South Carolina walked out of Tuscaloosa with a mess on its hands.
The Gamecocks were thumped 49-18 by Alabama on Saturday, their seventh straight SEC loss dating back to last season, and the game was effectively over long before the fourth quarter arrived. South Carolina fell behind by 32 points in the second quarter and never found a way back.
If there was any silver lining, it showed up on the ground. But everything else around it cracked.
South Carolina did get an encouraging night from Matt Fuller, who broke loose for 56 yards on the game’s first offensive snap and finished with 112 rushing yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. He added 20 receiving yards on five catches, the most on the team.
Through four games, Fuller is already approaching 400 rushing yards, averaging 6.7 per carry, with more than 100 receiving yards and five total touchdowns. Against an Alabama defense that had been stout against the run, he still found room.
That wasn’t nearly enough to offset how badly the rest of the night went.
The Gamecocks’ secondary was repeatedly exposed, and Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell had a field day. Russell completed 21 of 27 passes for 385 yards and four touchdowns, with seven throws of more than 15 yards.
Lotzeir Brooks got behind J’Zavien Currence for an easy 75-yard touchdown in the first quarter, and Ryan Coleman-Williams beat South Carolina’s coverage twice for simple scores after that. Coverage breakdowns have become a recurring issue, and this one looked no different.
“We’ve got to look at what we’re calling and continue to put our guys in positions to make plays,” Beamer said, “because we played way too good of defense around here for a long time to to give up whatever it was tonight, 365 yards in the passing game.”
Quarterback LaNorris Sellers wasn’t the reason South Carolina lost, but he didn’t give the Gamecocks much of a chance either. He finished 18 of 30 for 185 yards, one touchdown and one interception, a pick-six late in the second quarter that pushed Alabama to a 35-3 lead.
Sellers was uneven throughout the night, missing open throws and struggling with timing. His touchdown came when Nyck Harbor’s defender slipped.
South Carolina converted only 3 of 14 third downs, and the passing game never got rolling, even with several dropped passes and receivers having trouble creating separation.
The loss also came with a sideline scene that was hard to miss. Dylan Stewart drew a roughing-the-passer penalty that led to an Alabama touchdown, then later threw a punch at Tide tight end Josh Ford.
Ford said Stewart punched him three times during the game. Beamer was also seen yelling at Stewart after the penalty for not leaving the field quickly enough.
Later, Julian Walker was told to replace Stewart, and Stewart refused to come out until edge coach Deion Barnes screamed at him. A staff member then stayed close to Stewart for the rest of the night.
Beamer was blunt afterward.
“I didn’t see it until just now, and that’s unacceptable,” Beamer said, when asked if Stewart’s emotions hurt the team. “That’s not how we do things around here. And I’m embarrassed to see that because that’s not what we’re about.
South Carolina’s situation gets tougher from here. The Gamecocks are now 2-2 overall and 0-2 in the SEC, and their next three games come against Kentucky, Florida and Tennessee, all upper-tier conference opponents.
After a 31-point defeat, there isn’t much margin for a slow reset. Beamer entered the 2026 season on the hot seat, and each loss only turns up the pressure.
For one night, Alabama exposed almost everything that can go wrong. South Carolina ran the ball well enough to matter. It still got buried anyway.
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 🡒]