One that got away: South Carolina nearly pulls off road upset of No. 7 Alabama
The Gamecocks were in their own casket. Dead. Gone. Hasta la vista. Alabama had already shut the lid and lowered the wooden box into Earth. A few more shovels of dirt and the Gamecocks would’ve been finished. Out of sight, out of mind.
South Carolina faced a fourth-and-9 outside of field-goal range late in the first half. This was an offense that hadn’t scored a touchdown since September, that hadn’t scored all day, that hadn’t thrown a pass over 25 yards in weeks, that could walk along the yellow brick road but never reach Oz.
South Carolina finally reached Oz. Then the Gamecocks took a tour. And, still, their dreams didn’t come true.
No. 7 Alabama pulled out a 27-25 win over South Carolina (3-3, 1-3 SEC) on a perfect weather day in Tuscaloosa. It did so after the Gamecocks came alive and became the aggressor, not just giving Alabama a scare but delivering the already shell-shocked Crimson Tide fans a question of reality.
“We came up a little bit short,” said head coach Shane Beamer. “I hurt for (our players)... We’re sick of this feeling.”
The Crimson Tide seemingly sealed the game with a 34-touchdown pass with just under two minutes. Receiver Germie Bernard could have gone down at the 1-yard line and the Tide might’ve been able to run out the clock. But what drama would that have created?
A minute later, after USC wide receiver Nyck Harbor somehow got his toe in-bounds on a 31-yard rainbow from quarterback LaNorris Sellers, the Gamecocks had a 2-point conversion with a chance to tie the game. Sellers rolled right. Receivers cut across the back of the end zone. But Alabama had pressure barreling in on Sellers. He couldn’t set his feet and his throw sailed high.
“They brought two off the edge,” Sellers said. “We had what we wanted but they brought another linebacker off the edge.”
Added receiver Bennett: “We practice that play a lot. That’s something we felt confident in. The play was there. It was there. Just have to make a play.”
Even when Sellers’ throw missed its target, keeping Alabama up 2, there was no relief. No exhale because South Carolina — a team that wouldn’t die — got the onside kick.
Only after a last-second Sellers heave was intercepted — his third turnover of the day — did the Tide finally throw dirt over South Carolina.
“You can’t go on the road in the SEC and turn the ball over,” Beamer said.
What’s amazing: The Gamecocks were in control late, leading 19-14 heading into the fourth quarter. These Gamecocks. The ones that scored just three points last week against Mississippi and seemed to have no offensive identity, plan or hope.
And they took the lead on a Chinese water torture drive. Sixteen plays. Eighty-five yards. Rocket Sanders touchdown. Drip. Drip. Drip. South Carolina marched down the field, a confident bunch that just kept running the ball, just kept converting third downs and just kept the clock running.
The demons of the past were being executed. Then they came back. Sellers — holding a fourth-quarter lead — fumbled the ball in his own territory. Alabama scored the go-ahead touchdown three plays later.
On the ensuing drive, kicker Alex Herrera had a 51-yard field-goal chance to take a late lead in Tuscaloosa. The kick little kids dream of. A similar kick he had against LSU when he lined up for a 48-yarder to send the ball game into overtime. This kick, though, sailed wide right.
The loss is crushing. And, yet, it seems like somewhat of a success when you think back to where South Carolina was when Sellers dropped back on fourth-and-9.
When Bennett ran a slow-moving route, lulling defensive backs to other options and Sellers hit him for a wide-open score. Finally. After nearly six quarters the Gamecocks found the end zone.
They still trailed Alabama 14-7, but they had at least kicked the casket open. Over the next 97 seconds, South Carolina would jump out of the wooden crate with boxing gloves on, ready for a fight.
Kyle Kennard, a Tasmanian devil coming off the edge, pressured Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe in the end zone. Milroe threw the ball to no one. Grounding penalty. Safety South Carolina. Two points for the road team.
Then South Carolina and Alabama decided to exchange momentum like they were playing hot potato. Sellers fumbled, Milroe threw a pick and South Carolina somehow kicked a field goal as time expired in the first half.
“Nobody was in here at halftime doing cartwheels because we were in a tight game with Alabama,” Beamer said. “We expected that because we have a good football team.”
South Carolina ran to the halftime locker room on top of the world. After the game, they walked. There was a lot to process.
Next South Carolina game
Who: USC at Oklahoma
When: 12:45 pm Saturday, Sept. 19
Where: Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla.
TV: SEC Network
This story was originally published October 12, 2024 at 3:25 PM.
