No. 7 Alabama overcomes scare against unranked South Carolina to win 27-25

Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) throws the ball away in the end zone, under pressure from South Carolina defensive lineman Kyle Kennard (5), during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The play resulted in an intentional grounding call for a safety. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)

By JOHN ZENOR AP Sports Writer

Alabama was able to hold off South Carolina 27-25 on Saturday with an interception after allowing the Gamecocks a chance at handing the Crimson Tide its second straight SEC loss by botching an onside-kick recovery before the game’s final drive.

LaNorris Sellers hit Nyck Harbor for a 31-yard touchdown with 43 seconds left, but the Gamecocks (3-2, 1-3) failed to convert on their two-point attempt. They recovered the ensuing onside kick, but Sellers’ desperation heave toward the end zone with 13 seconds remaining was intercepted at the goal line by Domani Jackson.

Jalen Milroe rushed for a 7-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter and then hit Germie Bernard for a late 34-yard score to help No. 7 Alabama (5-1, 2-1) survive the scare.

The Crimson Tide narrowly avoided another upset after losing to Vanderbilt last week, ending a short stint as the top-ranked team in the country.

Milroe delivered when he had to in a game where he was intercepted twice and flagged for intentional grounding on a sack in the end zone for a safety. Facing third-and-10, he found Bernard downfield without a defender anywhere in the vicinity with 1:54 left to cap a 10-play drive.

Milroe was 16-of-23 passing for 209 yards with a touchdown and two rushing scores. Sellers was 23 of 31 for 238 yards with two TDs and the final pick.

The Gamecocks entered the fourth quarter with a lead and had a chance to retake it. But Alex Herrera’s 51-yard field goal attempt, which would have been a career long, was short.

Milroe had taken advantage of a Sellers fumble with his 7-yard touchdown run with 10:42 left but the two-point pass failed, leaving it 20-19.

Alabama’s 14-0 lead was whittled down to two over the final 1:37 before halftime amid a series of South Carolina’s big plays and Tide snafus. It included the safety, turnovers from each team and Sellers’ fourth-and-9 pass to a wide-open Mazeo Bennett Jr. for a 36-yard score.

For Alabama, that dominant first half and win over Georgia seems like a different season now. But like in that game, the Tide managed to hold on.

Alabama could fall in the rankings despite the win.

Alabama next faces No. 8 Tennessee in Knoxville on Saturday, Oct. 19.

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