Alabama Recap: Bama Survives Scare against South Carolina, 27-25
It is safe to say that Alabama did everything possible to give South Carolina a huge road victory on Saturday. To the relief of Bama Nation, the Gamecocks refused to take it.
A week after a disastrous loss to unranked Vanderbilt, the Crimson Tide eked out a win over a determined Gamecock squad 27-25 at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday. Many of the concerns that were exposed against the Commodores showed up again against the Gamecocks, except this time around, they seemed more pressing. Another shaky defensive outing highlighted by South Carolina’s 7 for 10 performance on third downs in the second half, which included one drive where they were a perfect 5 for 5, raises more questions about Kane Wommack’s defense. Mix in an average offensive performance and a poor special teams day (outside of punter James Burnip’s usual excellent performance), the seventh ranked Tide is extremely lucky to have come up with the victory. There were several low points in this one, including a disastrous 1:34 at the end of the first half where Bama saw a pedestrian 14-0 lead shrink to 14-12 courtesy of a blown coverage that resulted in a touchdown, a foolish personal foul penalty on the ensuing kickoff that led to a safety, and a costly interception that led to a field goal.
There were other low points, including a Gamecocks successful onsides kick with 43 seconds to play near midfield, and even though Bama limped away with the win, many questions remain as to whether the ’24 Tide is playoff worthy. With a showdown against a Tennessee team in Knoxville that could serve as a playoff elimination game, Kalen DeBoer and the Tide find themselves at a crossroads. The impressive road win at Wisconsin and the dramatic victory over Georgia two weeks ago seems like they occurred a lifetime ago.
For the day, South Carolina outgained Bama by 61 yards and earned three more first downs than the home team. A sloppy game on both sides saw a total of six turnovers, with four by the Gamecocks. On the day, Jalen Milroe finished a respectable 16-23 for 209 yards and a touchdown, yet he threw two costly interceptions and was sacked four times as South Carolina’s edge rushing dynamic duo of Kyle Kennard and Dylan Stewart caused major problems all day. The Tide running game still has not found its groove as Milroe continues to lead the way, scoring two touchdowns on the ground. Talented tailbacks Jam Miller and Justice Haynes carried the ball a combined 20 times for only 68 yards. South Carolina’s Rocket Sanders had a good day on the ground, gaining 78 yards on 16 carries and a touchdown. The Gamecocks had struggled with the downfield passing game, yet had success against the Tide secondary hitting touchdown passes of 36 and 31 yards. Meanwhile, Alabama freshman sensation Ryan Williams had a quiet day, catching 4 passes for 32 yards while Washington transfer Germie Bernard had his best game in a Tide uniform, hauling in 4 passes for 89 yards and what turned out to be the game winning touchdown.
Alabama started strong and opened the game with a methodical 9 play, 75-yard drive as Milroe scored from a yard out. The teams spent the rest of the first quarter and most of the second trading punts until Justice Haynes’ 2-yard tally made the score 14-0 with 4:38 left in the half. South Carolina responded when, on 4th and 9 from the Bama 36, Sellers found a wide open Mazeo Bennett courtesy of a busted coverage that cut the Bama lead in half with 1:36 to go until halftime. On the ensuing kickoff, a personal foul on Caleb Odom backed up the Tide offense close to their goal line. On the next play, a breakdown in protection led to a sack of Milroe in the endzone for a safety to further trim Bama’s lead to 14-9 with 1:28 to go before halftime. Three plays later, Gamecock quarterback Sellers fumbled, giving the ball back to Alabama at the Tide 44 with 46 ticks remaining before halftime. DeBoer chose to be aggressive and tried to get points before half. The plan backfired when a poor Milroe’s pass was intercepted and returned to the Bama 19 with one second remaining. The disastrous end to the second quarter for the Tide ended when Gamecock kicker Alex Herrera hit a 37-yard field goal, and what looked like a comfortable Bama lead had evaporated and the home team led 14-12 at the half.
To start the third quarter, Kane Wommack’s Bama D failed to slow down a Gamecock offense that had started to hit its stride. South Carolina marched 80 yards and took a whopping 8:40 off the clock that culminated in a short touchdown run from Rocket Sanders that gave the visitors its only lead of the day. The Tide defense’s struggle to get off the field on third down was on full display as South Carolina converted a perfect 5 for 5 on third down, and after a failed 2-point conversion, the Gamecocks led 19-14. A stunned Bryant-Denney crowd watched the two teams exchange punts before the Tide offense marched to the South Carolina 14 only to see a second poor pass from Milroe intercepted in the endzone with 12:17 left in the contest. The Gamecocks would return the favor when Sellers fumbled at the Tide 31, giving the Alabama offense new life. Bama would regain the lead three plays later when Milroe scored his second touchdown on the ground from 7 yards out, and after a failed two-point conversion, the Tide led 20-19 with 10:42 to go.
Sellers would rebound and march the Gamecocks to the Tide 33 only to see Herrera miss on a 51-yard field goal attempt. Milroe led the Tide to the opponent’s 34-yard line before hitting Germie Bernard in stride for six that extended the Tide lead to 27-19 with 1:54 to play. The Tide defense had an opportunity to close out the game with a stop, however it was not to be. Sellers would hit his second long touchdown pass of the game, a 31-yard strike to Nyck Harbor and with 46 seconds remaining, South Carolina was within a two-point conversion from possibly sending this one to overtime. On the conversion attempt, Sellers missed an open receiver in the corner of the endzone and the score remained 27-25. The Gamecocks would successfully recover an onsides kick when two Bama players missed perfect opportunities to recover the kick and end the game. Instead, South Carolina had the ball on the Bama 49 with 43 ticks remaining. At last, the Bama defense stiffened and only a Domani Jackson pick in the endzone on a Sellers heave would mercifully end the contest.
On the positive side, Alabama won the game and improved to 5-1, 2-1 in the SEC. In addition, there was a noticeable difference in sportsmanship from those in the Crimson jerseys as trash talk after every play seemed to be eliminated. On the negative, once again, Alabama was outplayed and probably deserved to lose. Ever since the incredible first half of the Georgia game two weeks ago, the Tide has now been outplayed in ten straight quarters. Serious questions about the defense and Wommack remain, and at times in the last two games, Milroe has looked flustered. This game will continue the onslaught of critics and fans alike stating “That would never have happened under Saban” after every miscue. DeBoer and Bama were on top of the world just two short weeks ago. Logic says this team is not as bad as they have shown the last two games, and the Tide remain right in the thick of the hunt for a conference championship and a College Playoff berth. In order for that to happen, Alabama needs to recapture the magic that propelled the Tide to a massive first half lead over Georgia as well as quality wins earlier in the season. The schedule stiffens considerably, as Bama faces dangerous teams the next three games in the Vols, Missouri, and LSU. It is safe to say that If Alabama gives any of those teams the chance to steal the game, they will most certainly take it which will add to the frustration of a very odd Tide season so far.
