South Carolina football facing worst home point spread in 3 years vs. Alabama
The odds aren’t in South Carolina’s favor this weekend.
Heading into Saturday’s home vs. No. 4 Alabama (3:30 p.m., ABC), the Gamecocks are a 12.5-point betting underdog, according to most major sportsbooks.
It’s the worst point spread that South Carolina (3-4, 1-4 SEC) has faced this season, as well as the worst home point spread coach Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks have faced in three years, according to Odds Shark’s college football database.
USC’s previous worst point spread came on Sept. 20, when the Gamecocks were a 10-point road underdog at No. 23 Missouri and lost 29-20. Last week, they were a 4.5-point home underdog to No. 14 Oklahoma and lost 26-7.
The last time South Carolina closed as a 12.5-point underdog or greater for a home game at Williams-Brice Stadium came on Nov. 19, 2022, when Beamer and the Gamecocks were a 22.5-point underdog against No. 5 Tennessee.
On the positive side: That Tennessee game was one of the high marks of the Beamer era, as unranked USC blew out Tennessee 63-38 in a night game and beat No. 8 Clemson the following week for back-to-back wins against AP Top 10 teams.
Alabama (6-1, 4-0 SEC) is favored by as many 13.5 points in some sportsbooks for Saturday’s game. The Crimson Tide are the third of five straight AP ranked SEC opponents the Gamecocks will play (LSU, Oklahoma, Alabama, Ole Miss, Texas A&M).
Here’s a closer look as South Carolina’s history as a big home underdog under Beamer (which has resulted in a few big upsets):
USC as a home underdog under Beamer
Home games in which USC was a double-digit underdog (10-plus points)
2021 vs. Florida: 20.5 points, won 40-17
2021 vs. Clemson: 11.5 points, lost 30-0
2022 vs. No. 1 Georgia: 25 points, lost 48-7
2022 vs. No. 5 Tennessee: 22.5 points, won 63-38
2024 vs. No. 12 Ole Miss: 10 points, lost 27-3
2025 vs. No. 4 Alabama: 12.5 points, TBD
This story was originally published October 22, 2025 at 7:00 AM.
