South Carolina didn’t just lose to Alabama on Saturday night. It unraveled.
The Gamecocks walked into Tuscaloosa coming off Shane Beamer’s promise that his team would answer a discouraging 41-34 loss to Mississippi State the right way. Instead, they were buried in a 49-18 defeat that was all but decided by the end of the first quarter.
Alabama was supposed to win comfortably. South Carolina made it look easy.
The night turned quickly, and it turned ugly. The Gamecocks had a 56-yard run on their opening drive, then watched Malik Orsan bang a field-goal attempt off the upright.
Later, in a scoreless game, South Carolina tried to get cute on fourth-and-2 from Alabama’s 25-yard line. Brady Hunt came in motion, then tried to sneak under center for the snap and pick up the yards himself.
It was a bad idea from the start.
Hunt is a strong blocker and an OK pass-catcher. He is not built to power through a pile for 2 yards, let alone a half-inch.
Beamer said the play had worked two years ago at Kentucky, but it looked nothing like that here. It looked disjointed, and it ended with Keelon Russell throwing deep for a touchdown on the very next play.
That sequence fit the whole night. South Carolina’s offense kept running into questions it could not answer, while Alabama kept finding space behind a secondary that has fallen apart over the past two weeks.
For years under Clayton White, the Gamecocks could usually trust the back end. The secondary was often one of the better units in the SEC and even nationally, helped in part by a defense that spent too much time trying to make up for a shaky run front. Nick Emmanwori alone gave that group a permanent place in the program’s good graces.
Not anymore.
The last two games have exposed a group that simply is not good enough. Balls are sailing over heads.
Receivers are winning downfield. Red-zone battles are being lost.
The problem is not only a lack of pass rush, though that has played a part. The issue runs deeper than that, and there does not seem to be a quick fix.
South Carolina’s offense has its own split personality, too. The Gamecocks finally have what looks like a real offensive line and a solid running game. They came into the night ranked seventh in the country in rushing, then piled up 216 yards against a good Alabama front.
And it still wasn’t enough.
The quarterback play is uneven. The receivers do not create enough.
The defense is leaking everywhere. So the parts that should be helping one another are instead canceling each other out.
South Carolina can move the ball on the ground and still never feel in control. That’s where the frustration lives.
Beamer said the Gamecocks responded by the way they started, but the scoreboard told a different story. A couple of early plays do not erase a stalled drive or a busted coverage.
A three-and-out followed by a blown assignment is not a response. It is a reminder of the same problems wearing a different uniform.
Maybe some of that is simply Alabama being Alabama and South Carolina being South Carolina. The Gamecocks were not likely to win this one no matter what. In a strange way, the early collapse at least spared everyone the anxiety of wondering how they might blow it later.
Still, something is off here.
The players clearly care about Beamer. That much seems obvious.
But the losses are piling up, and the way they are happening is getting harder to ignore. The question is no longer just whether South Carolina can get better next week.
It is whether the bigger picture needs to be examined at all.
This game was always going to count as a loss. The way it happened, though, is what makes it sting. And after last week, and now this, the next two games are starting to change the conversation.
In Other News...
Dylan Stewart Has South Carolina Facing A Huge Decision
South Carolina is now dealing with more than just the aftermath of a loss to Alabama. Edge rusher Dylan Stewart was suspended indefinitely by Shane Beamer after multiple incidents in the game, a troubling sequence that included penalties, a sideline argument and physical altercations. For a player whose talent has already made him one of the more important pieces on the roster, the situation has quickly turned into one of the biggest off-field questions facing the program.
Stewarts track record only adds weight to what comes next, since this is not the first time his behavior has drawn scrutiny. He was ejected earlier in 2025 for unsportsmanlike conduct, and he was also flagged for taunting in 2024 after a gun celebration gesture that drew public criticism. South Carolina is expected to decide his future later this week, leaving the Gamecocks to balance discipline, accountability and the reality of what his presence means on the field. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolina Suddenly Has A Bigger Problem Than Its Losing Streak
South Carolina heads into Week 5 trying to steady itself after a two-game skid, but the focus has shifted well beyond the record. The Gamecocks are back at Williams-Brice Stadium to face Kentucky, and the matchup arrives with a bit more edge than usual after a turbulent week around the program.
Dylan Stewart's indefinite suspension following incidents in the loss to Alabama has created a fresh challenge for a defense already trying to get back on track. Kentucky, meanwhile, comes in at 3-1 under new coach Will Stein, riding two straight wins and leaning on a rushing attack that looked sharp against South Alabama, which only raises the urgency for South Carolina to find answers quickly. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolina Gets A Tough Florida Setup At The Worst Time
South Carolinas next SEC road trip comes with an early start and a tricky setup, as the Gamecocks are set to visit Florida on October 10. The kickoff window is down to either noon or 12:45 p.m., with the exact time to be locked in after the October 3 games, and the matchup will air on SEC Network.
For a team trying to manage the grind of conference play, a daytime trip to Gainesville is hardly an ideal follow-up. The timing will be settled soon enough, but South Carolina already knows the challenge waiting on the other side: a road date in the SEC, on television, and at a time that leaves little room to ease into the matchup. [Read more 🡒]