For three and half quarters, South Carolina had No. 4 Alabama right where they wanted them, on the ropes, grasping for rhythm, surrounded by 80,000 screaming Gamecock fans who believed they were about to see history repeat itself. And they almost did.
Shane Beamers Gamecocks gave the heavyweight Crimson Tide all they could handle before falling 29-22 in a heartbreaker at Williams-Brice Stadium. South Carolina outgained Alabama 333-325, ran the ball for 120 yards, won the time of possession (32:33 to 27:27), and forced two turnovers, but it still wasn't enough.
Wiliams-Brice had that 2010 feel. You could feel it. The energy. The noise, The belief. When LaNorris Sellers found Nyck Harbor for a big gain late in the fourth quarter to set up the go-ahead touchdown, it felt like 2010 all over again. This time, however, the upset slipped through the fingers of a team that fought like hell to make it happen.
Sellers went 17-of-32 for 213 yards and a touchdown, adding clutch runs that kept drives alive. South Carolina moved the ball methodically, but South Carolina's defense deserved better than the final score. Beamer's team isn't looking for moral victories. But this one did show something bigger: resilience, growth, and belief. This team fought every snap, hit back every time Alabama landed a punch, and had a top-five program reeling on the road. The Gamecocks may not have finished the job, but they made a statement. Williams-Brice is still a place that can make even the biggest giants sweat.