights feel-good edge. Marlin Dean, Bam McReynolds and Ty Mims took time to thank every reporter by shaking hands, while coach Alex Mortensen praised the team and the importance of the win. The defensive effort also stood out, with Todd Granthams influence on that side of the ball drawing attention as UAB enjoyed a breakthrough that felt bigger than one November result. [Read more 🡒]
Kalen DeBoer Just Entered An SEC Debate Alabama Fans Know Well
The SEC coaching carousel always seems to start with one question: which loss is going to matter most, and for whom? This weeks conversation has spread well beyond Baton Rouge, with the pressure points landing on familiar names like South Carolinas Shane Beamer, Arkansas Ryan Silverfield, Auburns Alex Golesh and LSUs Lane Kiffin, all of whom are operating under the kind of weekly scrutiny that comes with big expectations and little patience.
For Alabama fans, the larger debate is one they know well from years of living inside it, because the standard at this level is never just about competing, it is about surviving the games everyone expects you to win. LSUs heavy investment in football has only sharpened the stakes, and with a Texas A&M matchup carrying real playoff consequences, the entire conversation turns on one unsettling idea: in the SEC, a single result can change how a season, and a coach, is judged. [Read more 🡒]
Nick Saban Just Reopened Alabamas Favorite Tennessee Rivalry Wound
Nick Saban didnt need much time at College GameDay in Knoxville to remind Tennessee fans of one of the most lopsided chapters in recent rivalry history. By pointing to his record against the Vols and joking that his teams had smoked 16 of 17 cigars in those matchups, he brought an old sore spot right back to the surface, and the crowd let him know exactly how it felt about the reminder.
Saban kept going from there, backing Texas to beat Tennessee in the teams upcoming game and nodding to a past Vols celebration involving goalposts. For Alabama fans, it was the kind of familiar swagger that comes with years of dominance, but for Tennessee, it was another public reopening of a wound that never seems to fully close. [Read more 🡒]