TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — — Alabama was pushed to the brink of a second straight Southeastern Convention upset loss.
This time the Crimson Tide survived, if solely barely.
No. 7 Alabama (5-1, 2-1) botched the restoration of an onside kick to offer South Carolina one final probability, however Domani Jackson intercepted LaNorris Sellers as time expired and the Tide escaped with a 27-25 win.
It was Alabama’s third straight sport that went all the way down to the very finish, having crushed then-No. 2 Georgia 41-34 every week earlier than shedding 40-35 to Vanderbilt.
“One other sport all the way down to the wire,” Tide coach Kalen DeBoer stated. “We’re type of getting accustomed to these. There’s some issues that we will do to ensure it doesn’t get to that time. However we all the time discuss discovering a technique to win. As many occasions because it regarded like we weren’t, we did.”
With 43 seconds remaining, Sellers hit Nyck Harbor for a 31-yard landing, however the Gamecocks (3-2, 1-3) didn’t convert on their two-point try. They recovered the following onside kick, however Sellers’ desperation heave towards the top zone with 13 seconds remaining was intercepted on the objective line by Jackson.
“We anticipated to win this sport,” South Carolina coach Shane Beamer stated. “No person was coming in right here at halftime doing cartwheels as a result of we have been in a good sport with Alabama. We anticipated that, as a result of we have now a great soccer staff. Life on this convention is admittedly exhausting.”
Jalen Milroe rushed for a 7-yard landing within the fourth quarter after which hit Germie Bernard for a late 34-yard rating to assist Alabama survive the scare. It wasn’t fairly the emphatic rebound win they have been hoping to provide.
“It’s not the ‘W’ that we needed,” Alabama defensive lineman Tim Smith stated. “It ought to have been much more dominant and bodily, however a ‘W’ is a ‘W,’ man.”
Milroe delivered when he needed to in a sport the place he was intercepted twice and flagged for intentional grounding on a sack ultimately zone for a security. Dealing with third-and-10, he discovered Bernard downfield with no defender wherever within the neighborhood with 1:54 left to cap a 10-play drive.
“There was a variety of secure avenues and issues that we mentioned on that play and I feel that they have been aggressive in making an attempt to play a variety of these,” DeBoer stated. “There was a deeper route and I like that Jalen noticed it.”
Milroe was 16-of-23 passing for 209 yards with a landing and two dashing scores. Sellers was 23 of 31 for 238 yards with two TDs and the ultimate choose.
The Gamecocks entered the fourth quarter with a lead and had an opportunity to retake it. However Alex Herrera’s 51-yard subject objective try, which might have been a profession lengthy, was brief.
Milroe had taken benefit of a Sellers fumble together with his 7-yard landing run with 10:42 left however the two-point cross failed, leaving it 20-19.
He was relegated to cheerleader on the finish with the protection on the sector, identical to towards Vandy and Georgia.
“Once we discuss staff, that’s an important instance of simply discovering a means as a bunch to simply cheer on whoever’s on the sector and everybody simply shopping for in,” Milroe stated.
Alabama’s 14-0 lead was whittled down to 2 over the ultimate 1:37 earlier than halftime amid a sequence of South Carolina’s large performs and Tide snafus. It included the security, turnovers from every staff and Sellers’ fourth-and-9 cross to a wide-open Mazeo Bennett Jr. for a 36-yard rating.
“There was some loopy stuff however our guys simply stored hanging in there,” Beamer stated.
The takeaway
South Carolina: The Gamecocks largely turned issues round after a 27-3 dwelling loss to No. 9 Mississippi, with Sellers outplaying Milroe for a lot of the way in which.
Alabama: That dominant first half and win over Georgia looks as if a unique season now. However like that sport, the Tide managed to carry on.
Ballot implications
Alabama might fall within the rankings regardless of the win.
Up subsequent
South Carolina: At No. 18 Oklahoma on Saturday, Oct. 19.
Alabama: At No. 8 Tennessee on Saturday, Oct. 19.
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