South Carolina had chances to knock off Alabama the past two seasons.
asserted
Carolina → have → Alabama
Both times, the Crimson Tide made enough plays late to avoid an upset.
asserted
Tide → make → upset
Alabama would prefer not to have to do it again.
asserted
Alabama → prefer → it
The eighth-ranked Crimson Tide (3-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) host South Carolina (2-1, 0-1) on Saturday with both teams looking to address problems from last week.
asserted
teams → rank → week
Alabama needed to overcome a 15-point deficit to beat Florida State 50-36 and allowed 377 yards passing.
asserted
Alabama → need → yards
The Gamecocks, meanwhile, lost 41-34 to Mississippi State and now face their first road game while trying to avoid falling to 0-2 in conference play.
asserted
Gamecocks → lose → play
“We’ve moved on.
asserted
We → move → ?
In this building, we’ve moved on,” South Carolina coach Shane Beamer said.
asserted
Beamer → move → building
“Saturday sucked.
asserted
Saturday → suck → ?
We’re not going to sit around and feel sorry for ourselves.”
asserted
We → go → ourselves
The last two meetings came down to the final possession.
asserted
meetings → come → possession
Alabama needed Domani Jackson’s interception to secure a 27-25 win in 2024 after South Carolina recovered an onside kick.
asserted
Carolina → need → kick
Last season, the Crimson Tide erased an eight-point, fourth-quarter deficit, recovered LaNorris Sellers’ fumble and scored again to win 29-22.
asserted
Tide → erase → fumble
Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer expects another physical matchup.
asserted
DeBoer → expect → matchup
“A game that you got to be ready to play and be at your best,” he said.
asserted
he → got → best
Sellers returns for his third start against Alabama.
asserted
Sellers → return → Alabama
The Crimson Tide will start its third different quarterback in those meetings, with Keelon Russell following Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson.
asserted
Russell → start → Milroe
Beamer pointed to Alabama’s response to its season-opening loss at Florida State last year as an example for his team.
asserted
Beamer → point → team
The Crimson Tide recovered to reach the SEC championship game and the College Football Playoff.
asserted
Tide → recover → game
“Again, this team will be judged by what we do from this point forward,” Beamer said.
asserted
Beamer → judge → point
“And we’ve moved on.”
asserted
we → move → ?
Alabama wants a better start
Alabama recovered from early deficits against Kentucky and Florida State.
asserted
Alabama → want → Kentucky
DeBoer wants better execution before the Crimson Tide fall behind.
asserted
Tide → want → execution
He cited missed blocks, slow reactions and a false start among the problems against the Seminoles.
asserted
He → cite → Seminoles
“Our first two drives this last week, I mean, we were really close, but close doesn’t matter,” DeBoer said.
asserted
DeBoer → mean → ?
Sellers should test Alabama’s secondary
asserted
Sellers → test → secondary
Alabama’s pass defense has a chance to respond after struggling against Florida State.
asserted
defense → have → State
Defensive coordinator Kane Wommack called that performance the worst pass defense he has seen during his Alabama tenure.
asserted
he → call → tenure
He said the Seminoles succeeded on timely throws, even under pressure.
asserted
Seminoles → say → pressure
Sellers brings a similar concern with his ability to extend plays.
asserted
Sellers → bring → plays
He has thrown for 648 yards and five touchdowns while rushing for 172 yards.
asserted
He → throw → yards
DeBoer said Sellers has improved as a downfield passer.
asserted
Sellers → say → passer
Receiver Nyck Harbor, at 6-5 and 240 pounds one of the nation’s most physically imposing players and a late-game touchdown scorer against Alabama in 2024, has eight receptions for 127 yards this season.
asserted
Harbor → have → yards
South Carolina’s running game faces a challenge
asserted
game → face → challenge
South Carolina averages 277.3 yards rushing a game, which ranks seventh nationally.
asserted
which → average → yards
Alabama has allowed 53, the fifth-lowest average in the country.
asserted
Alabama → allow → country
Matt Fuller leads the Gamecocks with 272 yards rushing and three TDs.
asserted
Fuller → lead → yards
Sellers gives South Carolina another running option, including when a passing play breaks down.
asserted
play → give → option
Swain gives the Gamecocks a special teams threat
Vicari Swain has returned six punts for 152 yards and two touchdowns, giving South Carolina a chance to score without its offense on the field.
asserted
Swain → give → field
DeBoer highlighted punt placement, maintaining coverage lanes and getting multiple defenders to Swain.
asserted
DeBoer → highlight → Swain
…and 2 more, not listed.
The Aporia
