Stephen Garcia shares memories of beating Alabama in 2010

Mere mention of Stephen Garcia’s name immediately brings to memory one of the greatest games in South Carolina Gamecock football history. The clutch performance by Garcia, combined with an amazing performance by former Gamecock great Alshon Jeffery, propelled them to one of the most stunning victories in school history–when 19th-ranked South Carolina defeated the top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide 35-21 on Oct. 10, 2010, in Columbia, South Carolina. The win also snapped a 19-game winning streak for the Crimson Tide, the defending national champions. Stephen Garcia recently jumped on the Crain & Company podcast to talk about the greatest victory in South Carolina football history.

“It was wild. It was a week-long party. You could tell because we lost to Kentucky the next week. [Laughs]. Yeah, I mean it was a blast. But people always ask, what was the difference between the Alabama week compared to any other week with Coach Spurrier and practice and getting prepared. And I tell people, ‘It’s crazy. He was as calm and chill as I’ve ever seen him.’ You know, he wasn’t high strung. The only time I ever saw that he was high strung was when we played against Florida. He didn’t give a damn about Clemson. He didn’t give a damn about anyone else. He just wanted to beat Florida…But that was definitely a fun night and a few nights after that,” Garcia said on Monday’s podcast.

Michael Casagrande put it beautifully after the game, that “South Carolina stunned Alabama and set the state on fire”. The legend of Alshon Jeffery really began to take flight on that Saturday afternoon. He hauled in seven catches for 127 receiving yards and two touchdowns, establishing himself among the very best receivers in college football. Jeffrey’s one-handed catch against the Crimson Tide in that game, cemented his legacy with one of the most iconic moments in South Carolina football history.

As for Stephen Garcia, he completed 17 of his 20 pass attempts for 201 passing yards, while tossing in three touchdown passes with just one interception. Former Gamecock legend Marcus Lattimore also chipped in with over 100 all-purpose yards and three total touchdowns. The South Carolina defense also had seven sacks on the afternoon.

Upsets are part of what make the game of college football so very special, and rest assured there’s no question that Steve Spurrier and every player on that roster will never forget that special Saturday. Nor will the Gamecock fan base.