The Alabama Crimson Tide lost on offense, defense and special teams, and that translated to the scoreboard with South Carolina winning 35-21. It was a thrashing that ended Alabama’s 29-game regular season winning streak. Want some insight into the game? Read the game notes below.

ALABAMA FOOTBALL FINAL GAME NOTES – ALABAMA AT SOUTH CAROLINA (courtesy of UA Media Relations)

MOST POINTS ALLOWED SINCE 2007: The 35 points allowed today by Alabama is the most scored by an opponent since LSU scored 41 in a 41-34 Alabama loss to the Tigers in Tuscaloosa on November 3, 2007.

ALABAMA 3-6 UNDER SABAN WHEN TRAILING AT THE HALF: With the loss, Alabama falls to 3-6 when trailing at halftime under head coach Nick Saban. South Carolina led Alabama, 21-9, at the half today.

DOUBLE-DIGIT DEFICIT AT THE HALF: Alabama trailed South Carolina by 12 points (21-9) at halftime today, marking the first time Alabama has trailed by more than 10 points at intermission since Utah led the Crimson Tide by 11 points, 21-10, at halftime of the 2009 Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on January 2, 2009, in an eventual 31-17 loss by the Tide to the Utes.

DOUBLE-DIGIT DEFICITS IN THE SABAN ERA Alabama’s 18-point (21-3) deficit in the second quarter today was the largest faced by Alabama this season and the second-largest deficit Alabama has faced in any game since head coach Nick Saban took over the team in 2007 (largest was 21 points vs. Utah in the first quarter of the 2009 Sugar Bowl, 0-21). The previous largest deficit was a 13-point deficit in the third quarter at Arkansas on Sept. 25. Below is a summary of the largest deficits faced by Alabama under Saban’s guidance.

LARGEST DEFICITS OF THE SABAN ERA
Deficit Opponent Score – Quarter Date Result
21………. Utah…………………………. 0-21 –1st Quarter……. Jan. 2, 2009………. L, 17-31
18………. at South Carolina….. 3-21 – 2nd Quarter…. Oct. 9, 2010……… L, 21-35
14………. at Auburn………………… 0-14 – 1st Quarter…… Nov. 27, 2009….. W, 26-21
14………. LSU………………………….. 3-17 – 2nd Quarter…. Nov. 3, 2007…….. L, 34-41 in OT
14………. vs. Florida State………. 7-21 – 4th Quarter….. Sept. 29, 2007….. L, 14-21
14………. at South Carolna…… 14-28 – 3rd Quarter.. Oct. 9, 2010……… L, 21-35
14………. at South Carolina….. 21-35 – 4th Quarter.. Oct. 9, 2010……… L, 21-35
13………. at Arkansas……………… 7-20 – 3rd Quarter….. Sept. 25, 2010….. W, 24-20

ALABAMA ALLOWS 14 POINTS IN 1ST QUARTER: The 14 points scored by South Carolina in the first quarter is the most allowed by Alabama this season and the first time the Crimson Tide has allowed that many points in a single period since giving up 14 to Auburn in an eventual 26-21 Alabama victory on November 27, 2009.

TIDE ALLOWS 21 POINTS IN FIRST HALF: South Carolina’s 21 points in the first half today is the most allowed by Alabama in a first half since giving up 21 vs. Utah in the first half of the 2009 Sugar Bowl, a 31-17 loss. It is the most points allowed by Alabama in any half since yielding 30 at Georgia in the second half on Sept. 27, 2008, in a 41-30 Alabama victory.

DIAL NOTCHES CAREER-HIGH FOR CATCHES IN FIRST HALF: Senior tight end Preston Dial caught a career-high 5 passes for 29 yards against South Carolina, all coming in the first half. That eclipsed his previous single-game best for catches of 3 (for 39 yards) set on Sept. 18 against Duke.

MOSLEY MAKES FIRST COLLEGIATE START: Freshman linebacker C.J. Mosley started at linebacker today, the first start of his Alabama career. Mosley became the first true freshman to start at linebacker for Alabama since Dont’a Hightower in 2008 and Rolando McClain in 2007.

FIRST-TIME STARTERS FOR THE CRIMSON TIDE: With Mosley’s starting assignment against South Carolina, a total of 20 Alabama players have made their first collegiate starts this season – 15 positional starters and 5 specialists. Three first-time starters have been on offense: LG Chance Warmack, RT DJ Fluker, RB Trent Richardson. There have been 12 first-time starters on defense: DE Damion Square, DE Luther Davis, NG Kerry Murphy, LB Chavis Williams, LB C.J. Mosley, LB Jerrell Harris, LB Ed Stinson, CB Dre Kirkpatrick, CB DeQuan Menzie, CB DeMarcus Milliner, FS Robert Lester and CB Phelon Jones. Five more have made starting debuts on special teams: DS Carson Tinker, K Cade Foster, P Cody Mandell and K Jeremy Shelley.

ALABAMA-SOUTH CAROLINA SERIES: With the loss, Alabama leads the series with South Carolina, 10-3 (12-3 before NCAA vacations and forfeits). The Crimson Tide and Gamecocks first met on Oct. 9, 1937, with the Tide posting a 20-0 win. Saturday’s game was the eighth meeting between Alabama and South Carolina since the Gamecocks joined the SEC in 1992. Alabama has won five of the eight meetings in SEC play. Alabama has won three of the five meetings with South Carolina in Columbia.

ALABAMA VS. SOUTH CAROLINA
Date Result Site Score
Oct. 9, 1937……… W……….. H………… 20-0
Nov. 7, 1942…….. W……….. H………… 29-0
Oct. 13, 1945……. W……….. H*………. 55-0
Oct. 5, 1946……… W……….. A………… 14-6
Nov. 13, 1965….. W……….. H………… 35-14
Nov. 12, 1966….. W……….. H………… 24-0
Nov. 18, 1967….. W……….. H………… 17-0
Oct. 3, 1992……… W……….. H………… 48-7
Oct. 2, 1993……… W#…….. A………… 17-6
Sept. 30, 2000….. W……….. H………… 27-17
Sept. 29, 2001….. L…………. A………… 36-37
Oct. 2, 2004……… L…………. H………… 3-20
Sept. 17, 2005….. W%……. A………… 37-14
Oct. 17, 2009……. W……….. H………… 20-6
Oct. 9, 2010……… L…………. A………… 21-35
Tuscaloosa: 8-1; *Montgomery: 1-0; Columbia: 3-2; %Vacated by NCAA ruling; #Later forfeited by NCAA ruling

SABAN VS. SOUTH CAROLINA: With the loss, Alabama head coach Nick Saban is 3-1 in his collegiate career against South Carolina, with two wins coming while he was head coach at LSU before last year’s 20-6 victory with the Crimson Tide. Saban led the Tigers to a 38-14 win over the Gamecocks on Oct. 19, 2002, in Baton Rouge and a 33-7 win on Oct. 18, 2003, in Columbia.

Date Team Result Score
Oct. 19, 2002……. LSU…………………… W……….. 38-14
Oct. 18, 2003……. LSU…………………… W……….. 33-7
Oct. 17, 2009……. Alabama…………… W……….. 20-6
Oct. 9, 2010……… Alabama…………… L…………. 21-35

SABAN VS. SPURRIER: With the loss, Alabama head coach Nick Saban is 1-3 as a head coach against South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier. Both of Spurrier’s two previous wins over Saban came during Spurrier’s last two seasons at Florida before departing for the Washington Redskins, which coincided with Saban’s first two seasons at LSU. In their first meeting, Spurrier’s Gators took a 41-9 victory over Saban’s Tigers in Gainesville on Oct. 7, 2000. The next season saw a similar result with Florida beating LSU, 44-15, on Oct. 6, 2001, in Baton Rouge.

Team Saban Spurrier Winner Score
Oct. 7, 2000……… LSU…………………… Florida……………… Florida………. 41-9
Oct. 6, 2001……… LSU…………………… Florida……………… Florida………. 44-15
Oct. 17, 2009……. Alabama…………… South Carolina…. Alabama……. 20-6
Oct. 9, 2010……… Alabama…………… South Carolina…. SC………………. 21-35

ALABAMA VS. THE TOP 25: The loss to South Carolina drops Alabama to 12-3 against the Associated Press Top 25 over the past three seasons and 8-2 against AP top 10 teams. It also ended a streak by Alabama of nine straight wins against top 25 teams. Alabama is 3-1 against the AP Top 25 this season.

Alabama vs. AP Top 25 Opponents (2008 to Present)
Date Team Rank Result
Aug. 30, 2008…… vs. Clemson (at Atlanta, Ga.)……….. 9…………. W, 34-10
Sept. 27, 2008….. at Georgia……………………………………… 3…………. W, 41-30
Nov. 8, 2008…….. at LSU……………………………………………. 15………. W, 27-21 (OT)
Dec. 6, 2008…….. vs. Florida (at Atlanta, Ga.)………….. 2…………. L, 31-20
Jan. 2, 2009………. vs. Utah (at New Orleans, La.)……… 7…………. L, 31-17
Sept. 5, 2009…….. vs. Virginia Tech (at Atlanta, Ga.)… 7…………. W, 34-24
Oct. 10, 2009……. at Mississippi………………………………. 20………. W, 22-3
Oct. 17, 2009……. South Carolina……………………………… 22………. W, 20-6
Nov. 6, 2009…….. LSU……………………………………………….. 9…………. W, 24-15
Dec. 5, 2009…….. vs. Florida (at Atlanta, Ga.)………….. 1…………. W, 32-13
Jan. 7, 2010………. vs. Texas (at Pasadena, Calif.)…….. 2…………. W, 37-21
Sept. 11, 2010….. Penn State…………………………………….. 18………. W, 24-3
Sept. 25, 2010….. at Arkansas…………………………………… 10………. W, 24-20
Oct. 2, 2010……… Florida…………………………………………. 7…………. W, 31-6
Oct. 9, 2010……… at South Carolina………………………….. 20………. L, 21-35

REGULAR SEASON WIN STREAK ENDS AT 29: Today’s loss ends Alabama’s streak of 29 consecutive regular-season victories dating back to the 2008 season opener against Clemson. Before today, UA’s last regular-season loss came at Auburn on Nov. 24, 2007. During that stretch, the Crimson Tide boasted a 31-2 overall record with its only losses coming to Florida in the 2008 SEC Championship Game and Utah in the 2009 Allstate Sugar Bowl.

18-GAME SEC WIN STREAK ENDS: The loss to South Carolina ends an 18-game win streak by Alabama versus Southeastern Conference opponents. With perfect SEC marks in 2008 and 2009, the Tide was only the second team (Florida – 1995 & 1996) in conference history to post back-to-back undefeated 8-0 records since the league split into a divisional format in 1992.

NEXT GAME: Alabama returns home for Homecoming on Saturday, October 16, when the Mississippi Rebels visit Bryant-Denny Stadium. It will be the 90th Homecoming game in school history. The Tide boasts a 75-13-1 record on Homecoming and are currently riding an eight-game winning streak. Alabama leads the series 43-9-2 (on field record 47-9-2 with three vacated wins and one forfeit). The Crimson Tide have walked off the field winners in six straight against the Rebels, dating back to 2003 when Eli Manning led Mississippi to a 42-28 win in Oxford. UA leads the series 22-1 in Tuscaloosa and 32-1-1 in the state of Alabama. Mississippi’s only win at Bryant-Denny Stadium was a 22-12 decision in 1988.

20 thoughts on “UPSET: Alabama blasted by South Carolina”

  1. Hey, I knew it would be tough this year. My hats off to the Gamecocks. Let’s see how we respond after a loss (even though its pretty tough, since we don’t lose that often). Still have a whole season to play. Roll Tide !

  2. “The Alabama Crimson Tide lost on offense, defense and special teams,”

    you forgot one……..lost on the sideline.

  4. After beating the hell out of the gators and letting the war
    chickens beat you like a government mule, I just can not
    believe want I saw today!! War chickens are you freaking
    serious!! No NC this year for Bama!!

  5. I have to say I seen it coming. I hope Shane from center point will shut up now. I listen to you everyday on Finbaum and I have heard enough.

  6. Bama will beat SC 9 out of 10… time to come down to earth, Bama nation has been in the clouds too long.

  7. Good game Bama, lift up your head. Hope you win em all till the IB. I wouldn’t have wanted to play at SC. I usually hate Bama but most fans are giving SC credit without BS

  8. PATHETIC EFFORT! IF THEY WOULD STOP WORRYING ABOUT WHAT FUKIN NICKNAME TO CALL RICHARDSON AND INGRAM THEY MIGHT HAVE DONE BETTER! ABSOLUTELY POOR GAME PREPARATION MADE GARCIA LOOK LIKE A FUKING ALL AMERICAN THIS IS THE SAME QB THAT COULDNT BEAT AWBARN! I JUST THREW UP IN MY MOUTH A LITTLE JUST BY TYPING THAT LITTLE BIT OF COMMON FUKING KNOWLEDGE! YALL SIT BACK AND GET COMFORTABLE CUZ ITS GONNA BE A LONG YEAR!

  9. You are what I call an obnoxious Bamafan. SC dominated you, just give them credit and stop making excuses. And yea, Awbarn beat SC and you didn’t, don’t hang yourself over it, my God. We might lose to Arkansas, cause they are a good team and I am glad I won’t be as delusional about it as you are about your loss.

  10. Is that all you got dumbass after abarn blows a 21 point lead and barely beats Kentucky by 3.abarn blows and you know it.Ark will destroy you.Just wait beat down coming.Why the hell would we be delusional when this is college football and everyone knows you can not win every game.We had a special run going and we lost.All is not lost dumbass.SC was the better team today……….RTR

  14. EXACTLY DAMAGE! MCELROY HAD AT LEAST 4-7 SECONDS ON EACH SACK TO GET RID OF THE DAMN BALL YOU CANT EXPECT YOUR O-LINE TO PROTECT ANY BETTER THAN THAT AND I AINT BUYIN THE LINE THAT ALL THE RECIEVERS WERE COVERED BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT!

  15. I mean — the sacks, the missed throwing assignments — his head WASN’T IN THE PHUCKING GAME — WHY COULDN’T WE OF JUST BENCHED HIM FOR EVEN A HALF QUARTER? He was in distress man. And our kicker — WTF MAN?

    Look, I APPRECIATE all that McElroy has done for us and WILL CONTINUE to do — but A.J. — give the guy a chance — there ain’t no redshirt on him.

  16. Yes — and there were PLENTY of times he could of got rid of the ball with out an intentional grounding penalty — again — he just wasn’t in the game as well as a LOT of our players. The O-LINE WAS HANDLING their defense in the first quarter — and on that opening drive I seriously thought “WE GOT THIS” — we just marched that ball almost 100 yards and had to settle for 3 points. I think that set the tone for the game. Defense COULD NOT ADJUST FAST ENOUGH after that. SECONDARY — jeez. Another thing — our defense prides itself on stopping the run — but the ‘ole ball coach had confusion running through our heads all afternoon.

  17. McElroy had his best game passing. 315 yds. 80% completions. 2 tds no INTS. Julio his best day. 118 yds. 8 receptions. Who woulda thunk we’d get our asses stomped under those circumstances. Running sucked, and it wasn’t USC’s doing. I’ve never seen Richardson hesitate before advancing even on kickoff returns. The O line protected fairly well, but those 8 sacks were just plain shitty execution. 75% of the team looked like they left their asses at home and just shipped hollow bodies to Columbia. It was a team effort in mediocraty. But the crown for sucking goes to the entire defense. I never thought I’d live to a Bama defense play that shitty. From the coin toss they never had a phucking clue what to do against USC. I mean this was USCjr man, not phucking Nebraska! A nail biter I could have understood. But blown away by those tards for 60 minutes is juct phucking inexcusable. Kirby Smart needs to refund UA the raise we gave him. The D wasn’t just unprepared, they weren’t even motivated and there were no halftime adjustments that valued dick! I am far more disappointed in the overall team performance than I am in the loss. The loss means diddly in the SEC. We win out and we get a second chance to kick their ass. Even after last night I still think we go to Atlanta. Both LSWho and Abarn sucked worse in victory than we did in defeat. But we may have bit the big one as far as the National Championship. There are just too many major teams left undefeated. Can’t believe they will all lose a game. Nebraska, Oregon, Ohio St, Utah, Boise, TCU, OU, Mich St all looked impressive and although 6 of those teams play each other, that still leaves 4 of the 8 that needs to lose a game. But to who? I’m thinking Nebraska, Ohio St, Boise and TCU will finish undefeated. Oregon depends on if their QB can return from injury. We may be able to jump Boise and TCU without a loss, but who is going to beat Nebraska or OSU? Nebraska has Texas and Ou. OSU has Mich. St and Iowa. Right now I’d say Nebraska and OSU in Glendale unless some upsets occur. Dammit. RTR!

  19. GOATS OF THE GAME – MCELROY SACKS SACKS SACK FUMBLE …..MCILWAINE – DOWN BY 7 AT SC 23ISH 2ND AND 5 NO INGRAM – STUPID AT BEST.,,,SMART – SITTING BACK GET CARVED UP NO ATTACK LIKE VS FLA….MOSLEY – LOST,…
    DIAL – 1 YD SHORT DRAG ON FIRST SERIES
    HANKS – DROP ON SECOND SERIES

Comments are closed.