Alabama gets South Carolina under the lights Saturday night, and this one comes with a little recent history baked in. The teams are meeting for the third straight season after a five-year break, and the last two have both gone down to the wire. Alabama won both, but South Carolina had fourth-quarter leads in each game before the Crimson Tide found a way late.
This year’s matchup kicks off at 6 p.m. on ESPN, marking Alabama’s first scheduled night game of the season. The game will be played at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, with the Crimson Tide looking to stay perfect and the Gamecocks trying to bounce back after a rough SEC opener.
South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers is back for his third shot at Alabama, and he’s not the only name to watch. The Gamecocks’ roster has NFL-caliber talent, including Sellers and defensive end Dylan Stewart, even after last week’s home loss to Mississippi State left the fan base frustrated.
Alabama enters at 3-0 overall and 1-0 in the SEC after a wild 50-36 comeback over Florida State that included two weather delays and a slow start. Quarterback Keelon Russell turned in the best performance of his young career, throwing for 320 yards and three touchdowns.
South Carolina sits at 2-1 overall and 0-1 in league play after a collapse against Mississippi State. The Gamecocks led by 16 points at home before the Bulldogs stormed back for a 41-34 win. South Carolina did score 11 points in the final four minutes, but the late push only made the final score look closer.
The most recent meeting between these teams came last season in Columbia, where Alabama escaped with a 29-22 road win. The Crimson Tide scored two touchdowns in the final two minutes to steal it after South Carolina had kept the offense in check for three quarters. Ty Simpson delivered the clutch plays Alabama needed to finish the job.
On the numbers sheet, Alabama is led by Russell, who has thrown for 764 yards and four touchdowns. Daniel Hill paces the ground game with 210 rushing yards and three scores, while Ryan Coleman-Williams has 12 catches for 235 yards and a touchdown. On defense, Caleb Woodson leads the team with 18 tackles, Devan Thompkins has three sacks, and five players are tied with one interception.
For South Carolina, Sellers has passed for 548 yards and five touchdowns. Matt Fuller leads the rushing attack with 272 yards and three touchdowns, while Donovan Murph has five catches for 136 yards and two scores. Justin Okoronkwo leads the defense with 19 tackles, Anthony Addison has two sacks, and Peyton Williams has one interception.
Radio coverage will come from the Crimson Tide Sports Network, with Chris Stewart on play-by-play, Tyler Watts on color, Damion Square on the sideline, and Roger Hoover hosting.
In Other News...
Alabama Just Got A Troubling Roster Update Fans Didnt Expect
Alabamas roster picture shifted again this week, and not in a way that brings much comfort to a team still trying to settle into the rhythm of the season. Head coach Kalen DeBoer said offensive lineman Chris Booker is no longer with the Crimson Tide, though he did not spell out why, leaving another blank spot on a unit that is always under the microscope in Tuscaloosa.
There was at least some better news on the injury front, even if it came with a costly setback elsewhere. Linebacker Cayden Jones is out for the season because of an undisclosed injury, while running back AK Dear and wide receiver Noah Rogers are expected to be available after working back from their own injuries. For Alabama, the challenge now is absorbing the loss of depth without losing much more ground as the roster keeps changing around it. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama May Already Have A Freshman Fans Can't Ignore
Alabamas ground game drew plenty of attention in the season-opening win over Florida State, and freshman running back EJ Crowell was a big reason why. Kalen DeBoer singled out the running game afterward, pointing to a performance that gave the Crimson Tide a sturdier offensive foundation and offered an early glimpse of what Crowell can bring to the backfield.
Crowell finished with 51 rushing yards on seven carries and scored a touchdown, but the numbers were only part of the impression he made. His two hurdles in the game turned heads as well, and both teammates and quarterback Keelon Russell have already shown confidence in what he can do moving forward, a sign Alabama may have found an early contributor it will keep leaning on. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Just Got A Clearer SEC Warning Before Week 4
Week 3 around the SEC did not leave much room for comfort, and the leagues middle tier only got more crowded as Arkansas, South Carolina, Auburn, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma, Mississippi State, Florida and Texas A&M all came out of the weekend with their own fresh questions. Ole Miss and LSU drew the biggest attention, but the broader picture mattered just as much for Alabama, which is watching the conference sort itself out one week at a time as the schedule tightens.
The updated power rankings reflect a league where every result seems to matter twice, once for the standings and again for how it shapes the next Saturday. Week 4 now brings another round of tests for those same teams, and Alabama has plenty of reason to track how the rest of the SEC handles it, because the warning signs are getting clearer even if the full picture is still coming into focus. [Read more 🡒]