Alabama narrowly escaped an upset against South Carolina with a dramatic finish in the fourth quarter.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The No. 7 Crimson Tide (5-1, 2-1) faced the possibility of a second consecutive Southeastern Conference loss, but managed to pull through. After struggling with an onside kick recovery that allowed South Carolina one last opportunity, Alabama’s Domani Jackson intercepted LaNorris Sellers as the clock ran out, sealing a 27-25 victory for the Tide.
This match marked Alabama’s third consecutive game decided in the final moments, coming off a win against then-No. 2 Georgia (41-34) before a previous loss to Vanderbilt (40-35).
“Another game down to the wire,” said Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer. “We’re kind of getting accustomed to those. There are things we could do to avoid these situations, but we always talk about finding a way to win, and we did.”
With only 43 seconds left, Sellers connected with Nyck Harbor for a 31-yard touchdown, but the Gamecocks (3-2, 1-3) failed their two-point conversion. They recovered the subsequent onside kick, yet a last-ditch effort by Sellers was intercepted by Jackson near the goal line.
“We expected to win this game,” commented South Carolina coach Shane Beamer. “We’re not here to celebrate being in a close game with Alabama; we know we have a solid team, and life in this conference is tough.”
Alabama’s Jalen Milroe scored a 7-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter and later connected with Germie Bernard for a 34-yard touchdown to help seal the win, although the performance was not as dominant as anticipated.
“It’s not the win we wanted,” Alabama defensive lineman Tim Smith acknowledged. “It should have been a lot more dominant and physical, but a win is a win.”
Milroe stepped up when necessary despite a challenging game where he threw two interceptions and was penalized for intentional grounding in the end zone. On a crucial third-and-10 play, he found Bernard wide open, capping off a significant 10-play drive.
Milroe completed 16 of 23 passes for 209 yards, including one touchdown, and rushed for two more. On the other hand, Sellers finished 23 of 31 for 238 yards, with two touchdowns and the decisive interception.
The Gamecocks took a lead into the fourth quarter and had an opportunity to regain it, but Alex Herrera’s 51-yard field goal attempt came up short.
Milroe capitalized on a fumble by Sellers with a touchdown run, bringing the score to 20-19, but a subsequent two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful. He could only watch as the defense secured the victory.
“We emphasize teamwork and supporting each other,” Milroe remarked. “It’s about everyone just buying in.”
Alabama initially went ahead 14-0, but South Carolina steadily closed the gap before halftime, capitalizing on a series of mistakes and big plays, including a 36-yard touchdown pass from Sellers to Mazeo Bennett Jr.
“There were some crazy moments, but our guys kept fighting,” Beamer noted.
The analysis indicates that while South Carolina has shown improvement since their prior loss to Mississippi, Alabama’s earlier dominance seems distant. Nevertheless, the Tide managed to hold their ground.
Despite the win, Alabama may see a decline in rankings.
Looking ahead, South Carolina will face No. 18 Oklahoma on Saturday, Oct. 19, while Alabama will take on No. 8 Tennessee on the same day.