The Alabama Crimson Tide earned its seventh consecutive victory on Saturday afternoon against the South Carolina Gamecocks in what was a vintage survival effort, taking a fourth quarter comeback to avoid yet another loss to an unranked team under Kalen DeBoer.
By the way things started, it looked like Alabama was going to be on its way to a comfortable win, using a DaShawn Jones pick six early to grab a 7-3 lead and quiet the crowd in Columbia.
Instead though, it was a major struggle the entire afternoon for the offense, and until a Ty Simpson pass to Josh Cuevas on 4th and goal late in the first half, it was a slog for both the passing game and running game as the offensive line struggled to hold its blocks.
The late score gave Alabama a 14-6 halftime lead, but after turning it over on downs on the first possession of the second half, South Carolina found its way into the end zone and climbed within two. The Gamecocks would take the lead late in the third 15-14 with another field goal, and after an Alabama three and out, LaNorris Sellers would find the end zone with his legs to go up by eight and put the Tide very much in the danger zone.
In what may have been the most important drive of the season however, Simpson led the offense down the field on a 14-play, 79-yard drive which ended in a Germie Bernard touchdown with just over two minutes left.
Needing a two-point conversion to tie it, Ryan Grubb dialed up a trick play in which Simpson took a handoff from his running back Daniel Hill, rolled all the way out and found Cuevas wide open:
After South Carolina fumbled on the next possession, it was Bernard once again, this time on 3rd down taking a rush for 25 yards to put the Tide on top for good and send the South Carolina fans home without their upset win.
It was far from Simpson’s best day, finishing with just 24 completions on 43 attempts, but on a day where the offensive line struggled mightily, Alabama found a way to get it done and go into their much earned bye week next week blemish free in the SEC schedule.
After the bye, it will be the LSU Tigers coming to town and trying to find a signature win of their own, but until then, DeBoer’s team can enjoy a 7-1 start to the season.
Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP and hear him every weekday morning from 6 to 9 a.m. on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5, available free online.
