Alabama managed to survive a late-game comeback by South Carolina 27-25. Alabama was winning 27-19 when South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers threw a 31-yard pass that was initially called an incomplete. But after review, it was overturned for a touchdown. On the two-point conversion attempt, Sellers had a man wide open in the corner of the end-zone, but he air-mailed it. Bama was up two and the game seemed to be over until the Gamecocks recovered an onside kick. But Sellers threw an interception and time ran out.
Setting the Tone
Three of Alabama’s first four plays were runs, including a converted fourth and short. Jalen Milroe completed two 30-yard catches and runs to get them to the four-yard line They tried to run it in twice with Jam Miller to no avail. But on third down Milroe ran it in from the one. It was a four-minute touchdown drive, which was longer than any drive they had last week.
The teams exchanged punts and on the next drive, South Carolina coach Shane Beamer went for it on fourth down. Sellers completed a pass but it was fumbled and turned over. Milroe had a rough next drive. After getting a first down, he was pressured and made a bad throw to Williams that could have been picked off. On the next play Kyle Kennard, already with one sack, came in untouched flushing Milroe out of the pocket. Demtetrius Knight Jr came from the other side and sacked Milroe forcing another punt.
On third and long, Sellers miraculously escaped the rush and found Gage Larvadain running free deep downfield. It’s one that’s got to be caught and Larvadain couldn’t haul it in. Alabama got the ball back and took advantage running the ball on six of seven plays, highlighted by a Milroe 27-yard run. It ended with a Haynes two-yard touchdown run to go up 14-0.
Crazy Last Two Minutes
Right before halftime, Beamer went for it again on fourth down but this time it paid off. Sellers found a wide-open Mazeo Bennett Jr for a 36-yard touchdown pass to make it 14-7. Bama got the ball with 1:37 to go. A personal foul on the kick-off put them at their own 10. Kennard got pressure again, so Milroe drifted back into his own end-zone and threw it away. It didn’t get back to the line of scrimmage, so it was ruled a safety. That made it 14-9 and the Gamecocks got the ball. Now it was Sellers’ turn to make a bad decision. While in the grasp of Jihaad Campbell, he tried to throw the ball away but threw it backward. It was ruled a fumble and Alabama recovered.
Milroe and the offense got the ball at their own 47 with 48 seconds left. Kennard struck yet again with a sack. Following another sack on second down, there were 11 seconds left. Milroe threw into good coverage and it got intercepted by Jalon Kilgore. He returned it to the 20 with only a couple of seconds left. That allowed the Gamecocks to kick a field goal right to cut the lead to 14-12 and end a wild first half. Two mistakes by Milroe cost them five important points.
Second Half
South Carolina got the ball and came out strong. A couple of beautiful Sellers’ runs got them to midfield. Sellers came through again with a 22-yard pass to Bennett Jr and a beautifully executed shovel pass to get them inside the 10-yard line. Two plays later, Raheim Sanders ran it in giving South Carolina a 19-14 lead. It was a 16-play, 85-yard drive that lasted 8:40, a perfect start to the half for the Gamecocks.
More Craziness
After two failed drives, the Alabama offense got a great field position near the 50. They drove down to the 14, but O’Donnell Fortune made an excellent read to intercept Milroe. Sellers gave it right back on a messed up fake handoff that caused a fumble giving Bama the ball back, the turning point in the game. Three plays later, Milroe ran it in from seven yards out. They missed the two-point conversion so Bama led 20-19.
Sellers orchestrated a drive that got them into Alabama territory. After a holding penalty killed the drive, they were forced to try a 51-yard field goal, the longest attempt of Alex Herrera’s career. The kick wasn’t even close. Alabama got the ball back with about six minutes left. Milroe and company put together a 10-play, 67-yard drive that took 4:14, ending on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Milroe to Germie Bernard. It was 27-19 with 1:54 left.
Not Done Yet
Then came the Seller’s touchdown, the missed two-point conversion, and the onside kick recovery. On the final interception, Sellers threw a bomb way downfield. Domani Jackson, who had left the game injured and returned, intercepted it around the two-yard line. His momentum carried him back into the end-zone. He almost took a knee, which could have potentially been ruled a safety to tie it. He smartly ran it out to kill the clock and end the game.
Outlook
A win is a win and Bama needed it after last week’s upset loss. But it’s hard for coach Kalen DeBoer to feel super confident moving forward. Their upcoming schedule features three straight games against ranked opponents. The defense played better, but the offense struggled. They still haven’t been able to establish the run. As a team, they rushed for 104 yards, but only 2.7 yards per carry. And as good as Milroe is, he made multiple bad decisions and was lucky to only have two turnovers. He must play better. This was a necessary win, but it wasn’t an impressive performance.
